Shipwreck event planned at the lakeshore
Updated: May 6, 2006 04:24 PM EDT


HOLLAND--Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates presents the 8th annual "Mysteries & Histories beneath the Inland Seas" on Saturday, May 6.

The event will be at 7:00 PM at the Knickerbocker Theatre downtown. The cost is $12.50 at the door or free with a $25 MSRA membership or renewal.

This year's presenters include:
Ralph Wilbanks -- Famed author Clive Cussler's side scan sonar search expert who located the CSS Hunley confederate submarine in 1995 is back to tell of his search for John Paul Jones' ship, Bonhomme Richard in the North Sea and other great discoveries.
Dave Trotter -- Who will update the audience on 4 significant great Lakes shipwreck finds in 2005. Trotter's list of shipwreck finds is unparalleled in the Great Lakes!

MSRA -- MSRA presents two programs:
1: "Icebound: Found!" -- The 2005 discovery of the wreck of the S. S. Michigan which sank in 270 feet of water in 1885 after being stuck in the ice for 40 days. MSRA divers have captured the first underwater images of the vessel which is littered with significant artifacts. See the story at: <http://www.michiganshipwrecks.org/michigan.htm.>


2. "Of Planes, Trains & Ships" -- How MSRA and Ralph Wilbanks re-discovered and identified the wreckage of the Great Lakes car ferry Ann Arbor number 5 off South Haven in 2005 while searching for the remains of Northwest Airlines Flight 2501. This car ferry was supposed to have been scrapped and no longer exist, but there it is --right off South Haven in 160 feet of water.

This program also includes an update on the Flight 2501 search which continues with Wilbanks in 2006. 56 years ago, the crash made world headlines as the worst air disaster in history. MRSA recently discovered the descendants of two crash victims, who travelled across the country to attend the program and take part in search operations being conducted as a joint venture between nationally acclaimed author Clive Cussler and MSRA.

Proceeds will be used to search for and document shipwrecks in Lake Michigan.

Ross Richardson
www.michiganshipwrecks.org

It sounds awsome! Thanks for posting it. th: I wish I could go.... <_<
WELCOME TO THE FORUM, ROSS!!!! w:

Thanks for the info! Too bad it was this past Saturday or I totally would have gone! Keep the updates coming, and welcome to the forum!

Erik

Welcome to the Forum. Thanks for the info. w:

Welcome to the Forum, Ross!!!! And thanks a heap for the information on the Shipwrecks of the Great Lakes. We are passionate about shipwrecks, history, marine technology and the stories (history) of the people who were lost and of those who find these lost craft that have disappeared into the mists of history. w:

Thank you all for the warm welcome. I just wanted to share with you the great work Mr. CLussler, and the NUMA team are doing here in West Michigan. This is the third year for the NUMA/MSRA joint search expedition for Northwest Airlines flight 2501, a DC-4 which disappeared over Lake Michigan in 1950, with 58 souls on board.

During last years expedition, the Ralph Wilbanks led NUMA team found a significant shipwreck off the coast of South Haven, the
Ann Arbo no. 5

Mr. Cussler has left his fingerprints permanently on the maritime history of our area, and we greatly appreciate it. I will try to keep you posted on the search activities, as I can. Again, thank you for making me welcome here.

Ross Richardson
www.michiganshipwrecks.org

You are so lucky to be in an area Dr. Cussler comes to. I hope you got to see his work up close. w: