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Progress
Map Karen Browning, QAR Webmaster and Graphic Designer
Major Recovery Begins at QAR site
Mark Wilde-Ramsing, QAR Project Director As we near the ten-year mark since the discovery of shipwreck site 31CR314, believed to be that of Queen Anne's Revenge, finally all the pieces are in place to begin major excavation designed to document, recovery, transport, catalogue, and store the entire assemblage of artifacts and the information they contain. Those pieces include: a thorough understanding of the shipwreck and its condition; long-term state appropriations to support a professional staff; a fully equipped conservation facility; and major funding to get started. The archaeological expedition begins October 2nd and runs through November 9th as the first part of a lengthy archaeological marathon. During this first leg an estimated 60 5' x 5' excavation units will be completed beginning at the offshore side or where the vessel's stern is located and proceeding toward the center of the site. The recovery of four cannon and a rich artifact assemblage associated with the captain's cabin lying within the planned excavation will make for an exciting project. If projections are correct, archaeologists will cover over 15% of the site and bring up as many as 1000 objects. Most of these will contain many individual artifacts placing the total number of specimens into the tens of thousands. The challenge is formidable and will require a dedicated team.
Entry 02- 06 October
2006 Expedition Log
The Fall Expedition began early Monday morning October 2006. The project is operating for a third season from the US Coast Guard Station at Fort Macon. Not only is the station the closest dockage to the shipwreck site making it ideal logistically but an outstanding crew of men and women there continually do their best to help us whenever possible. Our operating platforms are again R/V Shell Point - (the Shell Point crew) from theNC Marine Fisheries with support from the NC Underwater Archaeology Branch's research vessel Snap Dragon.
Archaeologists have worked in two rotating teams all week working in
the southern most area of the site extending between 0' and 50' north-south,
and between 65' and By next week test units should reach the southernmost cannon, one of fourcontained in the planned excavation area and designated for retrieval. Check back for the next update from the field.
Entry 09- 13 October
2006 Expedition Log
Marginal weather from the weekend lingered into Monday morning so the crew took advantage of the poor conditions to do some shore work. Recently constructed artifact tanks were picked up from Parker Marine Enterprises where they were being coated and transported to the conservation lab in Greenville. Minor maintenance was done on Shell Point's pump, dive gear, and the sluice-screen system. Supervisors also caught up on paperwork and other project details.
Winds were still strong out of the north but conditions at the site
were relatively calm despite poor visibility.
Wednesday 11 October
Work continued late into the day with the prospects of marginal weather on Thursday. Thursday 12 October
Supervisors continued working on paperwork and documentation checking completeness and accuracy. Good documentation of not only what is being found but where is it coming from on the site is essential. Archaeological excavation to uncover, document, and recover artifacts destroys its site context forever. Artifacts can never be put back, so one of the key elements of archaeology is to preserve/record the relationship between the artifacts and with their environment with the least possible disturbance. Every effort is made to record all features and relationships before they are lost by removal.
Entry 16-20 October
2006 Expedition Log
Long time Underwater Archaeology Branch volunteer Jim Dugan and Florida state underwater archaeologist Roger Smith joined the team for this week. Excavation, documentation and recovery of artifacts continue on units 52, 53, 54, 57, 58, 59, 60, and 61.
Overcast with light winds today but good working conditions. On the way out Shell Point attaches to the warning buoy, which had gradually moved inshore from recent storms, and reposition it back at the site. On site, archaeologists continue on open units.
Poor weather conditions delay departure so the crew shares a large team breakfast at the Ft. Macon barracks waiting for the winds to die down. Work continues on open units, recovering more lead shot and gold from the sluice/screen. The weather picks up again in the afternoon cutting the workday short.
Light variable winds today make up for the lost time earlier in the week. Units 64-70 are completed and archaeologists set up units 71-74 to the southern side of the planned excavation area and units 75-77 to the northern side of the excavations.
Weather again prevents fieldwork so most of the crew takes the option for a three day weekend. Excavations next week should begin uncovering the first of the cannons within the planned recovery area. New units will also be moving into the area where two intact glass onion bottles, as well as brass artifacts and scientific instruments were recovered during the 1998 exploration trench. More to come....
Entry 23-27 October 2006 Expedition
Log
Weather did not look promising as the crew was heading out. Winds were north-northwest 15-20 knots. Visibility on the bottom was very good, 10+ feet. By mid-day the winds died down and work progressed will with improved visibility. Units 71, 72, 73, and 80 were completed while overburden was removed from units 75, 76, and 77. Cannon C16 is beginning to be exposed by the excavations in 75 and 76. Original plans for the fall field season included the recovery of as many as four cannon from the site (C12, C16, C17, C18). Expansion of the excavation area east to west and the logistic difficulty of arranging a lifting/recovery vessel will likely result in delaying cannon recovery until the spring expedition.
Winds were too strong to go out today so the crew worked onshore. Part of the crew panned sediments collected from the sluice/screen, recovering more gold and small lead shot. Others worked on the final testing of the surface-supply diving system for use with the teams AGA full-face dive masks (Ocean Technology Systems Divator Mk II).
Clear and cold with winds light and variable, primarily from the northwest, allows work again on site. Visibility was excellent varying between 10 and 15 feet all day. Units 77, 78, and 79 were completed and unit 81 was finished other than final cleanup.
Clear and cool again, winds from the northwest. Researchers finish final cleanup and sand sampling of unit 81 and complete three additional recovery units (82, 83, and 84). Testing was done of a 6" sluicing system to compliment work being done with the 3" system. The 6" sluice was moderately successful collecting an excess of sterile sediment while being difficult to maneuver and handle on the bottom around artifacts. Researchers decided do discontinue use of the 6" and rely on the 3" sluice system for careful excavation and recovery.
The marine forecast is marginal but the crew decides to try to get
as much work done before the weather conditions turn. Units 85 and 86
are completed before the swells increase to make work too difficult.
The crew cleans up and secures the site for the predicted weekend gale.
Researchers anticipate much of the coming Monday will be spent cleaning
up the site and removing slumping sand from excavation areas.
Entry October 30-November 3 2006
Expedition Log
As anticipated the strong winds and waves from the weekend gale affected the site. The excavation unit grids were all buried from slumping sand and much of the morning was spent uncovering them and getting back the previous depth of excavation. The main baseline and the reference lines from the east mooring and west mooring were also broken. Reconnaissance dives also revealed extreme scour to the west and south of the main ballast pile. Ballast, concretions, and cannon were all exposed to a depth previously unobserved. One team worked re-establishing lines and resetting excavation units, while another began documenting new areas of exposure. Near the end of the day researchers were back to previous levels and could resume working on unit 87.
Exposure recon recovers two large earthenware fragments, another piece of glazed ceramic, and shows hull structure (pine sacrificial planking) extending at least as far south as cannon C1. Estimates are that the normally exposed area of the site has doubled with the recent scour.
Weather was sunny with light winds from the south with moderate swells. Visibility on site was only 2-3 feet with a moderate surge. Site cleanup and repair continues today, checking moorings and other lines. Work is finished in unit 75, leaving only cannon C16. Excavation in unit 76 showed multiple concretions and layers of lead shot, especially under concretions. Divers had a disagreement with the site's resident octopus this morning. Overnight he had taken up residence in the intake hose of the 6" dredge. It took quite some time to convince him that being in the intake when the suction started was not a good idea. He eventually moved without injury or inking to the octopus or the divers. Once the octopus moved to under the lead sheet attached to cannon C16 divers used the 6" dredge to uncover the 5'x15' reference grid and move it to its new location on units 14, 91, and 92.
Afternoon conditions improve as the winds die down and everyone is optimistic for good weather for the final week of the project. With 70 units completed the team has already exceeded the fall project goal and with the exception of cannon recovery we may still reach the 50' baseline goal.
Entry 06 - 08 November
2006 Expedition Log
As it always seems, we inadvertently save the best until last. Excavation in unit 92 exposes quite a bit of material. First and foremost is the discovery of a bell incorporated in a larger concretion. This is the second bell located on the site and although small (approximately 8.5 inches in diameter) appears to be more of the type to have been a ships bell. Along with the bell a nearly intact crank jack, similar to one recovered previously from the site, as well as a lead cannon apron. Numerous smaller concretions also come from the unit including a buckle identified on the bottom. While all the excitement of new discovery is happening, we have five visiting divers taking a tour of the site from NC Marine Fisheries examining the exposed remains from the perspective of a near shore artificial reef. The crew is on site by 7:45 and divers begin setting up for unit 91. By 8:15 the winds are already beginning to turn to the south. With the swells building and the marine forecast for the next few days very marginal for work the decision is made to begin cleaning up the site rather than starting a final unit. One team begins recovering mapping frames, reference lines, and securing/removing moorings, while a second team finishes mapping in and recovering potentially endangered isolated finds from newly exposed areas of the site near the main pile. The crew returns to dock by midday and offloads and stows the gear from R/V Shell Point. Once unloaded, one team heads back out hoping to be able to detach and bring the warning buoy in for maintenance before the coming storm. Conditions prove too rough already to safely retrieve the buoy and fieldwork for the fall expedition officially comes to a close.
Strong winds and heavy rains overnight have passed by morning with only a lingering breeze. The crew spends the morning cleaning gear, and packing and stowing equipment for transport and storage. The final field processing of artifacts takes place as they are checked, loaded, and secured for the trip to the lab in Greenville. Everything is complete by early afternoon and the Fall 2006 field crew breaks for the final time to go their various directions.
With over 25-percent more area covered than planned, excavation-documentation-recovery methodology refined, new equipment tested, and many potentially significant artifacts discovered the Fall 2006 Field Expedition was without a doubt an outstanding success. Stay tuned as more information becomes available about newly recovered artifacts as they are processed and examined at the conservation lab. |
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Major Recovery Begins
100' east-west. Excellent weather with light winds from the north, good
visibility on the sight and the addition of four experienced, temporary
underwater archaeology technicians has greatly increased team productivity.
In four days over 100 dives have already been made to excavate and map
twenty-two 5x5 test units. While many of these are peripheral units
and have not contained any artifacts eighty concreted objects have been
recovered from the units. Most artifacts are indistinguishable, being
hidden within the encrustation, but researchers have been able to identify
one, possibly two,
Archaeologists
completed units 47 and 48 along the east side of the site before setting
up and beginning excavation on units 
The
artifact highlight of the day was when large quantities of small lead
shot as well as gold flakes and dust started being recovered in the
sluice-screen from unit 43. Lead patching and iron concretions were
also mapped and recovered from units 43 and 44. Larger diameter lead
shot also began showing up in unit 52 further east and ceramics in unit
53.
Strong southwest winds did not bode well for site conditions and after
heading out to check the wind and seas proved too rough for safe operations.
Taking advantage of another weather day project staff continued to pan
sediments collected from the sluice-screen recovering additional gold
and small lead shot. Additional dive equipment repairs were made while
planning for the surface-supply/hookah system being added next week.
The surface-supply system will allow excavation divers and documentation
divers to extend their bottom time while reducing the number of daily
SCUBA cylinder fills. Construction also began on a custom tank to accommodate
the sternpost first discovered in May 2005. Archaeologists are examining
the possibility of only recovering one or two cannon this fall rather
than the planned four, in favor of recovering the sternpost. 
Very
light wind from the south gave the team calm seas but poor visibility
dominated the day as low tide was early in the morning. Work continued
completing units 87 and 88. Extensive artifacts as well as lead shot
and gold flakes/dust came from unit 88. Researchers worked on unit 75
containing much of cannon C16 mapping and recovering artifacts and lead
shot.
Wind
light and variable, mostly from the north. The 10'x10' reference grid
is repositioned over units 8, 93, 94, and 95. One team works using surface-supply,
mapping newly exposed area of the site. The second team works on excavation,
documentation and recovery, completing units 93 and 94. A complete cluster
of cask hoop concretions was recovered from 94/8 along with numerous
other smaller concretions. The greatest quantity of lead shot yet is
recovered from units 93 and 94. The recovery sluice had to be stopped
several times during the excavation process as it was completely full
of lead shot. 
Strong
winds from the north and cold temperatures convince the crew to call
another shore day. The large quantity of concretions and artifacts recovered
during the week are packed and loaded for transport to the conservation
lab in Greenville. Other crew members pan the sediments from the week's
sluicing for additional lead shot and gold. Others work on equipment
cleaning and maintenance and getting the teams second 3" dredge/sluice
system configured.
Weather
today is cooler with moderate winds out of the north-northeast. While
not ideal, the conditions are certainly workable. With the forecast
for the remainder of the week not promising work focuses on cleaning
the lead shot left in unit 8 after the 
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