11 July 2005 Ocean Wave, Sevastopol
(July 11, 2005)
Given the 110-foot depth of the Ocean Wave, and the very limited bottom time the depth allows, a new survey method is being employed and evaluated on the Ocean Wave. Rather than using a traditional baseline survey as employed on the schooner Iris earlier this year, in which team members mapped individual sections and then combined them to form the overall site plan, the Ocean Wave survey is beginning with a site plan to which accurate measurements and greater detail are then added.
Ethan surveys the bow
The site plan was developed from a photo mosaic that was constructed from digital images gathered on 20 June 2005. After assembling the photo mosaic, a paper tracing was made of the mosaic to create a draft site plan. The draft site plan was then divided into major hull structures, such as the bow, port and starboard sides, centerboard trunk, cabin, and transom. These major hull structure sections were then traced onto a mylar film, which divers can take to the bottom and add details from on-site measurements.
Today, Kimm Stablefeldt, Ethan Brodsky, Gregg Mikolasek, Paul Lothary, Jon Van Harpen, Tamara Thomsen, and Keith Meverden were on site making the first dives utilizing the new survey method. The divers met with a chilly 41° Fahrenheit water temperature only 30 feet below the surface, but the sting of the cold water was offset by visibility exceeding 100 feet. With the cold water and only two 30-minute dives per diver, having the hull sections pre-drawn, thus requiring the diver to only take measurements and add details to the drawings, proved an efficient and accurate method for the depth and conditions. Stay tuned to see how the site plan develops.
Ocean Wave photo mosaic
WHS photos by Tamara Thomsen
