DIVE INTO MARITIME HISTORY
LINKS TO THE FORGOTTEN PAST
On Saturday, April 12, 2008 the South West Michigan Underwater Preserve will be hosting a multi-media presentation. The program will have a dual focus on the sinking and recovery of the bell off the Carl D. Bradley and the HMS Titanic and its connection to the Great Lakes.
Speaking will be Frank Mays, surviving crewmember of the freighter Carl D. Bradley. On the night of November 18, 1958, Frank was the watchman aboard the Bradley when a storm swept Lake Michigan breaking the ship in half, taking it and the crew to the bottom of the lake. Four crewmen made it to the raft that night, but only two survived the freezing cold and multiple capsizing through the night. Frank Mays and First Mate Elmer Fleming survived the storm in the open life raft until they were rescued the next day. Frank never returned to service on the Great Lakes but was part of the expedition in 2007 raising the bell of the Carl D. Bradley for a museum in Rogers City.
John Scoles and John Janzen, will be presenting the story of their dives for the recovery of the bell of the Carl D. Bradley, including underwater video showing the bell recovery dives. The video, shot by Alan Williams, is breathtaking and sure to thrill any shipwreck enthusiast.
Scoles & Janzen began diving the Bradley in 2004, the first divers to reach the stern section of the at a depth of 370 feet in Lake Michigan. Since then, they have completed 14 Bradley dives, making many discoveries and donating all of their resulting video and documentation to the Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum in Rogers City Michigan.
In 2006, under contract from the museum, they began a two-year project to recover the Bradleys bell and place a memorial bell back on the ship. Although there were many technical and political obstacles, the project was completed in 2007 and the Bradleys bell now resides in Rogers City as a memorial to the lost crew. A replica of this bell is now on display at Adventures In Diving, and will be on display the evening of the show.
Other featured speakers will be Cris Kohl, noted author and shipwreck enthusiast and his wife Joan Forsberg. They will help us commemorate the Titanic sinking April 15, 1912, ninety six years ago. Cris & Joan will regale us with the stories of the Great Lakes connection to the Titanic, for the sinking of the Titanic had a great effect upon the Great Lakes. With 345 Titanic passengers heading to Great Lakes destinations, 128 survived and 217 perished. This link to the past has been forgotten, so let Cris bring the voices from the past alive and help remember this tragedy that affected not just the East Coast but the whole nation.
The show will be held at the West Ottawa Performing Arts Center, 1024 136th Avenue, Holland MI on Saturday, April 12, 2008 with displays, and book signing beginning at 6:00 pm and the show starting at 7:30 pm.
There will be a Discover Scuba from 2-5 pm at the MPV Athletic Club Pool, pre-registration is required, space is limited. Please sign up for the Discover Scuba at Adventures In Diving at 616-994-3483.
Tickets are available on our website at The South West Michigan Underwater Preserve or Adventures In Diving, Inc. or at the SWMPUP Supporter Dive Shops listed on our web site. If you have any questions please contact us at 616-994-3483, 616-886-3484 or peggy@swmup.org or peggy@swmup.org.
# # # #
**************
Peggy S. Kurpinski
Owner, Adventures In Diving, Inc.
President, Southwest Michigan Underwater Preserve
Members State of Michigan Underwater Salvage & Preserve Committee
Member of Michigan Underwater Preserve Council
960 Butternut Drive, Suite 100
Holland, MI 49424
(p) 616-994-DIVE (3483)
(f) 616-994-9993
(c) 616-886-3483
Adventures in Diving
Welcome to the Southwest Michigan Underwater Preserve
LINKS TO THE FORGOTTEN PAST
On Saturday, April 12, 2008 the South West Michigan Underwater Preserve will be hosting a multi-media presentation. The program will have a dual focus on the sinking and recovery of the bell off the Carl D. Bradley and the HMS Titanic and its connection to the Great Lakes.
Speaking will be Frank Mays, surviving crewmember of the freighter Carl D. Bradley. On the night of November 18, 1958, Frank was the watchman aboard the Bradley when a storm swept Lake Michigan breaking the ship in half, taking it and the crew to the bottom of the lake. Four crewmen made it to the raft that night, but only two survived the freezing cold and multiple capsizing through the night. Frank Mays and First Mate Elmer Fleming survived the storm in the open life raft until they were rescued the next day. Frank never returned to service on the Great Lakes but was part of the expedition in 2007 raising the bell of the Carl D. Bradley for a museum in Rogers City.
John Scoles and John Janzen, will be presenting the story of their dives for the recovery of the bell of the Carl D. Bradley, including underwater video showing the bell recovery dives. The video, shot by Alan Williams, is breathtaking and sure to thrill any shipwreck enthusiast.
Scoles & Janzen began diving the Bradley in 2004, the first divers to reach the stern section of the at a depth of 370 feet in Lake Michigan. Since then, they have completed 14 Bradley dives, making many discoveries and donating all of their resulting video and documentation to the Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum in Rogers City Michigan.
In 2006, under contract from the museum, they began a two-year project to recover the Bradleys bell and place a memorial bell back on the ship. Although there were many technical and political obstacles, the project was completed in 2007 and the Bradleys bell now resides in Rogers City as a memorial to the lost crew. A replica of this bell is now on display at Adventures In Diving, and will be on display the evening of the show.
Other featured speakers will be Cris Kohl, noted author and shipwreck enthusiast and his wife Joan Forsberg. They will help us commemorate the Titanic sinking April 15, 1912, ninety six years ago. Cris & Joan will regale us with the stories of the Great Lakes connection to the Titanic, for the sinking of the Titanic had a great effect upon the Great Lakes. With 345 Titanic passengers heading to Great Lakes destinations, 128 survived and 217 perished. This link to the past has been forgotten, so let Cris bring the voices from the past alive and help remember this tragedy that affected not just the East Coast but the whole nation.
The show will be held at the West Ottawa Performing Arts Center, 1024 136th Avenue, Holland MI on Saturday, April 12, 2008 with displays, and book signing beginning at 6:00 pm and the show starting at 7:30 pm.
There will be a Discover Scuba from 2-5 pm at the MPV Athletic Club Pool, pre-registration is required, space is limited. Please sign up for the Discover Scuba at Adventures In Diving at 616-994-3483.
Tickets are available on our website at The South West Michigan Underwater Preserve or Adventures In Diving, Inc. or at the SWMPUP Supporter Dive Shops listed on our web site. If you have any questions please contact us at 616-994-3483, 616-886-3484 or peggy@swmup.org or peggy@swmup.org.
# # # #
**************
Peggy S. Kurpinski
Owner, Adventures In Diving, Inc.
President, Southwest Michigan Underwater Preserve
Members State of Michigan Underwater Salvage & Preserve Committee
Member of Michigan Underwater Preserve Council
960 Butternut Drive, Suite 100
Holland, MI 49424
(p) 616-994-DIVE (3483)
(f) 616-994-9993
(c) 616-886-3483
Adventures in Diving
Welcome to the Southwest Michigan Underwater Preserve
