2010 Private Research Expeditions in The Monitor National Marine Sanctuary

Deep Explorers
Dive Dates: June 13 -27, 2010

Expedition Organizers: Dan Crowell, Deep Explorers, Rick Marshall

Vessel: O. C. Diver

Project Summary
The USS Monitor was the US Navy’s first ironclad, made famous for it’s participation in the Battle of Hampton Roads with the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia on March 9, 1862.

The USS Monitor is now a marine sanctuary and National Historic Landmark 16 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, NC in 230 fsw. The USS Monitor Center at The Mariners Museum in Newport News, VA, documents the people, science and history of this famous ironclad.

The expedition has two objectives;

1. Document the exposure of any new artifacts within the USS Monitor wreck site with High Definition (HD) video, including their general location by simple tape measurements and video reference.
2. Document any non-indigenous species residing on the USS Monitor, specifically lionfish.

Any artifacts discovered during the expedition will be videotaped in their natural position and remain undisturbed by all team personnel unless otherwise instructed by NOAA in writing.

We hope this project answers two main questions;

1. Have new artifacts been uncovered since 2009 due to winter storms, ocean currents or natural deterioration?
2. Will non-indigenous species have any effect on the local marine population within the wreck site?

2010 USS Monitor Biome Analysis
Dive Dates: June 27 – 30, 2010

Expedition Organizers: OBX Dive Center – R/V GO Between Charters

Vessel: R/V Go Between

Project Summary:

The USS Monitor has the distinction of being the first Iron Clad vessel to have sunk off the coast of the United States. It sunk in one of the most unique places in the entire Atlantic Ocean. Sinking 18 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras the Monitor has landed in one of the most dynamic ocean environments. Hatteras is unique to the meeting of two significant ocean currents. Coming from the South is the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current that originates in the Caribbean and travels along the Eastern Coast of the United States towards the United Kingdom. This current has its own properties and carries with it its own biosphere. Meeting this current is the Labrador Current that comes from the northern latitudes along the eastern coast of North America, traveling southward until it meets the Gulf Stream. The Labrador Current carries with it its own cold water biosphere

Each of these currents carries with it specific life forms suited best for survival. The Gulf Stream favors the warm water tropical organisms and the Labrador Current carries favors its cold water organisms. Due to the dynamic nature of this environment it naturally brings to the wreck an ever revolving number of species that match the type of water on the wreck at that specific time. It would be extremely beneficial to determine the numbers and types of indigenous and invasive species that reside on the wreck of the Monitor and the surrounding debris field.

Since the sinking of the Monitor and the subsequent recovery of some of the artifacts, and structure, the archeology of the wreck site has been well investigated and documented. The recovery of the gun turret, steam engine, and propeller has caused damage to the wreck deemed acceptable for the benefits received as well as natural degradation. During the duration of the dives there have been exhaustive efforts at cataloguing the site and the artifacts found on the site. All of these procedures fall within standard archeological practices and have brought forth a wealth of information that would have otherwise been lost to the sea.

One of the scientific areas of the Monitor that seems to have been overlooked is the Biosphere. As of this writing there has yet to be an inventory of the marine life found on the wreck. This includes all marine forms including Fish, Crustaceans, Mollusks, Cnidarians and Porifera. Samples will be taken and turned over to James Norris of the Marine Botany Department Smithsonian Institute for evaluation

During the term of our expedition we plan to undertake a complete non-destructive, non-invasive inventory of the animals, fauna, and crustaceans that reside on or near the wreck of the USS Monitor. This would establish a baseline of organisms on the wreck that can be updated and modified as time and further expeditions allow.

Of particular interest will be the number of native species we find, their distribution and population, and health. Further we will attempt to identify and determine the population of invasive species like the Lionfish.

Some of the tools we intend to utilize on this expedition are fish identification cards, tally sheets for counting the number of fish within a type, digital photography and digital videography. All of the findings and materials recorded at the site will be turned over to NOAA for further analysis. This baseline determination is necessary in order to determine the health of the Biome on the wreck and also the track how the Biome evolves as the wreck further degrades. It may also be of benefit to NOAA to determine what types of fish are being illegally poached from the site.

Due to the nature and scope of this expedition we are not initiating any procedures aimed at artifact recovery. If we discover a significant artifact in peril due to environmental factors or loss. We will photograph the artifact from a minimum of two different angles, video tape the artifact, record it’s exact location and inform the proper authorities.