help_outline Skip to main content

 Great Lakes Shipwreck Preservation Society

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



News Stories

2014 - Madeira and Hesper - Closing Report

Corey Daniel | Published on 7/20/2014
Closing Report

Madeira

This years project included the following divers/ volunteers: Randy Flacksbarth, Pete McConnell, Dave Olsen, Jim Christiansen, Randy Beebe, Steve Daniel (R/V Preservation operator), and Corey Daniel (project leader). We had favorable weather on Saturday and were able to get two good dives on the wreck. Divers dove in groups of two or three. The wreck hasn't changed in the last year. More sand has washed away from the pilot house so it seemed there is a little more to see. This was also observed at the porthole under the fan tail. You still can find rivets on the bottom that have popped out of the hull. One new thing observed is a loose piece of metal at the top of the swim thru in the stern, which will have to be addressed to keep divers safe. This is such a great wreck that is accessible to many and a great example of just what the power of water, of Lake Superior can do to a steel ship. Thank you everyone who participated for your time, knowledge, skill and input.

Comment from SBD: it was a great opportunity for me to try out my new underwater camera system, which worked very well. Randy was my UW diver model, who helped with a short video of him swimming around the fantail equipment. We also captured some images of the pilot house for Corey. It was fun helping on the project.

Hesper

Sunday had pretty dense fog that would come and go. Everyone was able to perform a nice long dive, although 40 degree water always seems to feel colder on the Hesper for some reason. No changes to the wreck were noted, other than the deer carcass from last year was on portside of main wreckage towards the bow. The really wasn't much remaining of it. This is still a fun wreck to see old school construction.

Comment from SBD: We got some good video of the entire wreck to help update Corey's monitoring records. Randy and I enjoyed the second dive with clear visibility and a chance to see the anchor shaft at the port bow, the capstan on the stern starboard side, the rudder and the broken propeller fluke returned by the Owatonna Dive Club on an earlier PIB project several years earlier. Randy and I were glad to help on Corey's project.