Expeditions
The sanctuary program sponsors, coordinates and/or participates in a variety of expeditions each year. Some expeditions are conducted aboard the NOAA sanctuary research vessel Huron Explorer, while others are aboard vessels from sanctuary partners. The sanctuary science team also explores and investigates areas outside the sanctuary that relate to Thunder Bay’s maritime history.
2007
Several sinkholes have been discovered recently within the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. These sinkholes are collapsed formations in the limestone rock that lay at depths that range from 21-92m on the lake bottom. Thunder Bay’s underwater sinkholes were exposed during the last ice age when the waters of Lake Huron were more than 100m below the present level. Because of this, the sinkholes could contain human cultural emains, potentially well preserved in the lake’s protective environment. Despite their significance, little is known regarding their hydrology, biology, and geochemistry of the sinkholes in the Great Lakes.
2006
Exploration of Submerged Sinkhole Ecosystems
Recently discovered submerged sinkholes in the sanctuary region represent unique physical, chemical, and biological systems. Little is known regarding the hydrology, biology and geochemistry of submerged sinkholes. The expedition was conducted in collaboration with NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory and several university researchers.
2005
Deep Water Shipwreck Survey
Sanctuary scientists documented deepwater shipwrecks within the sanctuary. The two-week project focused primarily on two sites: an unidentified two-masted schooner located by Robert Ballard's Institute for Exploration in 2001 and the wooden passenger steamer Pewabic, which sank in 1865. Both wrecks rest in 160 feet of water. Funding for the project was provided by NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration. [NOTE: I linked to current web site information on the Pewabic. In the redesign page for Shipwrecks, the links to the various shipwrecks do not actually link to anything. This needs to be fixed.]
2002
Exploration of Known and Newly Discovered Wrecks
Scientists from NOAA, Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries and Institute for Exploration conducted a two-week expedition to exploring targets identified in 2001. The expedition team discovered two previously uncharted shipwrecks, including a 19th-century wooden schooner. The team also collected video and photographs of 15 known shipwrecks. In addition to surveying shipwrecks, the team documented several offshore limestone sinkholes.
2001
Thunder Bay ECHO: Acoustic Surveying of Shipwreck Alley
The Thunder Bay ECHO Expedition used sidescan sonar to survey "Shipwreck Alley" in the deep waters of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The expedition was conducted with collaboration from NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration, Institute for Exploration, State of Michigan and Benthos, Inc.
|
