15 September 2005 Joys, Sturgeon Bay
(September 15, 2005)
Today the water clarity was much greater, and the surge significantly reduced. As a result, the day ran smoothly and the dive team made considerable headway recording the remains. Work continued on the ten-foot sections,and by the end of the day the first one hundred feet were completed, leaving only the aft thirty feet left to record by the end of tomorrow.
Wisconsin Maritime Museum's
Icelander, and UW Sea Grant Institute's
Dawn Treader and
Orion provide platforms for the survey
Some interesting things were encountered in the aft units of the vessel. Quadruple frames were discovered beneath a thick layer of ash. The additional structural support indicates the area was likely the location for the boiler and steam engine. Large sheets of melted metal and severely burned timbers were also strewn across the area. The rider keelsons and other key structural components appear to have been ripped apart as well. This could be evidence of a boiler explosion, and the ultimate demise of the vessel.
Given the apparent violent nature of the ship’s end, it is surprising how intact the features are. Swimming through the site is a lesson in ship construction. The majority of the main structural elements are intact and almost totally exposed. A thick layer of zebra mussels adds an additional challenge to recording an archeological site underwater. New drawings of the day’s recorded sections were transferred to the main site plan in the evening.
