Ken Johns monitors the compressors while mixing
O2 tanks are filled slowly from a cascade bank
Trimix tanks are iced down while filling
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
A Fly In The Ointment
Sunday, August 6, 2000 – Today’s participants:
- Team 1 – Kyle Creamer
- Team 1 – Terrence Tysall
- Team 2 – Bill Gambrill
- Team 2 – Andrew Donn
- Team 2 – Tane Casserley (ECU)
- Support – Ken Johns (NURC)
- Support – Tamara Ebert
- Standby Diver – Grant Graves
- Chase Boat Support – John Barone
- Diving Supervisor – Doug Kesling (NURC)
- DMT – Clyde Martin
- Photographer – Cindy Creamer
- Project Director and Chief Archeologist – Dr. John Broadwater
- MNMS Historian – Jeff Johnston
- Captain, R/V Cape Fear – Dan Aspenleiter
- The Mate – Mike Rodaway
The winds had died down this morning and the sun was coming out. We headed out at our usual time, and the seas laid down like glass. The ride out was exceptional. Things were looking great! Then we found the fly in the ointment . . . our marker buoy could not be seen. The current was so strong, the ball had been pulled underwater. Not knowing if the current was just near the surface, we planned to dive anyway. We used our technique for initial deployment – the Captain drops us far enough up current to drift into the wreck as we descend.
We staggered our teams again today with Team 1 doing a 35 minute bottom time (total run time back to the surface was 3 hours), and Team 2 doing a 25 minute bottom time (total run time back to the surface was 2 hours). The current on the bottom was stronger than it has been but less than 1 knot. The temperature on the bottom was higher, also – 75 degrees. During decompression, we drifted about 7 miles. How about that for some current!
We continued to work in the engine area, both aft and in the fireroom. The weather report for tomorrow is increasing winds – so, we’ll look at it tomorrow!
Send questions or comments to the trilobite.
Questions and Comments To the Trilobite
Hi Tam,
Saw a couple of nice pics of you on the website today… Looks like you are working hard (mini golfing?) 🙂 – Keep up the hard work – we miss you!
Lawrence
P.S. – Do you get to feed the fish like we do in Devil’s Lake? 🙂It is a Marine Park, so we aren’t not allowed to feed the fish. If we could get the bass to eat the toadfish it would be helpful.