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 Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society

Dedicated to Preserving our Shipwrecks and Maritime History
"From Prevention to Preservation"



News Stories

The Madeira and Hesper Monitoring Project July 28 - 29, 2012

 
Madeira and Hesper Monitoring Project 

July 27 & 28 2012


 
The GLSPS sponsored a monitoring project that helps us monitor shipwreck deterioration.  This type of project is presented when we have reports that a particular shipwreck appears to be falling apart more than it was in the previous years.  

The project started Friday night when all participants joined us at the Silver Bay Marina to stay overnight on the boat.  This one one of the greatest experiences of the entire project is to all be together on the boat to talk about the project and the diving we are about to perform the next day.

When we did the Madeira and Hesper Monitoring Project, we collected a lot of data and video to sort through and record.  We will present a detailed report on how they are deteriorating as time goes forward.  The report will eventually find it's way to this section of the GLSPS Website for members to view.  Some of our observations are written below.  Please watch for any additional information as it becomes available on the GLSPS website.

Further details about the project are as follows.


1.  The Hesper dive indicated that the wreck is relatively stable.  Knees and other structure seem to move around very little and as far as the difference between years past and this monitoring project.  We did note that the bilge pump that was put back on the wreck a few years ago was tipped over so we up-righted it to the standing position where it is supposed to be.

 

Note:  Check out this video of the Hesper filmed by Sarah Korthauer



Madeira Monitoring:


1.  Three dives were performed by two different teams, covering the majority of the wreck.  The pilot house is still standing and deteriorating slowly as noticed last year.  Moving towards the smokestack-- a piece of structure 3-4 feet wide broke off just before the stack.  Appears rivets rusted away and the piece fell over.  Noticed this occurring on the stern port side.  Rivets rusting away, hull plates shifting and rivets popping out.  You can sometimes find the rivets on the lake bottom.  While inside the stern the holes can be observed with the ambient light outside the hull shining thru.  Overall, the wreck hasn't changed significantly.  I want to make some key measurements on the stern section next year to determine if the port side of the hull is gradually collapsing and at what rate.  I enjoy taking new divers on this wreck and showing them parts of the wreck that most don't usually see.

My goal is to get the divers participating in this project more familiar with all of the wreck to give more insight to observed changes.  I also would like to document the mid section better and correct placement of pieces along the hillside.


Thank you again to everyone who participated in the project, everyone's help and input was appreciated.


We hope to see you on the next project.

Corey Daniel
Project Leader
heygadgetman@yahoo.com
Cell - 218-343-4970