USCSS Robert J. Walker-- Part 6: Discovery of the Wreck

A commercial fisherman found the wreck of the Walker in the 1970s, located  10 nautical miles off the coast of New Jersey in 85 feet of water.  Divers have visited the wreck on a regular bases since then.  But, it  remained unidentified until 2013 when NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) announced  that a positive identification had been made.

On June 21, 2013, the NOAA research ship NOASS  Thomas Jefferson, operating in the area to conduct hydrographic surveys for navigation after Hurricane Sandy, held a wreath -tossing ceremony in the general area of the wreck of the Robert J. Walker to honor its dead on the 153rd anniversary of its sinking.  It was the first commemorative ceremony ever held for them.

The Jefferson then collected survey data using multibeam sonar and sidescan sonar later on that day that established with 80% certainty the identity and location of the wreck.

A NOAA dive team, also in the area for post-Hurricane Sandy operations,  confirmed the wreck's identity on 23 June 2013.  The NOAA used  several key clues to confirm  the identity of the ship, including the size and layout of the iron hull, unique engines, and rectangular portholes.

The NOAA has no plans to raise the wreck, make it a sanctuary, or limit diving on it, but does plan to work with the New Jersey diving community to increase understanding of the wreck.

--Old B-Runner

Long-Lost Blockade-Runner Agnes E. Fry Found-- Part 4: Using 3-D Sonar

The Charlotte, N.C. Fire Department has volunteered its services to examine the shipwreck.  Very experienced special operations divers will bring their 3-D sonar which is ideal for use in poor water conditions.

The divers will go to the bottom, set up a tripod which will send out sound waves and use high-speed computers to convert the information.

The archaeologists wonder what kind of cargo was left on the ship when it ran aground.  They know that very little was taken off as the crew abandoned ship very quickly.  Plus, with the second and final attack on Fort Fisher just a few weeks ago, it is doubtful that the Confederates were able to salvage much and Union naval forces would be too busy preparing for the attack.  Plus, the war was nearly over at the time.

The fort's commander, Col. William Lamb wrote in a letter asking specifically about the whereabouts of the wreck of the Agnes E. Fry.  Today's archaeologists want to know why he was so interested.

Perhaps They Will Find Out.  --Old B-R'er

Charlotte Fire Department Helps Search Civil War Shipwreck

From the April 11, 2016, WSOC TV, Charlotte, N.C.

The North Carolina State Department of Natural and Cultural Resources said that the Charlotte Fire Department had arranged to bring in a sophisticated 3D SOAR device to confirm the shipwreck's identity.  It will be used by divers next Wednesday.

The shipwreck is thought to be that of the blockade-runner Agnes E. Fry, sunk off the Wilmington coast in December 1864.

--Old B-R'er

Further Work at the Wreck of the Agnes E. Fry Blockade-Runner

From the May 11, 2016, BBC News "new image of Clyde-built ship used in America's Civil War" by Steven McKenzie.

There is now a sonar mosaic of the Agnes E. Fry blockade-runner.  The article contains this.

There is also a North Carolina Department of Cultural resources of a deck light and what looks like the handle of a homemade knife recovered from the wreck.

Specialist divers from the Charlotte Fire department and sonar experts from Nautilus Marine Group assisted in the mosaic.

The Agnes E. Fry was launched with the name Fox and ran aground 27 December 1864 while attempting to run into Wilmington, North Carolina.  Since this was between the two attacks on Fort Fisher, it is doubted that much in the way of salvage was done at the time.

The mosaic photo of the wreck includes two possible sponsons, boiler fragments, decklight (recovered) broken hull plating and frames and I-beam frames, smoke stack sections and outer hull plating.

--So, What Is a Sponson?  --Old B-Runner

North Carolina's Underwater Archaeology Unit-- Part 3" Magnetometers and Sidescan Sonar

Underwater archaeologists use a variety of means to locate and document shipwrecks and other submerged sites.  Occasionally, sites can be visually observed in shallow water (The blockade-runner Beauregard, off Carolina Beach can be seen at low tide) and are reported by fishermen, boaters or recreational scuba divers.

To locate shipwrecks in deeper water, archaeologists rely on remote sensing equipment such as magnetometers and sidescan sonar (as used in locating the Agnes E. fry)  The remote sensing equipment is operated from a research vessel that systematically searches the survey area.

Ideally, an electronic positioning system is used to maintain and record the vessel's position during the survey.

--Old B-Runner

Navy Uses Echoscope 3D Real-Time Imaging Sonar on CSS Georgia Salvage

From the August 27, 2015, Masdaq-1 Coda Octopus group, Inc.  "U.S. Navy uses the Echoscope 3D real-time imaging sonar during CSS Georgia salvage."

The Navy divers encountered great difficulty finding objects in the murky Savannah River waters where the CSS Georgia's wreck is located.

"The Echoscope 3D imaging system displays in real-time 3D underwater objects as they are scanned, whether they are static structures or moving objects.  The image supplied can be rotated in all three dimensions and measurements can be taken while viewing the data."

Not exactly sure what all this means, but anything is good if it helps.

--Old B-Runner