Please join us on Tuesday night, January 13th at 8:00pm at the Crowne Plaza in Natick.
The Steamship Portland, lost with all hands in a devastating storm at the turn of the last century, was thought to be beyond the reach of scuba divers. In August of 2008, a group of Massachusetts divers pushed the boundaries of technical diving and visited this untouched wreck. Bob Foster will take you along on the first dives to the Portland, lost for almost 100 years after sailing into the "perfect storm" of November 26th, 1898. This elegant paddle-wheeler carried over 190 passengers and crew as it left India Wharf in Boston bound for Portland Maine, and was last seen as night fell off the coast of Cape Ann. The wreck was discovered in 1989 and positively identified in 2002, lying over 450 feet deep in what is now the Stellwagen Bank Underwater National Marine Sanctuary.
Join Bob and fellow divers Slav Mlch, Dave Faye, Paul Blanchette (USSMEG) and Don Morse as they become the first to visit the Portland in 110 years.
Bob has been an active diver since 1972, and became interested in wreck diving while living near the Great Lakes in the 80's. He has been searching for shipwrecks in Massachusetts Bay for the last 8 years, and has discovered and documented over 15 including the YF-415, Brenton Reef Lightship, and Augustus Snow. In 2007, Bob was among the first divers to visit the Palmer/Crary wrecks, 360 feet below the surface in Stellwagen Sanctuary. Bob's wreck diving interests have also taken him to Lake Superior and to the Florida Keys, as well as to New York/New Jersey to dive the U-869 and the USS Spikefish.
Members start gathering in the bar around 6:30pm to socialize and grab a snack, and the actual meeting starts promptly at 7:30pm. During the meetings we will quickly go through the club business and reports, followed by Dive Talk and then a short break. The break is then immediately followed by the feature presentation.
Club meetings are held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1360 Worcester Road, Natick, MA. From the Mass Pike (I90) take Exit 13. Bear right after the toll booth. You'll be heading west on Route 30. At the second set of lights take a left (Shoppers World). You will be going through four sets of lights before you hit Route 9. After (AFTER!) the second set of lights bear left at the fork. You'll then come to the third and fourth set of lights. At the fourth set of lights you will be at Route 9 (the Circuit City will be across the street). Take a left onto Route 9 Eastbound. Very quickly you will see the Crown Plaza Hotel on your right.
The Steamship Portland, lost with all hands in a devastating storm at the turn of the last century, was thought to be beyond the reach of scuba divers. In August of 2008, a group of Massachusetts divers pushed the boundaries of technical diving and visited this untouched wreck. Bob Foster will take you along on the first dives to the Portland, lost for almost 100 years after sailing into the "perfect storm" of November 26th, 1898. This elegant paddle-wheeler carried over 190 passengers and crew as it left India Wharf in Boston bound for Portland Maine, and was last seen as night fell off the coast of Cape Ann. The wreck was discovered in 1989 and positively identified in 2002, lying over 450 feet deep in what is now the Stellwagen Bank Underwater National Marine Sanctuary.
Join Bob and fellow divers Slav Mlch, Dave Faye, Paul Blanchette (USSMEG) and Don Morse as they become the first to visit the Portland in 110 years.
Bob has been an active diver since 1972, and became interested in wreck diving while living near the Great Lakes in the 80's. He has been searching for shipwrecks in Massachusetts Bay for the last 8 years, and has discovered and documented over 15 including the YF-415, Brenton Reef Lightship, and Augustus Snow. In 2007, Bob was among the first divers to visit the Palmer/Crary wrecks, 360 feet below the surface in Stellwagen Sanctuary. Bob's wreck diving interests have also taken him to Lake Superior and to the Florida Keys, as well as to New York/New Jersey to dive the U-869 and the USS Spikefish.
Members start gathering in the bar around 6:30pm to socialize and grab a snack, and the actual meeting starts promptly at 7:30pm. During the meetings we will quickly go through the club business and reports, followed by Dive Talk and then a short break. The break is then immediately followed by the feature presentation.
Club meetings are held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1360 Worcester Road, Natick, MA. From the Mass Pike (I90) take Exit 13. Bear right after the toll booth. You'll be heading west on Route 30. At the second set of lights take a left (Shoppers World). You will be going through four sets of lights before you hit Route 9. After (AFTER!) the second set of lights bear left at the fork. You'll then come to the third and fourth set of lights. At the fourth set of lights you will be at Route 9 (the Circuit City will be across the street). Take a left onto Route 9 Eastbound. Very quickly you will see the Crown Plaza Hotel on your right.
