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The Hunt for the Alligator

2004 Hunt for the Alligator Expedition Log for Sunday, August 29, 2004

On Shore at Ocracoke Island
Mrs. Nancy Cohen

Expedition Chief Scientist, Mike Overfield, left, from NOAA, briefs the Chief of Naval Research, Rear Admiral Jay Cohen, along with his wife, Nancy, on the 2004 Hunt for the Alligator Expedition. Commander Jerry Stefanko, right, Office of Naval Research ONR), and Catherine Marzin, NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program, and Project Director, look on. Nancy Cohen first brought the Alligator to her husband's attention after reading an article about the civil-war era submarine. (U.S. Navy Photograph by Chief Journalist John F. Williams)

Sunday, August 29 was a beautiful summer North Carolina day on the Outer Banks. I had the opportunity with my husband to be onboard the ONR Afloat Lab docked in Ocracoke while searching for the USS Alligator. What a pleasure it was to meet such a diversely talented group and see and hear what they are doing to solve a mystery that links today with yesterday and tomorrow -- and that involves and interests so many of us in the search. While onboard, Catherine Marzin of NOAA asked me to share my thoughts with you and tell you how I first "found" the Alligator. Actually I think the Alligator "found" me -- I am just a small part of the chain that hopefully will end with the ship actually being found! One afternoon in 2001 while looking through various special interest magazines at a store in Quantico, Virginia, I happened on an article in "America's Civil War" magazine written by Wyatt Kingseed about the "north's only submarine". I knew of Hunley, Turtle, and Holland but I had never heard the name Alligator -- interesting... so I bought the magazine and brought it home to ask my husband -- a submariner, about this ship ---- and so we fast-forward to today. I think it is such an exciting opportunity for all of us to have a part in this search ---- to combine educational outreach, history, research, technology, and the opportunity to push the boundaries of our knowledge. What FUN to be a small part of this...


Jerry Stefanko
Commander, United States Naval Reserve
Office of Naval Research

Expedition Chief Scientist, Mike Overfield, upper right, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) breaks the news that due to the approaching Hurricane the 2004 Hunt for the Alligator will be cut short, thus ending the expedition. (U.S. Navy Photograph by Chief Journalist John F. Williams)
(Click on the image for a large version)

All hands mustered on board the YP at 0700. Although we had hoped to be able to conduct surveys for the Alligator in our search area, we were forced to cancel our operations because of the updated weather forecast. A Small Craft Advisory had been issued by the National Weather Service because tropical storm Gaston was expected to become a hurricane and bring thunderstorms and high winds to our operating area. The National Weather Service predicted that the center of Gaston would pass around us so we determined that the safest plan would be to secure the YP at the pier in Ocracoke. Getting underway would also be less safe since it is impossible to predict the exact path a hurricane might take. We might be in a more dangerous position if the hurricane changed direction and the YP would not have enough time to get to a safe location.

After lunch the National Weather Service issued a Special Tropical Disturbance Statement because another storm was gathering southeast of Cape Hatteras and might lead to severe weather advisories if it continued to develop. We worked with Coast Guard Station Ocracoke to obtain the latest weather reports and extra mooring lines for the YP. The events of the day emphasized how important weather knowledge is in planning and conducting survey operations at sea.

After we cancelled the day’s operations, we made plans to offload the survey instruments and stow the other YP equipment for the hurricane. The Science Team took the opportunity to start post-processing of some data from Saturday. East Carolina University students cataloged and backed up data files and reviewed the sidescan sonar images looking for possible targets. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration team members reviewed and copied video taken during dive operations on Saturday. The Chief of Naval Research, Rear Admiral Jay Cohen, visited the YP to see some of the results of the ?hunt? and thanked everyone for their hard work and accomplishments. We took the rest of the day to complete offloading and stowing equipment and securing the YP.


Michael Overfield Chief Scientist/Archaeologist

Tropical storm Hermine developing offshore followed by Hurricane Gaston approaching Ocracoke has forced us to end this year's Hunt for the Alligator. Although this has cut back on the ROV testing phase of our project, we were able to complete the side scan and magnetometer portion of our survey. Over this past week, we were able to survey over 55 nautical miles, exceeding our goals for this year's project. The data collected will be reviewed upon our return with the results posted on this web site for all to review. The team put together for this year's Hunt for the Alligator expedition , the Office of Naval Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, East Carolina University Maritime Studies Program, the crew and staff of the YP-679, along with the teachers and students participating have performed exceptionally, keeping the project goals in mind and working tirelessly to accomplish those goals.


Frank Cantelas
Staff Archeologist,
East Carolina University
Paula Charbonneau, a senior from the Stone Ridge School in Bethesda, Md., talks about her experience on the 2004 Hunt for the Alligator Expedition and aboard the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Afloat Lab, YP-679, with the Chief of Naval Research, Rear Admiral Jay Cohen and his wife Nancy (U.S. Navy Photograph by Chief Journalist John F. Williams)

As seems the case in most underwater archaeology expeditions the Alligator Project becomes more exciting with each day. Over the past week we have covered a lot of ocean bottom with the side scan sonar and magnetometer hoping to see that tell-tale cigar shape of the Alligator. Instead we have seen many sand ripples and schools of fish on the side scan and even come across a modern steel-hull wreck. The process of discovery involves long hours of hard work handling cable and watching a computer screen but the anticipation of finding a shipwreck makes up for this.

The search process calls for a methodical survey of the sea bottom to cover every inch of the survey area with our instruments. Archaeologists call it mowing the grass. The project has accomplished more than just a search. It has brought together a diverse group of people from many backgrounds for a common goal. Each person has brought strength to the project, some specialty that makes the discovery of the Alligator more likely with each day of the search. We found out early this morning that a tropical storm is headed towards North Carolina and even now the sea conditions are very rough. The project staff and boat captain met to discuss the situation and decided to end the search two days early for safety reasons. The coast of North Carolina can be deadly to mariners and is known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Alligator became a victim of this treacherous coast but we plan to play it safe so we can look again next year. Yesterday as we surveyed in calm water unaware of the approaching storm the level of excitement and impending discovery was in the air. There will be another opportunity to search again and we all know discovery is just around the corner.


Catherine Marzin, NOAA Alligator Project Manager
National Marine Sanctuary Program

It was with disappointment that we all met at the fantail of the YP-679 at 7:00 a.m. to be told that due to the in-coming Hurricane Gaston hovering over Charleston, S.C., we were not to head out to sea today. It is now 10:30 am, and the ship is already buzzing with activity: the science team is analyzing the side scan and magnetometer data from the past week; the YP crew is preparing the ship for Chief of Naval Research, Admiral Cohen, and his wife Nancy’s visit.

Kate Thompson, on board educator, and NOAA diver, is reviewing yesterday’s underwater footage documenting the wreck of the Dixie Arrow. She showed the shadow of the enormous shark looming in the depth along the wreck, as she and Tane Casserley, our other NOAA Working Diver, filmed the shipwreck from their underwater scooter. Our respect for their work went up several notches, especially with their tales of barracudas, sharks, and all the life blooming on the 1942 shipwreck.

As we wrap up this year’s expedition, we can all feel proud of the work accomplished this week, from the educational products, to the research, to the excellent handling of the ship. We will leave Ocracoke Island earlier than expected, leaving the elusive Alligator in its resting place, with a hurricane on our back, and U2’s hit song in our head: "And I still haven’t found, what I am looking for!" We will keep on searching?


Views from the Bridge
Captain/1st Mate, Richard J. Meisenheimer

As a Captain/1st Mate aboard the YP679, new experiences and challenges are abundant. The search for the Alligator presented me with new personal and professional goals. Having never had the opportunity to run large vessel on search grids with side scan and magnetometers astern, knowing that your accuracy on line and speed will deform the quality of the data that the scientist will receive on board.

There is always an air of tension during operation, but the sound of "We got a hit!" always brings relief immediately. Communication is one of the biggest keys to accomplish our goals; scientists, professors, students, crew and operation directors along with P.R. personnel worked as a team to collect valuable data towards the findings of the Alligator, while opening the door for public interest toward the project.

Students from Universities had the opportunity to work hand in hand with professionals in their field of science and acquire valuable field training, which cannot be duplicated in a classroom. Project on board don’t always go as planned, and to have the ability to divert to plan B is crucial to the operation, because time is so valuable.

Weather played an adverse roll in cutting time short but I think the operations performed were successful and after the data is processed there will be sufficient evidence to keep the project going.

Was the project a success? I think it was. Could it have gone better? Yes. Did the equipment that was used work? Other than the ROV, the equipment operated effectively. Different equipment will need to be available to accomplish this project. Students will need to have a better grasp of their expected tasks, and who they are responsible too.

The public interest in the Hunt is fabulous. People ask us with enthusiasm every time we come back: "Did you find anything yet?" and the need to know projects like the Hunt are not accomplished in a day, but in many days.

The hunt for our naval history, for the Alligator, will be a success in time because of the professional people involved, the Office of Naval Research, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the YP679 crew from Anteon Corp., scientists from East Carolina University and University of Rhode Island, and the support of the public.