Red River Update: August 1

The Rudder

Wednesday, August 1, 2001. Work was a bit delayed today when one of the crew van’s tires blew out on the way to the wreck site.

Work continued on exposing and mapping the area around the rudder. Cyd Schantz, a Long Beach City College (http://www.lbcc.cc.ca.us/) student, was paired with Scott Whitesides, a graduate student at East Carolina University. Schantz recalled that "we went down on the rope tied to the rudder apparatus. We got a bit disoriented, but soon found [datum point] SS5. We were to measure the newly uncovered parts of the wreck right around the rudder apparatus. The visibility dropped dramatically about eight feet down, by the sand." Schantz completed both a plan view of the structure around the rudder head and a general view of the rudder head itself before the end of her dive.

Schantz, who was nearly swept off the wreck by the current on Saturday, added, "I am having a great time; I feel pretty calm down there in the murk. I loved feeling around the stern and it is amazing to me to be able to run my hands along a submerged steamboat over 160 years old."

This update is sponsored by the PAST Foundation and the Oklahoma Historical Society. It may be freely redistributed without modification.

The workroom at the project's base camp, Fort Towson Historic Site.	Daniel Seib strikes a dramatic pose on the barge.	Crew members line up for dinner.	Spaghetti's on the menu tonight.