20 June 2005 Ocean Wave, Sevastopol
(June 20, 2005)
Today Ethan Brodsky, Jon Van Harpen, Tamara Thomsen, and Keith Meverden returned to the Ocean Wave off Whitefish Dunes State Park. Despite 4-foot waves on Lake Michigan, the UW Sea Grant Institute’s R/V Dawn Treader safely carried the crew over the twenty-four mile round trip from Sturgeon Bay.
R/V
Dawn Treader in rough seas
Today’s goals were to survey the site for a suitable location for the 2,000 lbs. mooring anchor that will be placed later this week by UW-Milwaukee Great Lakes WATER Insitute's R/V Neeskay, and to video the wreck site to create a photo mosaic. The photo mosaic will be used to not only document the site, but also to structure a more comprehensive survey and mapping project next month.
Ocean Wave's bow
A new technique was used to video-record the site. Unlike last year’s photo mosaics, where one diver driving a Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) towed another diver holding the video camera, this year the video camera was mounted on the nose of the DPV (nicknamed "scooter-cam"). This made the video recording a one-diver operation, freeing the other diver for other work. Coupled with visibility exceeding 100 feet, the process worked flawlessly. Over two dives the team was able to completely record the site and select a location for the mooring anchor. Once the team returns to the office in Madison, individual photographs captured from the video will be joined to create a highly detailed and accurate site plan.
Ethan pilots the scooter-cam
Keith examines locations for the mooring anchor
WHS photos by Tamara Thomsen
