Institute of Maritime History

Roper has finished her spring haul-out.  Major work included plumbing the fuel, water, and exhaust lines for the diesel generator, and adding an anchor windlass and roller, a new Furuno 500 autopilot, and one more antenna for an AirMar flux-gate compass and GPS for the autopilot.  Profound thanks to the energetic and capable Brendan Burke of the St Augustine Lighthouse & Museum; to IMH stalwarts Cynthia Loden Dowdle, Isabel Mack, Dawn Cheshaek, Kebret Andarge, John Dowdle, Kirk Pierce, and David Wright; and to Rick Meatyard and his gallant crew at Tall Timbers Marina.

2013 fieldwork schedule:
February & March --
  sidescan sonar training on weekends
  boat maintenance on weekdays
April --
  dive & map sites in Potomac River or
    Chesapeake Bay on first 2 weekends
  boat hull and engine work after 11 April
May --
  boat hull and engine work until 9 May
  underway 11 May for Georgia and Florida
  scan sites in Georgia
  arrive St Augustine FL on 25 May
June --
  LAMP field school in FL
  17th century site in MD

A copy of the report on our third field session (Sept.-Oct. 2012) is attached.  I hope we can go back in the spring and continue work.

Scott Tucker is investigating this site as part of his doctoral work at the University of Southampton, England.  Scott has summarized the project and posted photographs on his blog at www.smrarchaeology.wordpress.com.

An interim report on progress so far is attached.

The Continental Navy brigantine Andrew Doria (sic) was a former merchant brig that was purchased by the Continental Congress late in 1775 and sas rerigged and converted to a warship at the Humphreys shipyard in Philadelphia.  She fought in the battles of Block Island and Nassau, received the first international salute to the American flag from the Dutch at St.

IMH is initiating two big reconnaissance projects for the next two years.  Dates are tentative.

IMH's boat Roper assisted the St.Augustine Lighthouse & Museum in a month-long field school, which was climaxed on 28 June by successfully raising two guns off a late 18th or early 19th century wreck.  News article and video at http://m.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-06-28/story/shipwreck-yields-c...

On Saturday, 12 March, the Maryland Historical Trust will hold its annual workshop at 100 Community Place, Crownsville MD 21032.  IMH will participate and present.  The program is attached.

A week later, 19 March, the Middle Atlantic Archaeological Conference will be held at Ocean City MD.  See http://www.maacmidatlanticarchaeology.org/2011conference.htm  We will present there too!