Fall 2010
Volume 15 Issue 2
‘Dive into the Past’ has resurfaced as the
‘Upper Midwest SCUBA and Adventure Travel Show’
By Anna Pranke & Renee Flacksbarth
As many of you know the GLSPS has been researching
ways to enhance the Dive into the Past Show. We have put
together a Team of Dedicated Professionals that have put
in countless hours researching the demographics of the
SCUBA industry to formulate a marketing plan to guide the
show into larger and deeper waters. We are Very Proud of
our team and the results they have accomplished in creating
a new image and direction that will guide the show into the
future.
We are sure you will agree and Won’t want to Miss out on
Attending the FEB 26, 2011 Maiden Voyage of the Upper
Midwest SCUBA & Adventure Travel Show, www.umsatshow.org. It Promises to be Bigger Brighter & Better than
ever with a New Location, New Speakers, and New Events.
The show will be held at the beautiful Northland Inn,
7025 Northland Drive Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Northland Inn is the Midwest’s only all suite hotel and conference center. New this year will be a cocktail party with the
seminar presenters on Friday night and a speaker dinner on
Saturday night with Phil Nuytten speaking.
This year’s program is very exciting and includes:
• Phil Nuytten - Dr. Nuytten has been instrumental in the
development of Atmospheric Diving System technology.
• John D. Broadwater, PhD - Recovery of artifacts from
the Civil War ironclad warship USS Monitor.
• Keith Cormican - Public Safety Diving: Building a
team, Types of training for the PSD's, and Team Safety.
• Michael Tougas - “Sabatical” Photography & Stories
from a Live Aboard Captain.
• Steve Philbrook – Underwater Digital Photography.
and more…….
Schedule of Events
Friday, February 25th: Beginning at 7:00pm, join us
for our UMSAT welcome party at the Northland Inn! At
7:00pm is a cocktail party at a separate location with the
featured presenters.
Saturday, February 26th: Exhibits are open from 8am
until 6pm. Seminars begin at 9 am and run until 5 pm.
Discover Scuba will begin at 10AM and go till 12PM.
Discover Re-breathers is also offered for the more adventurous from 12 to 2PM.
Saturday, February 26th: At 7:00pm is the dinner
with Phil Nuytten speaking and our first GLSPS award
honoring Bill Mathies (black tie admired but not
required).
Tickets
Silver Package - $25 includes admission to the seminars
Gold Package - $44.95 includes seminars, buffet lunch
(including tax and gratituity) and entry into the Bed &
Breakfast raffle.
Platinum Package - $79.95 includes seminars, lunch
(with Bed & Breakfast raffle) and Speaker/Awards dinner.
For more information and tickets please visit our website
at www.umsatshow.org.
GLSPS Wraps Up the Mayflower Documentation Project
By Dan Lewandowski
The Mayflower was a 147-foot, 230-ton wooden scow schooner. She sank on June
2, 1891, about two-miles off the Lester River, not very far from her final destination at
Duluth harbor. She was carrying a cargo of large sandstone blocks to be used in building
the new Duluth high school. More historical information can be found in the book
Shipwrecks Along Superior’s North Shore: A Diving Guide, by Stephen B. Daniel or at the
following website: http://www.superiortrips.com/Mayflower_Shipwreck.htm
The project, with the objectives to document and then register the Mayflower site on the
National Register of Historic Places, was funded by the Minnesota Lake Superior Coastal
Program with grants for 2007-8 and 2009-10. The first project dives were made in 2007
and the final dives in October of 2010.
Dan Lewandowski sketching the
Mayflower starboard anchor.
The Mayflower was both a
very interesting and a challenging project. Even though
almost 120 years under water,
the wreck, upright and splayed
open on a sandy bottom, is intact
enough to see the overall shape
of the vessel, many of the structural features and some of the
equipment such as both anchors, chain and windlass. Many of
the blocks lay within the flattened hull, some still stacked as if
waiting to be delivered to the high school construction site. In
the process of making the scale drawings, a diver is impressed
by the specialized complexity of the structure of these wooden
vessels – the hardware used, the intricate joinery of the wooden
members and the remains of some of the rigging components.
The project was also challenging in many ways. GLSPS
members had to learn new archeological documentation skills. Tamara Thomsen and Keith Meverden, Wisconsin Historical Society maritime archeologists, participated in the project as co-leaders and provided the underwater documentation
methods expertise and training that was required to carry out the project.
The weather was also a challenge – many dives were cancelled due to fog, wind and waves. But there were dive days
when the water was mirror smooth and the visibility “excellent” – at least a good fifteen feet! The 90-foot depth limited
bottom times, requiring many dives and divers to get all the required measurements, drawings and other observations
completed. This year alone, there were eighteen diver-days on the project.
Tamara is completing the final inking of the site drawing, and the nomination will be submitted for the National Register
early in 2011, almost exactly 120 years after the Mayflower went down.
2
This 2010 National Register Nomination Work...
By Ken Merryman
Although we didn’t complete any nominations this year, we have two in the works. The field work on the Mayflower for
its nomination is pretty well covered as part of the Mayflower Documentation Project. Thanks to the work of Tamara
Thomsen, Bob Olson, and the rest of the documentation crew, the Mayflower nomination should be ready for submission
to the Minnesota Review Board this spring. Tamara will be doing the nomination as part of the Minnesota Lake Superior
Coastal Grant.
Our next target for a nomination is the Olive Jeanette, a four mast schooner barge that was lost in a 1905 storm with all
hands along with the towing steamer Iosco and its crew. The Olive Jeanette is located off of Huron Island which is east of
the Keweenaw Peninsula in 290 ft of water. Bob Olson and I dove it in 2007 in poor visibility and realized documenting
this site would be a challenge. Our plan was to start the documentation process this year with a four-day trip to video as
much of the site as possible knowing it would take two or more years to complete the process. This nomination is significant because it is the first time we will work with Michigan’s State Underwater Archeologist, Wayne Lesarde. The project
is also significant because there were only fifteen four-masted schooners built on the Great Lakes so the Olive Jeanette is
unique for its construction.
The pleasant surprise came in early August when Brendon Baillod called me to offer to collaborate on the project with
the project he was working on which was assisting National Geographic and their contracted production company Lone
Wolf Productions do a piece on the OJ as part of the L. R. Doty
story. The Doty had just been found on Lake Michigan and
identified by Brendon. The Olive Jeanette was being towed
by the Doty in 1898 when they were caught in a terrible storm
which claimed the Doty. The Olive Jeanette survived the storm
and continued its service on the lakes until it sank with the
Iosco in 1905.
Although weather and currents kept us from getting all of the
video we had hoped for, we did manage to get three dives worth
of video thanks to the additional crew from the Doty project.
National Geographic paid for the boat and expenses and we will
have the use of the video shot by expert photographers John
Janzen and John Scoles. Jay Hansen cruised his boat 200 miles
from Knife River to Skanee, Michigan to support the project.
Jay frees the anchor
Our thanks to Jay Hansen, John Janzen, John Scoles, Tracey
Xelowski, Chewee, Dan Fountaine, Brendon and Bob Baillod,
Randy Beebe, Jerry Guyer and Lone Wolf/National Geographic for their help in the project. The Doty story should be on
the NG channel some time in March 2011.
GLSPS and Its Members Honored in 2010 by Two Awards
GLSPS and one of its founding members Ken Merryman received awards this year for their work in shipwreck
preservation. GLSPS will receive the Lake Superior Magazine Achievement Award at Gales of November this year. The
November issue of the magazine featured a nice article about GLSPS and the award stating, “Since 1994, the award is
given annually to a group or individual who significantly contributes to the well-being of Lake Superior and its communities.” GLSPS is proud to be honored by their award.
Additionally in their annual meeting at University of Wisconsin Superior, the Association of Great Lakes Maritime
History (AGLMH) presented Ken Merryman with the 2010 Award for Historic Preservation. The award was in appreciation for the work done on the Samuel P. Ely project by Ken and the founding members of GLSPS, and for leading GLSPS
projects on the SS. America and the National Register work.
It feels good to know what we do is important and appreciated by the Lake Superior communities and professionals
associated with shipwrecks, their stories, and histories.
3
GLSPS Participates in
Split Rock Lighthouse
100th Anniversary
Celebration
Terry Tobey, MHS program manager at the Spit Rock Lighthouse Historic Site, asked the GLSPS to participate in one of
the weekend events at the lighthouse to share our organization’s
activities with visitors. This was part of the 100th Anniversary
Celebration the MHS was conducting at Split Rock Lighthouse.
Renee Flacksbarth, Pam Kilpela and Steve Daniel developed a
plan for an attractive, creative looking display that utilized two
display tables and the GLSPS Shipwreck Project Banners.
GLSPS Display attracts Split Rock Lighthouse visitors.
Examples of different GLSPS projects, including the Marquette
Shipwreck Nominations to the Wisconsin and National Registers
of Historic Places were included in the display, along with some
nautical items. Two poster panels highlighting the Madeira Anchor
PIB Project (which had just been completed) and the Meteor Ship
Restoration Project were shown on a table and an easel to inform
visitors what we do.
Terry Tobey (MHS) and GLSPS’rs Steve Daniel,
Pam Kilpela, Renee and Randy Flacksbarth kept
busy with lighthouse visitors all day.
GLSPS Receives
Randy Flacksbarth joined the group on Saturday, July 10, 2010 in
the tent near the lighthouse. Tour Guides brought groups of visitors
to the tent to talk about the history of the lighthouse and how it was
related to the Madeira shipwreck that the GLSPS monitors annually. The day was a success, with many visitors asking questions
and several requesting GLSPS Membership brochures to consider
joining and supporting the organization.
Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grant
for Madeira Bollards Display
The GLSPS was awarded a Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grant of $3325 on August 23, 2010 by the Minnesota
Historical Society (MHS). The funds will be used to construct a new base for the Madeira Bollards in Split Rock Lighthouse State Park.
A plan for constructing an appropriate concrete base near divers paring lot and the entrance of the divers path to the
beach, was approved by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Steve Daniel, the project leader, worked
with Dan Roth, Split Rock Lighthouse State Park manager, to develop the plan, along with input from GLSPS Board
Members and GLSPS member Al Fossum.
Upon receipt of a letter from the MHS authorizing the project to proceed, Al Fossum will construct forms for a new base
and arrange for concrete delivery. He will finish the concrete and seal the surface with a durable clear coating. Bob Olson
will arrange for the anchor to be moved to the new display location. GLSPS volunteers will provide assistance as needed.
A sign depicting the history of the Bollards and the Madeira shipwreck, from whence they came, will be built and placed
on display near the Bollards.
This project has been made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on
November 4, 2008. The Fund is administered by the Minnesota Historical Society. The GLSPS sincerely appreciates this
grant, which is expected to cover all the costs for this project.
By Steve Daniel, PIB Chairman
4
GLSPS Featured on KSTP-TV Channel 5
On The Road Program
J
Jason
Davis,
D
i executive
ti producer
d
off th
the O
On th
the R
Road
d program, asked
k d th
the GLSPS tto hhelp
l with
ith some di
diving
i and
d underd
water scenes of the Madeira shipwreck that were to be featured in his story about the 100th Anniversary of Split Rock
Lighthouse. Corey and Steve Daniel and Jay Hanson volunteered to help.
Jay arranged for a large Zodiac to transport divers Corey and Steve to the shipwreck site in March 19, 2010. Steve’s
son-in-law Bill Rose provided his boat to transport Ray Peterson, the KSTP-TV videographer, so he could tape the divers
and boat action. The setting was used as an opportunity to attach the mooring buoy to the bow section of the shipwreck
Ken Merryman later video taped Corey diving on the Madeira shipwreck with Bob Olson. Jason Davis followed up
with Corey and Steve to interview them by the Madeira Anchor that would soon be preserved and moved to a new base
at Split Rock Lighthouse. The program was broadcast on KSTP-TV Channel 5 at 11:00 PM on Sunday night, July 25,
2010. Jason noted in the story that the GLSPS was asked to
monitor the Madeira shipwreck by the DNR. This is being
The GLSPS sincerely thanks the following
sustaining members for their financial support.
done on an annual basis.
Plank Owner
Steve Daniel
Mate
Phil’s Quality Automotive
Helmsman Donors
Jim Christian
John Mielke
Glenn Sell
Greg & Jane Harvey
Rick Schmidt
Mike Stich
Boatswain Donors
Tom Brueshaber
Mike & Sandy Daust
Kenneth Johnson
Kent Myhrman
Robert Olson
Steve Steichen
Scales Advertising
Superior Trips
John Daniel
Art & Alyson Gullette
Steve Kelly
Pat Olson
Roger Southwick
Mike Stenberg
Superior Expeditions
Lisa Weis
Ray Peterson, Steve Daniel, Corey Daniel and Jay Hanson prepare to
launch Zodiac for video shoot at Madeira shipwreck
Corporate Donors
3M Company
The GLSPS thanks the 3M Foundation for their donation on
behalf of Steve Daniel and Bob Nelson, 3M employees. 3M is
pleased to recognize and support volunteers’ contributions to
helping non-profit organizations.
The GLSPS also sincerely thanks
Phil's Quality Automotive Inc Preservation engine and
transmission rebuild. 3M Company & Steve Daniel for boat
material donations. Jeff Redmon of Redmon Law Chartered
PA for all our legal work. Our thanks to Keith Meverden and
Tamara Thompsen of Diversions Scuba for their help with
the Wallace National Register Nomination work. Air Down
There Scuba for teaching our First Aid Class, Owatonna
Diving Club for adopting the Hesper Buoy and Jay Hanson of
Superior Charters for adopting the Ely and Madeira Buoy.
Thanks to Lunds of Edina for the use of their community
meeting room for our board meetings. Thanks to our spring
show sponsors & raffle donors now listed on our website and
Mike Stich for tireless hours of promoting the show. Lastly,
thanks to Sharon Provost for publishing our newsletter.
Steve Daniel stands by Madeira Anchor with Jason Davis and Ray
Peterson, KSTP-TV.
5
GLSPS receives 2010 GLSRF Grant for Preservation
and Move of Madeira Anchor to Split Rock Lighthouse
By Steve Daniel, PIB Chairman
The GLSPS was awarded a $500 Grant on March 6, 2010
by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Research Foundation. The
grant helped fund the preservation treatment and cost of
moving the large anchor onto its new base in front of the
museum entrance to Split Rock Lighthouse.
GLSPS’rs Corey Daniel, Helen Wright and
Wanda Sprague clean Madeira Anchor.
GLSPS volunteers Helen Wright, Wanda Sprague,
Randy Flacksbarth, Corey Daniel and Bill Wallace
stand by Madeira Anchor after preservation coating was applied.
Al Fossum finesses surface of concrete base
to expose aggregate.
Madeira Anchor is moved into place as Tom Brueshaber, Al Fossum,
Bob Olson and Corey Daniel help guide it to the new base.
A plan for the project was developed by Steve Daniel, the
project leader, Bob Olson and Al Fossum. The plan was
reviewed with and approved by the Minnesota Historical
Society (MHS). Arrangements were made with Lee Radzak,
Split Rock Lighthouse site manager, for the new base to
be built in a prominent location. On April 10th, the above
6
GLSPS group, including Tim Pranke, Kelly Murphy and
Dick Giese, was joined by Corey Daniel, Jay Hanson and a
few other volunteers at the anchor to measure it for the new
base.
Al Fossum, an experienced concrete professional, built
the forms on May 1st, arranged for cement delivery and
finished the base with an exposed aggregate appearance.
He later sealed the surface for durability. At the same time,
Bob Olson gathered GLSPS volunteers Corey Daniel,
Helen Wright, Wanda Sprague, Randy Flacksbarth and Bill
Wallace to remove loose rust and apply a durable preservative coating to the anchor surfaces.
On May 22, Bob Olson arranged for Anderson Excavating
of nearby Finland, to move the 10 ton anchor from the
service area to the new base. Tom Brueshaber, Corey
Daniel, Bob Olson, and Al Fossum helped guide the
Brian Anderson welds support to shank of anchor
to secure it in an upright position.
GLSPS 2010 Officers & Committee Chairmen
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
President
1st Vise President
Secretary
Treasurer
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Board Member
Phil Kerber
Bob Olson
Tom Brueshaber
Paul Imsland
Steve Steichen
Steve Daniel
Ken Merryman
Bob Nelson
Kelly Murphy
763-420-2059
651-303-4114
612-588-0069
612-822-7642
651-552-1266
651-731-3697
763-785-9516
651-426-1159
612-203-5148
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN:
Safety Officer
Steve Steichen
Fund Raising
Ken Knutson
Membership
Pat Olson
Monitoring
Corey Daniel
S.S. Meteor Project
Phil Kerber
Training
Phil Kerber
Put-It-Back PIB
Steve Daniel
Sink-a-Ship
Steve Daniel
Shipwreck Doc Projects
Pete McConnell
Access
Bob Olson
America Restoration Proj
Ken Merryman
Apostle Is Committee
Jim Reagan & Bruce Bowers
Librarian
Emma Wallace
Newsletter
Sharon Provost
Equipment Manager
Tom Brueshaber
Ely Project
Bob Nelson
Dive Into the Past Show
Kelly Murphy/Pam Kilpela
Preservation Boat Work
Ken Knutson
National Register Nominations/Grants Ken Merryman
Zebra Mussel Monitoring
Todd Olson/Phil Kerber
Technology Assessment
Kelly Murphy
Management and Website
Steve Steichen
GLSPS’rs Dick Giese, Bob Olson, Brian Anderson, Tom Brueshaber,
Al Fossum, Corey Daniel and Steve Daniel pose by finished Madeira
Anchor with Lee Radzak, Split Rock Lighthouse site manager.
651-552-1266
612-861-8851
218-470-5389
763-420-2059
763-420-2059
651-731-3697
651-731-3697
763-545-1738
651-303-4114
763-785-9516
612-788-8474
612-850-4010
612-788-0069
651-426-1159
612-203-5148
612-861-8851
763-785-9516
952-381-4669
612-203-5148
651-552-1266
anchor into position. Brian Anderson brought his welding
equipment to the site and welded a new sturdy square
tubing support, fabricated by Bob Olson, to the shank of
the anchor. Brian also welded the loose end of the anchor
chain to the shank to secure it in place. Steve Daniel and
Dick Giese helped with the process; including touching up
the coating after the welding was completed.
The GLSPS group posed with Lee Radzak afterwards.
Lee expressed his appreciation for the work performed by
the GLSPS. The GLSPS sincerely appreciated the GLSRF
Grant award that helped make the new Madeira Anchor
display possible! The GLSPS also appreciates all the help
by the numerous volunteers who contributed their time,
skills and energy to perform the important tasks that were
required for this project!
7
The Thomas Wilson Zebra Mussel Monitoring and Clean-Up Project
By Todd Olson
The zebra mussels are coming; the zebra mussels are
coming (cue scary music)!
Actually, they are already here and it is important to get a
handle on what the population is like and what effects they
may be having. GLSPS has been monitoring the condition
of the Thomas
Wilson shipwreck outside
of Duluth for
several years
now. Project
goals are to
monitor mussel
buildup on
the wreck at
specific sites,
perform small
Todd Olson explains Zebra Mussel monitoring
scale removal
tasks to Dan Lewandowski.
tests, monitor
the movement and condition of the wreck, and to clean-up
trash in and around the wreck site.
We have much to do for next years’ project with further
monitoring and the ubiquitous trash pickup. Data from this
year will help us to decide how to proceed with the future
of this important shipwreck site.
A big thank you goes out to project co-leader Phil Kerber,
divers Bill Wallace, Dan Lewandowski, Luke and Randy
Flacksbarth, documentarian Pam Kilpela, and captain Bob
Olson.
Annual Meeting
Announcement
Tuesday November 16, 2010
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Lundʼs Community Meeting Room
3945 West 50th St.
Edina, MN 55424
The mussels were counted by placing 30in diameter rings
at specific locations around the wreck and adding up those
within the boundary and also by counting the mussels
on various ship fittings like bitts and fairleads. We saw a
confirmation of the interesting revelation from last year –
that the mussels like to attach to the vertical surfaces on the
wreck rather than the horizontal surfaces. This makes diver
skills, like buoyancy control and fining techniques, that
much more important when diving this wreck. Disturbing
silt layers on these surfaces may give the mussels a place to
take hold.
Agenda
The Year in Review
Installation of new Board Members
Goals & Plans for the coming year
(Discussion)
Guest Speaker
The GLSPS 2010 Projects
A cargo hatch cover lying off the port side of the bow was
documented as was the hatch it once covered. Interesting
details about a wreck site that relate to the history of a ship
when it was active are part of what makes wreck diving so
fascinating.
Despite a
postponement
and weather
shutting us
out for half
the weekend,
the intrepid
crew rolled up
their sleeves
(or got in their
dry suits), got
together, and
got it done.
How to get there
Hwy 100 Exit 50th St South,
Go .9 mi East,
Lund’s in on the intersection of
50th and Halifax
Meeting Room is upstairs.
(We can’t bring in drinks so pick up
a cup of coffee at their coffee shop.)
L to R Pam Kilpela, Phil Kerber,
and Bill Wallace stow anchor
after a successful Wilson project.
8
The R/V Preservation Gets Even Better
By Dan Lewandowski
The GLSPS 30-footer, the R/V Preservation is in great shape. Even so, the 1960 totally rebuilt steel hulled 30-footer
with twin diesels, had some great additional upgrades this season. The engines were already in top shape, thanks to the
professional mechanical expertise in the group. And the air compressor, meticulously maintained, is in perfect condition
as well.
The recent upgrades made the Preservation even better. Improving life for the
captain, a new Garmin MAP 546S combination color chart plotter with sonar was
installed, and upgraded window wipers were added on both windows.
In the galley, a new water pump and pressure tank adds convenience for all aboard.
Other improvements included upgraded inverter wiring and stainless diamond plate
added to cap the transom.
Probably the best of the upgrades though,
and likely the most appreciated by the
divers, is a new dive ladder designed and
built by Dick Giese.
The ladder construction is welded
aluminum tubing with a stainless steel
pivot. It has some subtle but very
functional design features. Having used
Bob Olson installs our new ladder
Our new dive ladder mounted on the dive
this new ladder, I can say that Dick really
which will make boarding
platform and stowed for cruising.
produced a winner. The tubular rungs are
the boat safer and easier.
just the right length to get footing, but short
enough to get feet and fins in place very easily without a wide lateral leg swing. The rungs are also very slightly canted
inward, providing anti-slip security. The ladder extends upward with two long vertical handholds that provide support,
balance and leverage for a diver to easily climb and pull-up out of the water, even when wearing heavy gear. Another
great feature is that the pivot point provides ladder weight balance that requires very little effort to raise and lower the
ladder, unlike the back-breaking tug-of-war required for many other ladders.
The ladder will be remounted in the center of the transom when a new, wider dive platform is mounted, providing two
separate diver stations that will allow faster diver deployment and re-boarding.
The Preservation is in really prime shape for the 2011 season. Watch the project sign-up sheets for opportunities to get
aboard!
GLSPS Receives
Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grant
for Madeira Anchor Sign
The GLSPS was awarded a Minnesota Historical and Cultural
Grant by the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS), in the amount
of $2500 on July 22, 2010. The funds are being used to develop
an interpretive sign and frame to accompany the new Madeira
Anchor Display at Split Rock Lighthouse.
Lee Radzak, Split Rock Lighthouse site manager, is researching
the history of the Madeira Anchor and will write the story for the
sign. The relationship of the historic anchor to the lighthouse (the
Madeira shipwreck was one of the major reasons that Split Rock
lighthouse was built) will be included on the sign. Steve Daniel,
the project leader, will provide input relating to the removal of
the anchor and its and donation to the GLSPS.
Permission from the Great Lakes Shipwreck History Society
in Whitefish Bay, Michigan, was obtained to use the painting of
the Madeira wrecking on Gold Rock Point, by Kurt Carlson on
the sign. Permission to use a historic photo of the Madeira from
By Steve Daniel, PIB Chairman
the Lake Superior Maritime Collection, University of WisconsinSuperior was given by Laura Jacobs, archivist for the LSMMA
collection. Tamera Thomsen, of the Wisconsin Historical
Society, granted permission to the GLSPS to use an underwater
photo of the Madeira shipwreck on the sign. The GLSPS is
grateful for the use of these images!
Gary Grindle, a graphics designer who has created other
historical signage, will design the graphics for the Madeira
Anchor sign. KVO Industries will fabricate the sign from durable
materials. The MHS is providing the aluminum frame that will
hold the sign. GLSPS will help install the sign when it is ready.
This project has been made possible by the Arts and Cultural
Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November
4, 2008. The Fund is administered by the Minnesota Historical
Society. The GLSPS sincerely appreciates this grant, which will
cover all the costs for this project.
9
GLSPS is Getting A New Look and Feel with Technology
When I was elected as President in 2009 the GLSPS
Board of Directors needed to develop new goals for the
Society. The top three goals that needed re-alignment and
implementation were:
•
Changing the D.I.P. Show to provide a new look and feel
for better results,
•
Improving communications and provide an easier process
for membership,
•
Changing the GLSPS website to be more modern with
interaction, be more informative and automation to
provide easier membership management for the Society.
The GLSPS was falling behind on available technology
to aid in the everyday administration of the Society. When
writing new goals, we saw a need to implement this new
technology.
The new show was just introduced a few weeks ago and
has a new name, “The Upper Midwest Scuba and Adventure Travel Show” (UMSAT). The new show will have
a new look and feel and we are well on our way to making
this the greatest scuba show in the Upper Midwest. We
will be using many technologies available to the Society to
market the new show. This goal has been achieved. Please
log onto www.umsatshow.org for more information.
8.
On-line store - will allow you to purchase all GLSPS
items year round which were previously sold at our booth
during a show. The website store will be selling t-shirts,
sweatshirts, ball caps, stocking caps, and much more
apparel than in the past. Additional items Included in
the store will be our newest books, “Shipwrecks along
Lake Superiors North Shore, A Divers Guide”, “Diving
Pioneers and Innovators” and a long time favorite, “S.S.
America, A Divers Vision of the Past”.
9.
Upcoming training classes – including Advanced First
Aid Training, O2 application, AED safe operation, Tools
and Techniques Class to learn underwater stabilization
techniques on shipwrecks.
10. “Contact us” - the members will now be able to ask questions about the website, membership, projects, meetings,
training, shipwreck preservation, and etc.
The website will be a great improvement to the GLSPS
and its members. Please watch for the email from GLSPS
to introduce the ‘new’ interactive website. Please take a
moment to navigate through the site by logging in, sign-up
on the site as a member and setup your own password, and
you’re ready to surf the website. Detailed instructions will
be sent with the first email and introduction.
The next two goals blend together. Since both the
membership and website interact, we decided to provide a
new website to help us achieve these goals.
The new website will have the same address:
www.glsps.org. The old website will still be accessible by
clicking on a link on the front page. The old site will be
used for archived information about the Society until the
‘new’ website is fully populated and functional.
A few days after you receive this newsletter, we will be
introducing the ‘new’ interactive website by a blast email
from the membership committee to invite all the members
to log onto the ‘new’ website and review what’s new. Some
of the new features will be:
Please note, when the ‘new’ website is finally introduced
it will not be completely populated with old information,
which is why members will continue to have access to
the old website. Please bear with us until the site is fully
completed.
1.
Membership Renewals - You will be reminded automatically by email. We will be accepting credit cards, and
personal checks are still accepted.
Also, a link will be provided for the new UMSAT Show
by clicking on the new show logo. Or, you can log onto the
new show website separately at, www.umsatshow.org
2.
Improved communications - on upcoming Projects and
events.
3.
Automatic email reminders - of meetings, Projects, and
special events.
4.
Improved interaction - including a sign up section for
upcoming projects with detailed information on what we
are doing and what the requirements are. It will also tell
you if the project is already filled and asks if you want to
be placed on a reserve list.
Steve Steichen has spent countless hours of volunteer
time to create this new GLSPS website and make it operational. A few other members have also spent many hours
putting it together. The GLSPS would like to thank the
website team of hard-working volunteers, Steve Steichen,
Kelly Murphy, and Paul Imsland, and Pete McConnell.
5.
Updated calendar of events.
6.
Updated levels of Membership. This is for you to up your
membership to a higher level.
7.
Project information - (members view only) which includes
before and after reports, pictures and video (if video was
taken during the project).
If you do not receive an introduction email soon, we may
not have your email and you will need to contact one of
the above website team or Board Members to provide one.
Please tell your friends and dive buddies.
Enjoy the new GLSPS website and technology, coming
soon!
Phil Kerber, GLSPS President
10
The Search for German U-Boat U656
By Ken Merryman
A German U-Boat is not exactly Great Lakes history,
but that didn’t stop four intrepid GLSPS members and
supporters from mounting an expedition to find it. Led by
father-son team Jerry and Jarrod Eliason, the group, which
included Kraig Smith, Jay Hanson and Ken Merryman,
spent three weeks in Newfoundland searching for the first
German U-boat sunk by America forces after we entered
the war. The U656 was reportedly sunk in an anti-submarine sweep by a PBO-1 Hudson flown by pilot William
Trepuni. Trepuni was returning from his routine scouting
flight when he spotted a German sub on the surface off of
Cape Race. Trepuni dropped depth charges on the sub and
was sure he hit it. He returned to his base at Argentia and
brought back four other planes to continue depth charging
the sight where there was still an oil slick. In the morning
two destroyers the Gleaves and the Bernadou continued the
barrage on the site again depth charging the oil slick.
vintage freighter, but we have been unable to match the
ship design to one of the thirty or so ships lost in the area in
the last hundred years.
Navigation in the 1942 was still basically dead-reckoning
which means it was done by compass, time, speed, and
distance using bearings off of known geographic landmarks. So the military records which Jerry researched
basically recorded the location in terms of courses and
distances from the starting positions of the destroyers.
After many many hours of analysis, Jerry and Jarrod had
the records reduced to a thirty square mile area. The sweetspot in the center of the area was about 10 square miles. It
should have been very easy to cover the entire area in the
two and one half weeks on site. Unfortunately even though
we picked the calmest time of the year for the expedition,
Mother Nature only gave us four days of adequate weather
to be on the water, which meant we only covered about six
square miles. In that time we did find a new shipwreck
but not the U656. The new wreck is an unidentified steel
freighter in 320 ft of water, which looked like a WWII
Our U656 search crew on the crab boat L to R
Jarrod Eliason, Jerry Eliason, Captain Bob, Ken Merryman
Will we continue the search next year or in 2012? We
are still undecided. Now that we are more familiar with
the area, environment, and local support, we are certainly
considering it. We trailered Kraig’s 22 ft Sea Dory to
use for searching and diving, thinking that the 1.5 meter
average North Sea wave height reported by the local sea
buoy would be doable in the Sea Dory. What we didn’t
realize was that the range of wave heights was from three
to nine feet. Although the waves were generally longer and
less sharp than Lake Superior nine-footers, they were still
more that we cared to challenge in the Sea Dory. Instead
we chartered a 36-foot tramp crab boat – not much to look
at, but it worked. If we go back we will most likely plan
the local boat from the start. On our last day we spotted
pairs of “pock-marks” in the relatively featureless bottom.
Our current theory is that these may have been the divots
created by the depth charges dropped by the destroyers
so we may have homed in on the area they were working.
This is exciting to a shipwreck hunter, but searches so far
from home are expensive and require taking a lot of vacation time from work, which cuts into our local searching
and diving. But the thought of finding a historically significant U-boat site will weigh heavy on our minds this winter
as we decide where we go from here.
Keep up on activities and
accomplishments and sign up for projects.
Check out our newly designed web-site at:
http://www.GLSPS.org
An U/W drop camera shot of the cabins of the
unidentified shipwreck we found off Cape Race.
11
Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society
7348 Symphony St NE
Fridley, MN 55432
763-785-9516
GLSPS 2010-2011 Annual Calendar
Areas
Board
Meetings
1st Tues
of Month
Society
Operations
& Projects
Shows
Oct
Bd Mtg
7:00 PM
Nov
Bd Mtg
7:00 PM
Dec
Bd Mtg
Officer
Election
7:00 PM
Jan
Bd Mtg
7:00 PM
Feb
Bd Mtg
7:00 PM
Mar
Bd Mtg
7:00 PM
General
Membership
Board
Norminations Meeting
Nov 16
WUAA
Gales of
Maritime
November
History Conf Nov 12-13
Oct 16
Apr
Bd Mtg
7:00 PM
May
Bd Mtg
7:00 PM
Newsletter,
Boat
Meteor Project Work
April 30 May 1
GLSP
Dive Into the
Past Show
Feb 26
Training
Classes
Ghost Ships
Festival
Milwaukee
Mar 25-26
First Aid
(Tentative)
Keep up on activities and accomplishments and sign up for projects.
Check out our newly designed web-site at:
http://www.GLSPS.org