Initial Announcement on Front Page of Website
Madeira and Hesper Monitoring Project
Saturday and Sunday July 20 - 21, 2013
On the RV Preservation
The primary objective for this
project is to get members out on the R/V Preservation to see how we do
things on our many dive projects throughout the summer.
All participants will have a chance
to learn monitoring procedures using a still or video camera or slate to
take notes on any deterioration of either shipwreck and compare them to
last year's data. We will also review and
discuss any noted changes and make any suggestions to the GLSPS Board of
Directors of any action that needs to take place to stabilize either
shipwreck and to help preserve maritime history.
One of the other objective of the
GLSPS is to have new members get involved on projects (or old
members that have never joined us on a project) and feel welcome to
register for future
projects. We don't want members to confuse us as a good old boys
club. We encourage people to join us and participate in the projects.
As always you need to be a member to participate in all of our
projects.
To learn more about the project or if you are interested in joining us, please click on link button below.
To register. please click on "Register Now" when you get to the main project page.
Hope to see both new and old faces.
Corey Daniel
Project Leader
218-343-4970
Madeira and Hesper Monitoring Project
July 20 - 21, 2013
Closing Report
Madeira
This year's project volunteers consisted of Ken Knutson, Jack Decker, Randy Flacksbarth, Joe Musial and myself. Tom Peterson also joined us using his personal boat. Weather was good on Saturday and everyone had two great dives. There were some minor changes observed. The porthole below the fantail was no longer laying flat. It was angled up as if sand washed away on one side to allow movement. A brief thought of the hull shifting and pushing on it more was excused due to no other signs of hull movement. Also noticed was the movement of two large pieces of hull in the stern section. They formed a wall or corner that restricted access into the rear most part of the stern. These two pieces had fallen in a 2008 spring storm and slightly covered the porthole that allowed a diver to peer into another room where there was a ladder. Now the pieces shifted more towards the swim thru area. The sand bottom seems to move around the pilothouse year to year, sometimes exposing more or less metal. This year not as much. The pilothouse is still holding up, not appearing to have changed much from last year. Wrapped up the day with a nice cruise past the lighthouse.
Hesper
The group enjoyed one nice long dive on Sunday with fairly calm waters. I always enjoy this wreck for how much ship building techniques you get to observe. For some reason 40 degree water feels colder on this wreck than the Madeira. Not much to report here, the wreck is fairly protected and no movement is noticed of any part of the wreck. A fully intact carcass of a doe deer was seen under the port side forward of the engine mount area.
Thank you to everyone who participated for your hard work, input, and good times. Hope to dive with you again next year.
Corey Daniel