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Society for Historical Archaeology, annual conference

The annual SHA conference will be held at Amelia Island Plantation, Jacksonville FL, from January 6 to 9, 2010.  This is the biggest national conference in our field.  I hope you will consider attending.

The preliminary program is posted at
sha.org/documents/SHA2010PreliminaryProgramFINAL_003.pdf

IMH will have good representation at the conference, including the following:

Thursday, January 7, 2010
SYMPOSIUM – Interdisciplinary Archaeology: Coastal Environments and Adaptations in the Americas
Presenters include Dr Stefan Claesson, president emeritusof IMH

Friday, January 8, 2010
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Topic 1: Archaeology on the Web (RL4)
Leader: IMH’s David Johnson, Professor of Digital Media at American University, who built the first Web site for INA and TAMU and produced what Yahoo called the first “virtual shipwreck excavation.”

Saturday, January 9, 2010
PANEL – Strategies for Developing Volunteer Teams for Underwater Archaeological Projects
Organizer: IMH’s Dr Raymond L. Hayes
Panelists: Dr Paul Johnston (Smithsonian), Tane Casserley (NOAA), Victor Mastone (Massachusetts), Dr Brian Jordan (Maryland), IMH president Dr Samuel Turner, Dr Gordon Watts, Dr Lawrence Babits (East Carolina U.), and Lillian Azevedo-Grout.

SYMPOSIUM – Battles for the Potomac: Terrestrial and Underwater Investigations of the Campaign to Control the Lower Potomac River, 1861-1862
Chair: John H. Haynes, USMC Base Quantico VA
Presenters include IMH’s William Utley, Dr Raymond Hayes, and David Howe

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Solo dive training

As you may know, Adventure Scuba has been offering training through SDI in addition to NAUI and PADI.  Although we traditionally promote the buddy system, one of the courses that I believe can be of great value to IMH divers is the SDI Solo Diver Course.  SDI has successfully promoted solo diving as an option for experienced divers engaged in certain activities. It is a program that is not suitable for every diver because divers must be willing to make the necessary commitment to train and equip themselves to manage the added risks independent diving involves.  The program teaches divers how to dive independently, deal with self-rescue situations, develop a greater sense of self-awareness and utilize redundant breathing systems (e.g. pony bottle) in addition to other valuable skills. 

The training consists of classroom (2 hours), confined-water training (1-2 hrs), and than 2 open water dives (Millbrook Quarry).  If a person is not able to make all of the dates, we can make alternative arrangements within reason.  Butch Spadotto (butch@diveva.org), SDI IT, will be instructing this class.

Class dates:

Classroom at ASC OCT 5, 6pmPool training at Cub Run OCT 8, 9-11pmOpen Water dives at Millbrook Quarry OCT 10, 1pm

The total cost for the training is $210.  This includes the tuition and training materials and c-card (IMH members are receiving 10% off the training materials in this price).  ASC is limiting the first round of this class to 6 divers.

Required equipment: full scuba unit, personal gear, and a redundant scuba system (min 13cu ft.) not SPARE AIR.

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Ocean Policy Task Force Comments

Make your voice heard – they do listen.

 

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20503

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

September 1, 2009

 

Obama Administration Officials to Hold Ocean Policy Task Force Public Meeting in San Francisco on September 17, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Obama Administration officials will hold their second Ocean Policy Task Force Public Meeting in San Francisco, California on September 17, 2009.  The Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, led by White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, consists of senior-level officials from Administration agencies, departments, and offices.

 

The Task Force is charged with developing a recommendation for a national policy that ensures protection, maintenance, and restoration of oceans, our coasts and the Great Lakes.  It will also

recommend a framework for improved stewardship, and effective coastal and marine spatial planning.  The public is encouraged to attend and an opportunity for public comment will be

provided.

 

Who:               Nancy Sutley, Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality

Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Peter Silva, Assistant Administrator for Water, Environmental Protection Agency

Kit Batten, Science Advisor to the Deputy Secretary, Department of Interior

U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Herman Shelanski, Director for the Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Readiness Division

Rear Admiral Sally Brice-O’Hara, Coast Guard Deputy Commandant for Operations

 

What:             Ocean Policy Task Force Public Meeting

 

When:            Thursday, September 17, 2:30 – 6:00 p.m.

 

Where:           Hyatt Regency San Francisco at Embarcadero Center, Ballroom A

5 Embarcadero Center

San Francisco, CA 94111

(near BART and MUNI Embarcadero Station)

 

Note:               Public comment can also be submitted online at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/oceans

 

### 

 

 

Christina Freundlich

The White House Council on Environmental Quality

202.456.1016

cfreundlich@ceq.eop.gov

 

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Lewes DE project

We will do harbor and near-shore reconnaissance at Lewes from Sunday 27 September through Saturday 10 October.  The targets date from colonial and Rev War through early 20th century.  On the weekend of 3 – 4 October we will be pierside for U. Delaware’s Coast Day and Lewes’ Boast the Coast.  We might also do a field school.  Free dorm rooms might be available at Cape Henlopen State Park.  If you are interested in participating please use the contact link or email david.howe@maritimehistory.org.

 

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IMH field school

Our first field school in low-viz reconnaissance was held on 15-16 and 22-23 September.  Nine students attended.

The course included a day and a half on shore to cover basic material and to practice site mapping techniques, two and a half days on the water to run sidescan sonar search lanes and map several wrecks, and completion of a Maryland Historical Trust site report on one of the wrecks.

Videos by Captain Bill Toti are posted at
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9JUKI-F0B4
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE72sct-mTk
   and
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgsDUNi6Rt8

Photos by Cynthia Dowdle and McKinney Edwards are posted at
   http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=16660&id=1270853568&l=9741eb7b65
   and
   http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/album.php?aid=2033168&id=1443696120&ref=mf

Two of the wrecks we mapped need more work.  We intend to return there over the fall.  One of them is a small, heavily corroded steel wreck of unknown age and type, and the other is a small wooden vesel, probably a workboat or crabber, lying near Historic St. Mary’s City.

Thanks to all who participated as students, instructors, or safety divers!

We will offer another field school at Lewes DE between 27 September and 10 October if enough people (six or more) want it.  To sign up or get more information please use the contact link.

 

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Todd Plaia

My research has focused on creating and developing various genetic based diagnostic and research tools and protocols. As a Senior Biologist with Department of Bacteriology at the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) (Manassas, VA), my research was in environmental microbiology, genetic based technologies, and biochemical assays to investigate the roles of micro-organisms in groundwater systems, the rhizosphere of wetland plants, as well as deep sea hydrothermal vent systems. More recently I began to apply these techniques to study the bio-corrosion and preservation of historical shipwrecks and submerged archaeological aircrafts in marine environments. My focus is to promote underwater field studies, sampling, and site assessments in conjunction with molecular biological analysis. I have conducted the investigations of bio-corrosion samples from archaeological sites located in the Chesapeake Bay including the U-1105 submarine and STC-410 tank barge. Additionally, I conducted similar molecular genetic and microbiological studies associated with the corrosion of submerged WWII aircraft from the Marshall Islands, and more recently the U.S.S. Monitor. I have been successful in formulating collaborative projects with the Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy; the Maryland Historical Trust; Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation (CMAC, Texas A & M University); the Mariners’ Museum (Newport News, Virginia) and the Institute of Maritime History (IMH). These efforts have resulted in the establishment of the Archaeo-Genomics Laboratory at CMAC (AGL-CMAC), where I serve as a Project Manager for similar projects. Currently working full time in the scuba industry, I am also involved with course development directed towards underwater archaeological and scientific diving techniques.

Areas of Expertise

  • Application of molecular and biological methods to study bio-corrosion
  • Training and course development for scientific diving

Current Position

  • General Manager of Adventure Scuba Company, Chantilly, Virginia
  • Project Manager for AGL-CMAC, Texas A&M University

Current Projects

  • Archaeo-Genomics Laboratory (AGL-CMAC)

Education

  • M.S. Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA., January 1998
  • B.S. Biology, Mary Washington University, Fredericksburg, VA., May 1991

Professional Activities

  • Project Manager for AGL-CMAC, Texas A&M University
  • NAUI Instructor

IMH Projects

  • Course development for limited visibility and entanglement scuba training 2008, 2009
  • Molecular survey for iron-oxidizing bacteria on U-1105 and STC-410. 2006

Selected Publications

  • Plaia TW and Emerson DE. (2006). An undisclosed envIRONment: Formation and Distribution of Iron-Oxidizing Bacteria in the Chesapeake Bay. The Institute for Maritime History.
  • Plaia TW, Neyland R and Fix PD. (2006). “Investigation of bacteria associated with WWII aircraft wrecks in Jaluit lagoon, Marshall Islands: Implications for microbiologically influenced corrosion.” Published Report submitted to Underwater Archaeology Branch, Naval Historical trust, Department of Navy.
  • Emerson DE, Rentz JA and Plaia TW. (2008). “Sideroxydans lithotrophicus gen. nov. sp. nov. and Gallionella ferruginea ssp.capsiferriformans ssp. nov. oxygen-dependent ferrous iron-oxidizing bacteria that grow at circumneutral pH.”International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology (Accepted).
  • Weiss JV, Rentz JA, Plaia TW, Neubauer SC, Floyd MM, Lilburn TG, Bradburne C, Megonigal JP and Emerson D. (2007). Characterization of Neutrophilic Fe(II)-Oxidizing Bacteria Isolated from the Rhizosphere of Wetland Plants and Description of Ferritrophicum radicicola gen. nov. sp. nov., and Sideroxydans paludicola sp. nov. Geomicrobiology Journal, Vol. 24, No. 7-8. pp. 559-570.
  • Shelobolina ES, Nevin KP, Blakeney-Hayward JD, Johnsen CV, Plaia TW, Krader P, Woodard T, Holmes DE, VanPraagh CG, and Lovley DR. (2007). “Novel microorganisms isolated from subsurface kaolin lenses: Geobacter pickeringii sp.nov., Geobacter argillaceus sp.nov. and Pelosinus fermentans, gen.nov., sp. nov”. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 57.1:126-35.

Selected Oral Presentations

  • Plaia TW and Emerson D. Investigation of iron-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) associated with shipwrecks in the Lower Chesapeake Bay, Maryland: Implications for microbiologically influenced corrosion. Middle Atlantic Archaeology Conference, Virginia Beach, VA 2007 and Maritime and Archaeological Historical Society, McLean, VA 2007.

Selected Abstracts

  • “Waterlogged Wood from the USS Monitor: A New Direction for Research and Collaboration.” AIC 37th Annual Meeting, 2009.
  • “The implications of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) for submerged cultural resources: Characterizing the microbial communities associated with composite metal structures.” Society for Historical Archaeology, 2008.
  • “That which is most obvious is what we know the least: Investigation of a freshwater Fe-oxidizing microbial mat community.” Astrobiology Science Conference, 2006.
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Sipriz at Tall Timbers

Geert van der Kolk, a friend of IMH, had a traditional Haitian fishing sloop built at Ile la Vache last year, sailed her from Haiti to Florida, displayed her at a museum in Palm Beach, then brought her to DC for display at American University, all to publicize the plight of the Haitian people generally and the boat people specifically.  She is now at Tall Timbers, pending donation to a maritime museum.  Pictures and story at http://web.mac.com/geertvanderkolk/iWeb/homepage/English.html

 

 

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U-1105 and Favorite – what amazing dives!

The Roper is finally home and we took her out Satuday to dive the U-1105 and the Favorite. 


The visibility on the U-1105 was the best any of us has ever seen, ambient light actually reached the boat enough to be able to see your buddy or the u-boat from several feet away, perhaps as much as 10-15 feet with your light.  Between the great visibility and the absolute lack of current, it was my first opportunity to really tour the u-boat and get a feel for her.  I have posted photos on Facebook and will also e-mail them to Dave, so he can add to this blog.


Newlyweds Lee and Debbie Nelson joined us for the weekend, as did new members McKinney Edwards and Bill Toti, who will be participating in next week’s Field School.  I guess we didn’t scare them off!