GTBUP

Drawing under water

How do archaeologists map shipwrecks under water?

By Melissa Johnson

Underwater archaeologists use some of the same techniques as land archaeologists. When they first encounter a shipwreck, they survey it.Archaeologists can use grids, measurements, a little geometry and paper to accurately map what they see. Underwater archaeologists use a special waterproof paper called mylar to take notes and draw their site. It’s not as easy as it looks! Want to try your hand at underwater mapping? You’ll need:

Materials:

• Large bucket or tub filled halfway with water
• Paper and pencil
• Several paperclips, different sizes
• Several small rocks or pebbles
• Ceramic coffee mug
• Metal fork and spoon
• Eraser about two inches long
• Handful of coins
• String
• Sand

Place the cup slowly at the bottom of the bucket. Starting with the cup and ending with the coins, drop the items near the mug. First try to sketch how the items look, noting their positions. Can you see everything? Now add handfuls of the sand and allow it to settle. What can you see now?

Next, tie string to one of the paper clips and pull it to the surface slowly, trying not to disturb the other “artifacts”. Try the same method for the eraser, then the mug. Pretty tricky, isn’t it? Underwater archaeologists face many challenges mapping and excavating shipwrecks and other submerged sites!

Adapted from, Archaeology for Kids: Uncovering the Mysteries of Our Past by Richard Panchyk. Chicago Review Press 2001.

Field School for Kids

There is a week long program for kids offered through Children's House Montessori School and is taught by the GTBUP's Melissa Johnson. This is an inexpensive class and kids should love it!

Go to the Education page for more info.

The GTBUP conducts a membership meeting every month. These meetings are open to the public and anyone with an interest in the Preserve is encouraged to attend. Meetings are typically held the third Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at the Children's Museum.

A Ford Pinto rests on the bottom
off Haserot Beach

Site 5: The Haserot Beach "Junk Pile"

In the 1950s teenagers from the Old Mission area began hauling junk out onto the ice. Their hope was that, eventually, they would accumulate enough "junk" to make a small island on which they could play. Every spring the ice melted and the island grew. This lasted a few years before a violent winter scattered the junk and the island was never rebuilt. There are several small boats, a refrigerator, and even a Ford Pinto in the area. This site can be enjoyed by snorkelers and divers alike. The average depth is 20' or so.

Lesson Two

In Lesson One, I talked about the need to get close since water is so much denser than air. Besides getting close, the next best thing you can do to improve your photography is to add a strobe - or better yet - two. A strobe will bring out all the beautiful, vivid colors of fish that are lost as you dive deeper. Reds, oranges, and yellows fade very quickly underwater and using a strobe is the only way to bring them back. You can attempt to color correct your photos using computer software such as Adobe Photoshop but even powerful computer programs can't add color that wasn't there when the photo was taken. Strobes aren't cheap but they can make such a huge improvement in your photography that you won't regret it!

GTBUP President, Chris Doyal, is a successful underwater photographer. He writes a new column each newsletter in hopes that other photographers can improve their photographs. His website is: www.chrisdoyal.com

It's pretty easy to tell which photo was taken using strobes!

Jack Spencer

GTBUP co-founder and Scuba North owner, Jack Spencer, has recently sold the shop after 30+ years. Jack has been a wonderful supporter of the GTBUP and even though we won't see him at the shop every day, he will still be active with the Preserve. Stop by Scuba North to thank Jack and say hi to new owner, Doug Bell. Doug is an avid technical diver and his expertise will be valuable to the Preserve. Thanks Jack!