Underwater Archaeological Society of Chicago

Meeting Minutes 25 February 2009

General

•  Approximately 35 members met at 6:30 on the 8th floor of the Helix Building, 310 S. Racine at Jackson.
  • Four new members signed up at tonight's meeting. :-)
• Tonight's meeting was run by Joan Forsberg, with food provided by Dan Kasberger and Chet Childs

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.
• 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.
    • Mr. Beef and Pizza in Mount Prospect
    • 7:00 p.m.
    • Free pizza and soda
  • March 29 - Underwater Competition
    • Pavilion Pool Complex, 1000 Wellington Avenue, Elk Grove Village
    • Arrive by 8:00, Events start at 9:00 a.m.
    • Dan Kasberger will be captaining the UASC team.
  • July 18 - Jim Haigh Memorial Dive at Haigh Quarry
  • Aug 7-9 - A new dive club, the Atlantis Divers is planning a trip to Tobermoray.
    • Contact Karen ??? at 708 371-0371 for more information.
    • Their next meeting will be March 17th meeting at Sawa's Old Warsaw Restaurant, 9200 Cermak Road in Broadview.
  • Sept 19 - International Beach Clean Up
  • Oct 4 - Pumpkin Carving Dive at Haigh Quarry
  • Oct 10 - President's Night
  • Nov 3 - ICSSD Budget Meeting
  • UW Christmas Tree Decorating?
• Newsletter – Cris Kohl - The January/February newsletter has been mailed and should be in members' mailboxes. The February/March issue is under development and will probably come out after Ghost Ships. Material for future newsletters is appreciated.
• Other:

Old Business

• UASC CPR class -- Wednesday, February 11, 2009 -- Chet Childs, Sam Frank
  • Did not go, because the instructor was unavailable.
  • Will reschedule, probably within the next two weeks.
• Tool Crib Presentation -- Sunday, February 15, 2009 --Don Doherty
  • Several UASC members attended.
  • Fire killed many workers when the wooden crib caught fire.
  • May be a topic for a future UASC meeting.
• Our World -- Underwater, Rosemont (Chicago), Feb. 20-22, 2009 (Fri., Sat., & Sun.)
  • Only a few new members ( so far ), but good DVD sales.
  • 65 new e-mails on the announcements list, some of which are becoming members.
  • New member show special available at tonight's meeting, as well as at the Chicago Maritime Festival and Ghost Ships
  • Drawing for Nancy Boucha photos at the March meeting, from new members through Ghost Ships.
• UASC DVD: “Explore Chicago Shipwrecks!” -- Ruth Loftus, Project Coordinator
  • Very popular at OWU.
  • Available tonight - $15 for non-members, $12 for members.

New Business

• The Buccaneer Project -- video and update -- Kathy Braun, Bob Rushman
  Meet the last owner of the Buccaneer! -- Ken Wagner, who will talk about the ship’s history and his life on board.
• Upcoing Shows:
  • Chicago Maritime Festival
    • Chicago History Museum, Chicago, Feb. 28, 2009
    • This Saturday, 10:00 to 4:30, with an evening concert from 7:00 to 10:30
  • Ghost Ships Festival - Milwaukee, WI, March 20-21, 2009 (Fri. & Sat.)
    • $10 savings to the 2010 show for new members to UASC
    • $5 savings to the 2010 show for regular members.
• UASC shirts -- Jim Jarecki
• Tentative Club Dives:
  • George Morley shore dive & picnic -- Marni Yang & Cheryl Wickstrom coordinators.
  • Washington Island (Door Co.) -- Labor Day weekend -- Ruth Magnus, coordinator
• Diveheart Project
  • Jim Elliot would like to take disabled divers to Chicago area shipwrecks.
  • Jim should be a guest speaker sometime soon.
• Chicago “Maritime Trail” markers -- “Shipwrecks Off Lake Shore Drive” -- Cris Kohl & Joan Forsberg
• XRay online magazine
  • Gene Hasiak arranged interviews with Peter
  • Broadcast a radio show to the world from UASC ?
  • Where should we go with this?
• 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
• UASC 20th Anniversary Celebrations
  • If we get the Buc sunk this year, Hank Fiene will throw the party.
• OTHER:
• THANKS to Dan Kasberger (Refreshments Coordinator) and Chet Childs for tonight’s refreshments
• NEXT UASC MEETING: 6:30 PM, Wednesday, March 25, 2009.
  • Speaker is Dan Johnson, curator of the Lockwood Pioneer Diving Museum in Rockford, IL.
  • Refreshment coordinator for 2009 is Dan Kasberger.
  • Ruth Magnus and Mike Brutlag to bring March Refreshments

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

• Kathy Braun presented a video on the cleanup of the Buccaneer.
• Ken Wagner gave a fascinating discussion of the Buccaneer, from the days when his family owned the boat.
• Cris Kohl and Joan Forsberg presented "Shipwrecks off Lakeshore Drive", fresh from its world premier at Our World Underwater.

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.