With our Project Historian Baylus out following the scent of various historical leads, the Seal Cove crew continued measuring the vessel. With help from our generous local and park volunteers we covered far more ground than I originally expected to complete. Leading three teams we moved along the frames diagramming the metal fastener holes and the treenails.
Back at our apartment at Acadia National Park Headquarters, while our boots dried off in the sun, we reviewed the day’s discoveries, confirming with each other what we documented. We added new information to the project log, and further discussed the unexpected wealth of information acquired throughout the day.
Using a simple drawing compass we have confirmed that the limber holes are two inches wide. The exact size of the limber holes has been a topic of interest. It was unexpected to solve this perplexing problem with such an unassuming instrument.
Both frames three and eight show a promise to reveal the hull’s former shape, as they appear to be floors. Each frame includes two iron stained fastener holes on the inboard side. The flat edges at the inboard side appear that they would have rested on the keel, so we plan on measuring the angle tomorrow to gain a better perspective of the ship’s construction.
Throughout the vessel the team has located several uniform construction features, for example the treenails are one and a quarter inches in diameter, most ferrous fasteners are one quarter inch by one quarter inch, though there have been a few of varying sizes- but these are rare.
With all of this in mind, and the information we have yet to glean we are fast on the way to learning more about this vessel lost long ago here in a small cove on Mount Desert Island. We hope to share what we learn with the contemporary residents of the island.
—-Crista Shere