Underwater archaeology school returns to NMC

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This wreck was found July 27, 2011, near the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula by workers from NMC's Water Studies Institute. It later was identified as the B West, which sank in 1957. Special to the Record-Eagle

May 27, 2012

Underwater archaeology school returns to NMC

Two-week program will include survey of pier near Empire

BY JAMES RUSSELL jrussell@record-eagle.com The Record Eagle Sun May 27, 2012, 09:37 AM EDT

TRAVERSE CITY — People from around the world will dive deep into the study of underwater archaeology next month at Northwestern Michigan College.

The school will host the Nautical Archaeology Society's 2012 International Field School, a series of courses and surveys of artifacts in Lake Michigan. The school is scheduled for June 2-17, the second consecutive year NMC offered the program.

"We essentially do a special offering of every nautical archaeology course we offer at NMC, all in a two-week period. You can go about three-quarters of the way through nautical archaeology program in two weeks' time," said Mark Holley, an instructor of cultural anthropology and underwater archaeology at NMC.

The program includes field research for students to document and survey underwater sites in the region. This year, some students will travel to Empire to document the remains of a pier that was active during the region's lumber boom.

A pier survey may not sound as exciting as discovering a shipwreck, but Holley said its expected to provide a treasure trove of information.

"It's actually really interesting. There were 12 different docks along the lakeshore there," he said. "With the docks, and ships coming in and out, you find lot of artifacts that tell you about life of the people during that lumbering era. Those have never been documented."

Troy Wilson is an NMC student and field school alum who plans to attend again this year. He said his experience sparked a passion for archaeology, so much so that he helped found a new student group at the school called the Northwestern Michigan Archaeological Society.

"It was really cool," Wilson said of the 2011 field school. "Prior to that point, I had never done anything even remotely in the field of nautical archaeology or maritime history."

A highlight of the 2011 school was a survey along the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore where students helped locate and identify a shipwreck. He's excited about returning to the area to take a close look at the Empire pier.

"Generally people think of piers as just a pile of wood, but because they were so active, you'll find ... all sorts of debris fields and all sorts of different artifacts from around there," Wilson said.

The school also offers a number of specialty courses. Some of the classes planned for this year include a look at acoustics and sonar in archaeology, ship and boat construction, and Native American settlements in northwestern Michigan.

"There are a lot of ancient Native American settlements under the water," Holley said. "Grand Traverse Bay wasn't there 8,000 years ago; that was the Grand Traverse valley then."

The Nautical Archaeology Society is a United Kingdom-based nongovernmental organization that works to further interest in underwater cultural heritage. Holley said it's no surprise the group is returning to Michigan for another year; the Grand Traverse region is a natural location for a field school.

"We have some best diving right here in Grand Traverse Bay, with cold water, and clear water until the algae blooms," he said. "With the Great Lakes campus on the waterfront, we're better set up to do nautical archaeology than anybody."

There is still time to sign up for the school. Participants can enroll for individual classes or the entire program. For more information, visit nasnmc.com.