Water Logged
Day 25: The crew gets down and dirty
By Jimmy Moore (9/26/02)
|
The pace quickens as the crew works to continue mapping during this extended period of low water |
The field crew continued their excavation and map work today. Andrew Pietruzska and myself spent most of the morning digging within the stern of the vessel. Considering we were working in cramped conditions and there was the occasional cave-in of mud and clay, a great amount of progress was made. Despite the ample (and usually frustrating) amount of clay within the wreck's hull, it has greatly helped with the preservation and protection of the wreck's features. |
| Dr. Corbin and Rodgers spent much of the day gathering the remaining details concerning the port stern slave rudder assembly. This meant getting back in their mud hole for more digging. Time was most important in this process as they fought both the flowing water and the ever-present clay. In the afternoon Dr. Steve Dasovich joined us for work along the port side frames. |
Andrew Pietruzska works deep inside the stern removing clay and mud to expose the shape of the interior hull |
|
Sam Blake and Dr. Steve Dasovich map along the port side |
Most of the other students worked on mapping specific locations of the wreck site. Brian Jaeschke, Jackie Piero, Chris Valvano, and Andrew Weir mapped the vessel's stern while Sam Blake mapped the frames along the port side. From the information and data that is being gathered at the site, the crew is constantly learning more about how the vessel was constructed and how it may be compared to other steamboats that once steamed along the Missouri River. Excavating a site such as this is not easy by any means, but it is definitely rewarding to put the pieces together so we may determine the role this vessel played in the area's maritime heritage. |
|
Chris Valvano works on the fine details of his stern section map |
Perhaps a monument to the "Earth God" can abate the ever-present flowing clay! |
