Field Expedition A Success
This past May project staff supervised a four-week excavation at the QAR site marking the first time since October 2000 that whole-scale artifact recovery took place. Major support was received from Golden LEAF Foundation, Cape Fear Community College, US Coast Guard Fort Macon, Comfort Inn of Morehead City, Intersal Inc. and Nautilus Productions. Department of Cultural Resources supervisors and staff came from the NC Underwater Archaeology Branch and NC Maritime Museum. Of the 20 field days, inclement weather kept them ashore for four days, more often than not, providing time needed to catch up on paperwork and equipment maintenance. As usual, it was hard work: up at 7:00 A.M., on the boats by 8:00, checking all gear and equipment, and casting off by 8:30. They were on the site by 9:00 for seven to eight hours of excavation, carefully noting and recording where artifacts were found, hauling them to the surface, and preparing them for transfer to the conservation laboratories at East Carolina University in Greenville. Each day's crew usually included 12 divers, crew members, and QAR staff, but some days there were others aboard: visiting scientists, archaeologists, an occasional VIP guest, and TV filming crews. By the end of the month, they had raised 308 pieces, ranging from a 2000-pound cannon to lead shot and eventually there will be more because 154 of those pieces are heavy concretions that will yield more artifacts when taken apart. Divers estimate that 95% of the artifacts are still at the site.

Some of the pieces are barely recognizable or are fragments and will need to be cleaned and separated, but the following list gives some indication of what was recovered.

154 - Concretions that will later be disassembled, but appear now to hold at least a cask hoop, cannon ball, kettle or pan, bar shot, ring bolt, ceramic, lead shot, and glass
111 - Ballast stones
16 - Lead pieces: 12 shot, 1 apron, 1 toilet liner, 2 straps with holes
6 - Coal/clinker/rocks-probably modern intrusives
6 - Pieces of wood
4 - Ceramics: three vessels and one unknown
4 - Pewter pieces: 2 plates, 1 dish, and 1 unrecognizable
2 - Cannons, one is six feet weighing 800 pounds, and one is 81/2 feet, weighing 2,400 pounds
2 - Copper alloy pieces, one a folded sheet
2 - Glassware: a stemware glass and a wine bottle
1 - Can ring, a modern intrusive

The wine bottle is a prize find because it is intact. The stemware, missing half its bowl and its base, is embossed with small diamonds and crowns. Linda Carnes-McNaughton, Fort Bragg archaeologist and historical glassware expert, says it is not rare but also not common. It commemorated the coronation of King George I of England. The lead liner for the toilet located in the captain's quarters was retrieved, allowing the staff to joke that they had indeed found Blackbeard's head! Another important discovery was the lower portion of ship's sternpost that had at one time held the ship's rudder. This large composite timber was left in situ until plans could be developed for proper recovery and conservation.

Director's Report
It has been a very eventful year so far. The following excerpts come from the mid-year grant report and demonstrate the potential impact the project has to generate interest, pride and economic benefit for eastern North Carolina and the state.

Funding provided by the Golden LEAF foundation had four goals:

· Restart exploration of the shipwreck site and the excavation of artifacts, activities that have been delayed since 2000 because of the lack of adequate facilities and funds;
· Continue an effort to increase the number of visitors to the Carteret County area in general and the North Carolina Maritime Museum specifically, through greater media attention, the offering of special public programs, and enhanced artifacts displays;
· Provide training opportunities to students for Internet and conservation internships;
· Continue efforts to make the area a focal point for regional and statewide historic pride and demonstrate the ability of North Carolina's managerial, academic and private entities to focus their cooperative attention on one of the state's most significant cultural resources.

Media attention, the project website, and public interest and response suggest that the public served has met these expectations while accomplishing important research objectives. The list of media outlets reached local, national, and international populations, and included:  

Magazines
American Way (American Airways Magazine), Jack Boulware, International
Time Magazine, Christopher Farley, International
National Geographic Magazine, Joel Bourne, International
Immersed The International Dive Magazine, Karen Sinniger, International
East ECU Alumni Magazine, Marion Blackburn, National
North Carolina's Down East Magazine, Nita Hilliard Smith, Eastern NC
Coaster Magazine, Tricia Morris, Central Coast, NC

Radio
"Good Day" Show, Doug Stephan, National Syndicate
Public Radio East, George Olson, Eastern NC
KNX1070, Jim Thornen, Los Angeles, West Coast US
WTKF, Ben Ball, Central Coast NC
"The Deep", Peter Vermillan, Guam
Public Radio East, George Olson, Eastern NC

TV Programs
ABC World News Tonight, Ted Potter, National
WECT, Raeford Brown, Wilmington, NC
WWAY, Latricia Thomas, Wilmington, NC
WNCT, Sherrie Evans, Greenville/Morehead City, NC
WITN, Brandon Hardison/Jim Martin, Washington, NC
WCTI, Allison Sossaman/Joel Wade, New Bern, NC
WNCN, Frank Graff/Rod Baker, Raleigh, NC

Video Documentaries
East Carolina University Productions, Clint Bailey, Eastern NC
ZGrounds, Environmental Projects, Renee Roelants, Holland

News Services
Associated Press, Skip Foreman, National
Associate Press, Richard Lewis, National
Freedom News Service, Patricia Smith, National

Newspaper
Christian Science Monitor, Colin Woodard, International
Raleigh News and Observer, Jerry Alligood, Statewide
Greensboro News and Record, Don Patterson, Piedmont, NC
Jacksonville Daily News, Patricia Smith, Eastern NC
Daily Reflector, Greenville, Kelly Soderlund, Eastern NC
Carteret News-Times, Cheryl Burke, Carteret County
Various AP stories reprinted in newspapers across US and Canada

Newsletters
Marine Cultural and Historic Newsletter, NOAA, International
Carolina Comments, Kenny Simpson, Statewide

It is difficult to quantify impacts, but given the level of attention received by this project during the GL interim period, it is reasonable to assume that the project is providing a significant benefit to our local economy by attracting visitors to North Carolina. One measure is visits to the project website, which jumped from an average of 6,000 a month to over 12,000 during the third week of May at the height of publicity during GL funded expedition.

Public attention toward the project will, in turn, bring people to eastern North Carolina and the coast seeking to view artifacts from the infamous shipwreck. The result will provide an economic stimulus through traveler spending and provide additional jobs in service related industries. The museum saw an increase of 2,000 visitors in May over last year's figures, which may be the beginning of a trend in travelers seeking information and artifacts related to the project and Queen Anne's Revenge. The National Tour Association estimate daily travel expenditures of at $150 per out-of-town visitor. Even a modest increase in visitation to the area translates into ten of thousands of dollars being added to the local economy.

Who are those faithful reporters?
We remind ourselves constantly of how grateful we are that so many tell our events so diligently to the public in an accurate and compelling way. We spoke recently to three reporters who have covered the QAR Shipwreck Project since its inception in 1997.

For 32 years Jerry Allegood has been covering Eastern North Carolina news for the Raleigh News and Observer and thinks the QAR story has been great fun. Once, when there was another cannon being raised, there was no room for friends and him on the press boat so they rented a boat and went out on their own.

Cheryl Burke came to Morehead City on a fishing trip, decided she wanted to live there, and has now been with the Carteret County News-Times for 16 years. She also admits that covering the QAR Project has been a favorite. In fact she gets excited when talking about it. She tells us: "It's…it's… it's, well, it's like living a part of history. It's just been an honor to watch it unfold."

Patricia Smith, with The Jacksonville, N.C. Daily News and Freedom News Service, tells us that even when she was working temporarily out of town, she asked for permission to keep the QAR beat. We credit her for recording the best quote on media day. While local motel owners Tom and Kim Bennett observed the cannon being raised, Kim said, "Good Lord, look at that old thing. Think of the history, how long that's been down there. This is so cool."

And We Still Get Mail.
Do we ever get mail! And we like it! In fact we encourage people to write or email us, and we try to respond to any inquiry we receive. We don't like to brag so we'll let others do it for us. Here are samples of letters we have recently received.

From Steve, Ohio: "I have just sent a donation to your fund via paypal. If you post a name on your list, please use my daughter's name. She is a voracious reader of pirate stories, and I can't wait to share your website and information with her. You have an excellent website with an amazing amount of information available. I am even thinking of taking a trip to see some of the artifacts this summer."

From Sunny: "i live up in the mountains of Oregon, our library has no info on pirates. do you think you might find it in your heart to send a lil old woman like me some info? i am writting a book. I hope".

From Gavin, location unknown, "What a cool job!"

From Ashley, New Zealand: "I have added your site to one that I keep track of over the years."

From Mavacia, England: "Just watched your program on BBC, here in the UK. Good stuff, really enjoyed it."

From an unknown source (who mixes up his or her oceans ): "thank you for answering me i was wondering if i went to California do you think its safe for me to go diving with a adult and look at the boat myself if I find it?"

From Michelle, North Carolina: "You are playing a role in deepening my children's appreciation of our state and its history."

From Paul: (location unknown) "Just discovered your website, and I just wanted you all to know that there is one more interested person out here pulling for you guys and gals."

Mystery Man From Maryland
Approximately 85 people attended the noontime exhibit of Cannon C-15 at Fort Macon. The six-foot cannon had been raised earlier that day and was available for a "sneak peak" before being transported to the conservation laboratory for several hours of treatment and study. One of visitors on hand was a Wayne Anthony from St. Charles, Missouri, who happened to be on vacation here. Another was a Maryland man who told us he got up at 4:00 AM and drove to Morehead City just to view the cannon. We didn't get his name, but we certainly would like to know who he is, where in Maryland he is, and what he does with his spare time. Mystery man, if you read this, give us a call or an email.

We would like to "Welcome" the new members of the Queen's Crew:
Mac Calhoun
Robert W. English
David Larned
Maj. William Paris
Aurora Smith
Samuel R. Young
We appreciate your support!

Check out previous Newsletters:

Volume 1, No. 1
Volume 1, No. 2
Volume 1, No. 3
Volume 2, No. 2
Volume 3, No. 1
Volume 3, No. 2
Volume 3, No. 3
Volume 4, No. 1
Volume 4, No. 2
Volume 4, No. 3
Volume 5, No. 1
Volume 5, No. 3
Volume 6, No. 1
Volume 6, No. 2
Volume 6, No. 3
Volume 7, No. 1