Madeira and Hesper Monitoring Project 2018

  July 21 - 22, 2018

During this project we are going to monitor the conditions of each shipwreck through visual observation drawings and also using both still and video photography. 

We will be cruising, sleeping, eating and diving from the R/V Preservation for this Project.

A Fee of $30.00 will be charged for the project.  This is for the split costs for food, beverages and a little fuel consumed on the project.  The main project is FREE! 

The Madeira and Hesper have been underwater for a very long time.  Mother nature has done a great job preserving them but she has beaten them up along the way.  As divers we dive these shipwrecks and will eventually cause wear from diving them year after year.

This is were volunteers from the GLSPS step in to help.  With the joint effort of the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) the GLSPS tries to help stabilize and preserve these shipwrecks from further deterioration.  We work closely with the state organizations and near by Cities near the shipwrecks, to gain access through special permitting to perform the underwater work we perform to preserve the shipwrecks and ultimately maritime history. 

Before we can do any of this, we need to document and monitor each shipwrecks deterioration characteristics.  If the shipwreck looks like it's in danger of collapsing or is becoming a safety concern for divers, we formulate a preservation and stabilization plan and present it to the GLSPS Board of Directors.  If the Board and MHS approve the plan, we go to work and implement the plan.  We will also need to obtain permits from the MHS (and sometimes the DNR) to perform construction work on the shipwreck.  If we complete the process like planned, it will help to preserve the shipwreck for many years.  The shipwreck will be intact for future divers to be able to view, just like we saw when we first dived the shipwreck.     

 Please note:  All project participants are required to print, read and sign the GLSPS "Liability and Waiver Forms".  To help speed up the process, please bring your signed forms with you to the project and give them to a GLSPS representative. The boat can't leave the dock until all forms are collected and reviewed.  Please remember, if you answer "NO" to all the Medical form questions, you do not have to fill out the second page of the Medical Form.  If you answer "Yes" to any of them,  you will need to fill out the second sheet of the Medical form and have a Physician OK or check you off to dive with the GLSPS.

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Madeira and Hesper Monitoring Project Itinerary:


Friday Night:

* Divers will meet at the Dock at Silver Bay Marina.   Please feel free to print out your own copy of the description of the project and bring with you.  All Project attendees are welcome to sleep on the boat Friday night. 

Saturday:

1. 7:00 AM Wake up call, have breakfast, perform boat briefing and proceed south to the Madeira dive site.

2. Underway:  Perform dive and safety briefing, establish dive buddies and dive teams one and two.

3. 9:00 AM - After securing the boat, prepare for the first (deeper) dive with Dive Team One and brief them on what to monitor and document (with cameras and slates) on the Madeira, of any deterioration on the shipwreck.or to the Dive Site.

4. 9:30 Prepare and Send Dive Team Two for first dive.

5. 10:00 AM - Start filling tanks after dive team one has returned.

6. 11:00 AM - Prepare for Second Dive for dive team one if Surface interval is adequate and first teams tanks are filled.

 
7. 12:00  to 1:00 PM - We will have lunch.  Start filling tanks for dive team two.

8. 1:30 PM - Prepare for the second dive for the second dive team on the Madeira to finalize the Monitoring. 

9. 3:00 PM - After the second dive team returns, we will proceed North back to Silver Bay Marina for Dinner and overnight stay.  We are sleeping on the boat.  Fill the remainder of the tanks while returning to Marina.

Note:  Marina does not allow compressor running in the Marina!

Sunday:

1. 7:00 AM - Wake up call.  Prepare breakfast and proceed to the Hesper Dive Site.

 
2. 8:00 AM - While underway to the Hesper, Perform Dive and Safety Briefing.  Prepare first dive for Dive Team One and brief them on what to Monitor and Document (with camera's and slates) of any further deterioration on the Hesper shipwreck.  Noting any dive site damage in general.

3. 9:00 AM - Prepare and send Second Dive Team for first dive.  Start filling tanks for dive team one.

4. 11:00 AM - Prepare for Second dive if surface interval has been adequate. Start filling tanks for Dive Team Two.

 
5. 12:00 - 1:00 PM - We will serve lunch as dive teams return from dive.

6. 1:00 PM - Prepare for second dive for Dive Team Two.

7. 3:00 PM - Return to Silver Bay Marina to unload the Divers.

8. 3:30 PM - After unloading the divers at Silver Bay Marina,  perform a quick De-briefing.