James A. Smailes
Abstract Acknowledgements I want to thank Brenda Altemeier of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary for the information provided on the NOAA Volunteer Stewardship program, and Terry Sumpter of MAHS for his article on the Field School that appeared in MAHSNews. Introduction - What is MAHS? The Maritime Archeology and Historical Society, or MAHS, is a non-profit, 501(c)3 avocational group of underwater archeology enthusiasts founded in 1988. Our mission is to support the documentation and preservation of our global maritime heritage and provide opportunities for members to serve, learn, and develop skills in the fields of maritime history and archaeology. Our members are both divers and non-divers from all walks of life: engineers, historians, lawyers, educators, business people, skilled trades people, students, retirees, and several professional archaeologists. We have developed a training program in basic underwater archaeology that we teach every year starting in late January. It is a ten-session course with a pool session where students get a chance to practice the measurement and survey techniques that they’ve been taught in class. In 1997, we were able to put our course on video using a grant from the Maryland Historical Trust, which is called Diving Into History. Our course has been distributed across the country and in various locations throughout the world. MAHS has trained almost one thousand students since the inception of our course in 1988 and many of these students have gone on to complete our Field School and earn the MAHS certification. MAHS certification is recognized by almost all federal and state archeology managers in the country and conveys that MAHS volunteers have the training and ethical commitment to serve as productive cultural resource stewards. The Introductory Course is followed by a Field School, a two-day open-water session sometimes held on an archaeological site to give the students direct experience in mapping, surveying, and drawing, often in a low-visibility underwater environment. As part of our outreach activities, in addition to making presentations at conferences like the 7th Maritime Heritage Conference and at the annual Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA) meeting, we hold monthly meetings, publish the semiannual newsletter MAHSNews, and have a website www.MAHSNet.org. NOAA’s Volunteer Stewardship Program The Florida Keys is one of the most popular diving destinations in the world and the final resting place for possibly more than 2,000 historic shipwrecks. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), designated in 1990, has developed an extensive education and volunteer program for its submerged cultural resources over the past 14 years. Through this volunteer effort a five volume set, Underwater Resources of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary’s Northeast Region, of known significant natural, cultural, archaeological, and historic sites has been catalogued. The Goals of the Volunteer Stewardship Program are to:
- Gather sufficient information about the nature and extent of the area’s cultural resources to allow managers to make informed decisions about resource protection and management; The FKNMS’s volunteer program consists of researchers, students and community members who share a common interest in the resources of the Sanctuary. Volunteers assisting the Sanctuary’s Maritime Heritage Resources Inventory Team average 530 hours of fieldwork per year. Educational groups, which include community colleges, universities, and archaeological research programs have participated in cultural resource related activities in the Sanctuary. Information gained from their work is used to record and interpret the history and culture of the Keys to the public. Through the Volunteer Program, the FKNMS has developed community-based stewardship for cultural resources in the Sanctuary. The French Reef Project The project was conducted on July 10-13, 2003 approximately six miles off the coast of Key Largo, Florida and one-mile north-northeast of French Reef within the boundaries of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS). It was the second MAHS Field School of the year and the first initiative in what is anticipated to be an ongoing relationship between MAHS and NOAA’s FKNMS. One goal of the field school was to train MAHS students in basic site survey and mapping techniques. In addition, the team endeavored to provide FKNMS with a credible and useful site map of an unidentified shipwreck lying on French Reef near Key Largo. This was a pretty ambitious plan for only two days of diving! However, as a result of considerable planning and cooperation between many parties, the consensus was that both objectives were achieved with great success. The team consisted of five trainers who provided technical guidance and logistical support and seven students:
MAHS is especially grateful for all of the support and assistance provided by then FKNMS Upper Keys Regional Manager, David Score, and the dedicated office and field support provided by his administrative manager, Brenda Altmeier. Special recognition is also extended to Denis Trelewizc, a volunteer with the FKNMS Submerged Resources Inventory Program, who shared a wealth of historic information about this and other local shipwrecks and provided indispensable logistical support throughout all phases of the project. Two boats with crew were provided to the MAHS survey teams by FKNMS. Captain Ken and Linda Smith furnished their vessel, Island Girl, for two of the MAHS teams and Mitch O’Connor furnished his vessel, Expedition II, for the other two teams. These vessels served as the base for onsite operations. Thursday July 10 was the arrival day. A meeting was held Thursday evening for all team members with Dave Score and Denis Trelewizc to meet and discuss the project plans briefly. Everyone was enthusiastic and optimistic, and the NOAA folks expressed their appreciation to the MAHS team for volunteering their time and assistance. On Friday morning, Ray Hayes led the students through a dry land trilateration and mapping exercise. While the students were going through their paces ashore, the rest of the trainers reconnoitered the wreck site. The dive teams set up a baseline and transect line for reference purposes, tagged specific artifacts for trilateration, and decided upon the survey strategy. The baseline ran parallel to what appeared to be the keelson, and the transect line was set perpendicular to the baseline at the 16 meter point so that it passed over the western tip of the capstan. The transect line was used to divide the site into quadrants labeled A, B, C, and D. Each section was assigned to one team of two students and one instructor. All features were identified with survey tape marked with an alpha-numeric number to indicate what quadrant the artifact was in, such as A – 2, D – 1, and so on. Friday afternoon the students were transported to the site for their first dive on the wreck. The wreck is in about twenty feet of water and has very little relief (as might be expected since this was a primarily wooden ship). The wreck lies in a coral rubble and sand bottom, with some turtle grass and soft corals, fire coral, and sponges. Previous research had indicated that there would be little relief, gave us an overall estimate of the site area, and that a capstan would be the major feature. We discovered large timbers were lying prominently in the sand, and encrusted artifacts were scattered about. As this was a non-intrusive survey, everything was left in situ and there was no attempt to uncover or excavate anything. The most distinctive feature was a large capstan, located near the intersection of the baseline and transect line. On this dive, visibility had deteriorated to approximately thirty feet or so, and there was moderate surge, which added to the challenge of taking and recording measurements. However, there was plenty of bottom time so the students didn’t feel rushed and they were able to complete the tasks assigned to them. In the evening, the data recorded that day was plotted on the site map. Each team of students went over their data with Training Director Tom Berkey. For only two dives, one by students, the preliminary site map looked pretty good. Missing data was identified, and plans were made for Saturday’s dives. On Saturday, visibility had improved quite a bit and the surge had diminished. Surveying of the essential features was pretty much completed by the end of the first dive. Between dives, a team of divers went into the water to record the global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the endpoints of the baseline and the capstan. On the second dive, the students were provided with disposable underwater cameras to try their hands at photo documentation of artifacts. This wasn’t as easy as it sounds, because the surge had increased over the morning dives and contributed significantly to the experience. Compounding the exercise for the students was the need to include in the photograph a signboard bearing relevant information regarding the artifact. Basic signs had been prepared the night before for all relevant artifacts to be photographed. This was a bit like a slow-motion rodeo at times, though eventually one learned to anticipate and compensate for the swaying environment. Ray Hayes, the project videographer, was able to capture a comprehensive visual record of the site. At the conclusion of the second dive, all reference lines and feature tags were removed, creating a very different view of the wreck. Without the demarcations and flags tagging artifacts, the ship became an apparition. Final Project Report As we teach in the basic course, it’s not archeology until the report is written. Project leader Steve Anthony followed the report guidelines provided by Dave Score. The report appendices included the site map, color photos of all features, a compact disk containing the video of the site, an environmental assessment of the coral and fish life, copies of the archival research, and completed Florida Site Report forms. Findings and Recommendations Substantial amounts of ship structure remain, including timbers that appear to be portions of the keelson, framing, flooring and ceiling. The site also contained a concreted feature that appears to be a capstan, and a substantial amount of rigging adjacent to the timbers and ballast stones scattered about. The site contains features indicative of the structural components of a late 19th century sailing vessel. The site includes shipwreck remains scattered over an area of approximately 60 by 60 meters, with the highest concentration in an area of 40 by 40 meters. The site is a vibrant aquatic habitat and is located in a protected area of the FKNMS. The natural environment includes fishes, sea fans, and corals that are described in the report’s Environmental Assessment. This site could be a candidate for inclusion in the FKNMS Shipwreck Trail if it can be identified. Therefore, MAHS recommends that additional mapping and data collection be performed on the site. Recovery of diagnostic artifacts under the supervision of a qualified archaeologist could prove helpful in the identification of this shipwreck. MAHS recommends that FKNMS consider engaging the services of a professional archaeologist to supervise this work.
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