Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago
Meeting Minutes
25 March 2009

General

•  Approximately 40 members met at 6:30 on the 8th floor of the Helix Building, 310 S. Racine at Jackson.
  • Three new members and several guests attended tonight's meeting.
  • One new member signed up at tonight's meeting. :-)
• Tonight's meeting was run by Joan Forsberg, with food provided by Ruth Magnus and Mike Brutlag

Board and Committee Reports

• Secretary - John Bell provided copies of the minutes from the last meeting, which were approved.
• Membership – Scott Reimer is working on udating the membership lists.
• Treasury –  Bob Gadbois reported on the state of UASC finances.
  • Dues are past due ! Please get checks and ( updated ) info to Bob.
  • Contact Bob for further information.
  • P.O. Box was out of order, but is now reinstated.
• ICSSD – Claire Gadbois reported on the Illinois Council of Skin and Scuba Divers:
  • Feb 19 - Club Appreciation Night
    • John Thompson from SUDS, ( Soldiers Undertaking Disabled Scuba ) was the main speaker.
    • We also heard about the Ghost Ships Festival from Kimm Stabelfelt and Brad Friend.
  • March 29 - Underwater Competition
    • Pavilion Pool Complex, 1000 Wellington Avenue, Elk Grove Village
    • Arrive by 8:00, Events start at 9:00 a.m.
    • John Bell will be captaining the UASC team.
  • July 26 - Jim Haigh Memorial Dive at Haigh Quarry
  • Sept 19 - International Beach Clean Up
  • Oct 4 - Underwater Pumpkin Carving Dive at Haigh Quarry
  • Oct 10 - President's Night Banquet and Raffle
  • Nov 3 - ICSSD Budget Meeting
  • UW Christmas Tree Decorating?
  • July 20-26 a charity dive will be held to break the world record for the longest dive.
  • DiveHeart support
    • April 7 training for "Get a Vet Wet", 7 to 8 P.M. at Diveheart Headquarters.
• Newsletter – Cris Kohl - New newsletter will be available for the next meeting..
• Other:

Old Business

1. Chicago Maritime Festival was a big sucess.
• The UASC booth was very popular.
• The Shipwreck Detective project was well received and also very popular.
• Several UASC members gave presentations
2. Ghost Ships Festival was also a great show.
• The booth garnered a few new memberships, and some book sales for Seawolf Communications.
• Many UASC members attended the show, and greatly enjoyed the presentations.
3. Certificates of appreciation were awarded to Dean Nolan, John & Ruth Loftus, Bill Messner, Cris Kohl, Gene Hasiak, Diane Gulzinski, John Bell, Don Doherty, Ruth Magnus, Mike Brutlag, Dan Kasberger, Chet Childs, Roger Brown, Bob Gadbois

New Business

1. Buccaneer
   1. Cris & Joan will be writing for the Midwest Dive News May issue.
   2. John Gerty reported that work is re-commencing on the buc. Water got into the ship, and oil has re-coated some surfaces ( not as bad as before. ) Some wiring and other materials were removed.
2. Upcoming Shows
   1. “Mysteries and Histories Beneath the Inland Seas,”
   • 7-9:30 PM, Sat., April 25, 2009
   • Knickerbocker Theater, Holland, MI. $12.50 advance, $15.00 at the door.
   2. Feb. 19-21, 2010: The SPECIAL 40th “Our World -- Underwater” Show, Chicago, IL
   3. Feb. 27, 2010:
      1. 8th annual “Chicago Maritime Festival,” Chicago, IL
      2. “Great Lakes Shipwreck Festival, “Detroit, MI
      3. “Dive into the Past,” Minneapolis, MN
   4. =March 5-6, 2010 (Fri. & Sat.) -- 11th annual “Ghost Ships Festival,” Milwaukee, WI
      • $10 savings to the 2010 show for new members to UASC
      • $5 savings to the 2010 show for regular members.
3. UASC shirts -- Jim Jarecki
4. UASC’s new Chicago shipwrecks DVD -- Sales; New 2009 UASC Memberships
5. Tentative Club Dives:
• George Morley shore dive & picnic -- Dean Nolan & Cheryl Wickstrom coordinators.
• Washington Island (Door Co.) -- Labor Day weekend -- Ruth Magnus, coordinator
  • 10 Acres chez Magnus
  • 14 divers showed hands of interest
  • No air on the island, but tanks available in Chicago.
• Don Doherty arranging a trip back to Bonne Terre
  • First or second weekend in May
• Dives to the Chicago wrecks of the Iowa and the Flora M. Hill (and others?)
• Mai Tai - Milwaukee area 37' luxury catamaran would like to come down and do a weekend charter.
  • Boat price of $540 / 6 divers 2 tanks each.
  • Would want to fill the boat Saturday and Sunday - Could be different divers.
6. Diveheart Project
• Jim Elliot would like to take disabled divers to Chicago area shipwrecks.
• Jim should be a guest speaker at the May meeting.
• Dan Barret attended and spoke at tonight's meeting.
  • Diveheart Military Wounded, DMW - Working with wounded veterans, particularly from Iraq.
  • Weekend training for HSA, Handicap Scuba Association. Get certified to be a dive buddy or instructor for handicapped divers.
  • April 7 Get a Vet Wet Meeting at Diveheart Headquarters.
  • May 31st Spring into Summer fundraiser.
7. Chicago “Maritime Trail” markers -- “Shipwrecks Off Lake Shore Drive” -- Cris Kohl & Joan Forsberg
8. XRay online magazine
• Gene Hasiak arranged interviews with Peter
• Broadcast a radio show to the world from UASC ?
• Where should we go with this?
9. SURVEY PROJECTS 2009: Surveys/Drawings to be completed; detailed reports to be written:
• Executive Decision: The Material Service report WILL be published this year.
• See Below
10. UASC 20th Anniversary Celebrations
• George Morley Picnic and Dive
• If we get the Buc sunk this year, Hank Fiene will throw the party.
• Still looking for other good ideas.
11. OTHER:
• Roger Brown - Frank ?? who used to own the Chippewa is in the hospital and would like to receive visitors
• CPR - April 3rd at Chet Childs' house.
• Howard and Glen Openlander are leaving. :-( Tonight is their last meeting. Moving to Mesa AZ.
12. THANKS to Dan Kasberger (Refreshments Coordinator) and Ruth Magnus and Mike Brutlag for tonight’s refreshments
13. NEXT UASC MEETING: 6:30 PM, Wednesday, April 29, 2009.
    • Speaker TBD
    • Refreshment coordinator for 2009 is Dan Kasberger.

Shipwreck Survey Projects

• Buccaneer - To be scuttled in 2009 in ??’ - Project Leader: Bob Rushman.
• Material Service - Sank on July 29, 1936 in 38’ - Project Leader: Jim J./John L./Tony K.
  • Photographers recently dove on the Material Service and collected info to complete the project.
• Barge No. 2 - Sank on Sept. 29, 1906 in 40’ - Project Leader: John Loftus
  • Project may be nearing completion.
• The Straits of Mackinac - Scuttled on April 10, 2003 in 78’ - Project Leader:Needed

Guest Speaker

• Captain Dan Johnson is the owner of Loves Park Scuba in Rockford, IL, an avid Great Lakes shipwreck
  diver and charter boat captain, and the founder of the new Lockwood Pioneer Scuba Diving Museum.

Other Business

•  The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00, after which a number of members retired to Ricobene's for further discussions and socializing.