The R/V Cape Fear
Project Participants and Sponsors
Monitor National Marine Sancuary
Mariners’ Museum Monitor Center
The Mariners’ Museum
National Undersea Research Center
Maritime Studies Program, East Carolina University
R/V Cape Fear
Coast Guard Stations Hatteras Inlet and Ocracoke
Sartek Industries
Ocean Technology Systems
Maxtec, Inc.
Aqua Productions
Harvey’s Dive Suits
The Usual Suspects
Monday, July 17, 2000 – Divers began arriving in Hatteras over the last couple of days, and with the arrival of the boat, the R/V Cape Fear from UNCW, and support equipment from the National Undersea Research Center today, we are ready to begin tune-up dives tomorrow. We have set up operations at the Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet and Ocracoke again. If anyone has any questions about the project, just drop us an e-mail.
Tune-ups Begin
Tuesday, July 18, 2000 – Today’s participants:
- Kyle Creamer
- Grant Graves
- Terrence Tysall
- Michael Barnette
- John Barone
- Bob Beckner
- Shawn Douthat
- Doug Kesling (NURC)
- Glenn Taylor (NURC)
- Rod Farb (NURC)
- Gary Byrd (ECU)
- Tane Casserley (ECU)
- Captain, R/V Cape Fear – Dan Aspenleiter
- The Mate – Mike
We departed the dock at 0800, our normal departure time. We headed out to the Lancing, a whaler/tanker torpedoed by the U-552 April 7, 1942, and sitting in about 160 feet. Conditions were good with no current and about 30 feet of visibility. We planned a 150 foot maximum depth for 25 minutes on air with EAN36 and Oxygen for decompression. After the dive, Terrence, Doug and Dan went over to the Navy barge to meet with the Captain of the salvage unit and discuss the logistics for our joint operations.
After arriving back on shore, the team turned to filling and preparing ofr tomorrow’s dives. We anticipate the arrival of 3 more team members this afternoon or evening. We will do one or two more days of tune-ups before we begin work on the Monitor . . . so stay tuned!