Nov. 13th - MWDC Minot Light Project and MA Exempt Shipwreck List

[Rickm401]

Marcie Bilinski and Vic Mastone will present slides and discuss the Cohasset's Minot Light Project and the MA Exempt Shipwreck list.

Marcie Bilinski first started diving in the early 70's and currently logs more than 200 dives annually in the waters of Massachusetts and caves of Mexico. Marcie has served on the BUAR as a sport diving representative and is a true shipwreck enthusiast.

Victor Mastone is the Director and Chief Archaeologist of the Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources (BUAR). Vic joined the BUAR as its first staff archaeologist in 1987. BUAR was established in 1973 as the sole trustee of the Commonwealth's underwater heritage, promoting and protecting the public's interests in these resources for recreational, economic, environmental, and historical purposes.

Every meeting also features a raffle of various prizes ranging from dive gear to DVDs, antiques, or just about anything else. Tickets are cheap and prizes worthwhile.

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, followed by Dive Talk and then a short break. The break is immediately followed by the speaker presentation.

The Crowne Plaza Hotel is located at 1630 Worcester Road, Natick, MA. Directions are as follows;

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.

 

[MASS-Diver]

Wish I could make that one.

Heard someone already stole the Minot's plaque....bummer

 

[LobstaMan]

Wish I could make that one.

Heard someone already stole the Minot's plaque....bummer

What plaque? Tell me more. It's probably already been sold on e-bay.

LobstaMan

 

[Rickm401]

Wish I could make that one.

Heard someone already stole the Minot's plaque....bummer

John,

Here is Vic's reply to your comment when I e-mailed him about it;

"I cannot confirm that the plaque is missing or not. While the Coast Guard MSST divers located a "sinker" in August, they did not find the plaque on it. I must note they may not have found the memorial plaque's sinker placed in June as the one they found was covered with much marine growth. The area is strewn with large boulders and mooring stones (possibly sinkers) were reported in that area by divers previously visiting the ledge. Unfortunately, neither Marcie, Dave, nor the Quincy police diver got over to that location during their dive that day. So, I cannot conclude the plaque is missing. Indeed, it would be shame, not to mention a theft of federal property, if someone removed the plaque. At this time, I'm hopeful we will relocate the plaque rather than uncover a theft during a future dive.

Vic"

 

[LobstaMan]

John,

Here is Vic's reply to your comment when I e-mailed him about it;

"I cannot confirm that the plaque is missing or not. While the Coast Guard MSST divers located a "sinker" in August, they did not find the plaque on it. I must note they may not have found the memorial plaque's sinker placed in June as the one they found was covered with much marine growth. The area is strewn with large boulders and mooring stones (possibly sinkers) were reported in that area by divers previously visiting the ledge. Unfortunately, neither Marcie, Dave, nor the Quincy police diver got over to that location during their dive that day. So, I cannot conclude the plaque is missing. Indeed, it would be shame, not to mention a theft of federal property, if someone removed the plaque. At this time, I'm hopeful we will relocate the plaque rather than uncover a theft during a future dive.

Vic"

Thanks for the info, but it still doesn't tell me what the plaque was to commemorate or what it said on it. I assume it was to memorialize the men who died when the old lighthouse collapsed into the sea during a storm.

Lobstaman

 

[MASS-Diver]

Thanks for the info, but it still doesn't tell me what the plaque was to commemorate or what it said on it. I assume it was to memorialize the men who died when the old lighthouse collapsed into the sea during a storm.

Lobstaman

If memory serves (there was an article in the local paper at the time) it does meorialize the guys that died in the 1st lighthouse.

I've dove in this area a number of times: there are tons of boulders and ledges, kelp and currents, lobster and fishing gear, and, often times, boat traffic. That said, I'm very surprised that they could find the memorial if the GPS'd it? Of course, it's awful if someone took it.

For me, growing up in Cohasst, I'm pretty obsessed with the lighthouse - but I have to say I was surpirsed at the plan to make the area into a dive park. The orginal plan I heard included an underwater trail with a line connecting the various artifacts. Maybe I'm just a wuss but I think this a pretty harsh dive spot. It's very hard to navigate, the currents can be huge, viz can be very bad, and it's a serious fishing and lobstering spot. On a calm day, at slack tide, with 20-30 of viz this is a world class dive, but those days are pretty few and far between. I think it says something that even coast guard divers, moored over the area on a huge ship with some serious surface support, where apparently unable to find the old lighthouse. Maybe it was salvaged, or maybe with all the kelp, currents, and low viz it's just a very challenging place to look.

 

[LobstaMan]

If memory serves (there was an article in the local paper at the time) it does meorialize the guys that died in the 1st lighthouse.

I've dove in this area a number of times: there are tons of boulders and ledges, kelp and currents, lobster and fishing gear, and, often times, boat traffic. That said, I'm very surprised that they could find the memorial if the GPS'd it? Of course, it's awful if someone took it.

QUOTE]

Thanks, that's what I thought. But, I din't want to assume anything...you know what they say about that. We had planned on diving the spot last year as a second dive, but one of the braves got a little under the weather after the first dive and we canned Minot's. Love to go back there and try again.

LobstaMan

 

[Rickm401]

Thanks for the info, but it still doesn't tell me what the plaque was to commemorate or what it said on it. I assume it was to memorialize the men who died when the old lighthouse collapsed into the sea during a storm.

Lobstaman

Lobstaman,

You didn't ask what the plaque said in your original post, but here's a slide from Vic's presentation, which was outstanding.

Also, I doubt any rumor is true about the plaque being stolen, it was just not found by the divers who were searching for it. According to Vic, it doesn't sound like a thorough search in the correct area was performed. We're planning to go check it out and will post the findings in a future thread.

Rick

 

[LobstaMan]

Lobstaman,

You didn't ask what the plaque said in your original post, but here's a slide from Vic's presentation, which was outstanding.

Also, I doubt any rumor is true about the plaque being stolen, it was just not found by the divers who were searching for it. According to Vic, it doesn't sound like a thorough search in the correct area was performed. We're planning to go check it out and will post the findings in a future thread.

Rick

Thanks for the additional info. The plaque look fairly large in the picture, but, of course, that doesn't mean it'll be easy to find. Hopefully, I'll make it to Minot's next year and maybe find the plaque.

LobstaMan