Pushing the Boundaries: Using Advanced Technology to Locate and Rapidly Assess Cultural Sites in Multiple Underwater Environments within NOAA's Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Located in Lake Huron, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary was established in 2000 to protect one of the nation's most historically significant collections of shipwrecks. In 2014, the sanctuary expanded from 448 to 4,300 square miles, making it the nation's largest marine protected area (MPA) focused on underwater cultural heritage sites. Within this new boundary are 93 known shipwreck sites, while historic research indicates as many 100 additional sites remain undiscovered. The diverse geography throughout the expansion area, however, poses a challenge to traditional survey and site assessment techniques. Shallow, remote shorelines and shoal areas limit access from the water and preclude use of conventional vessel-deployed underwater survey tools. Similarly, little is known about the deeper bottomlands within the sanctuary's offshore expanses. Standard archaeological survey tools, sonar and marine magnetometer, offer a limited view of these areas. This project sought to develop innovative, technology-centered, and repeatable methodologies for locating and rapidly assessing cultural sites in shallow (less than 20 feet) and deep water (greater than 130 feet) areas. This project experimented with cutting-edge equipment and techniques. The deepwater survey segment involved looking for the historically significant wreck of steamer Choctaw, while the shallower survey focused on known "ship traps", determined via analysis of the region's coastal geography and historical use. Funding for this project was provided by NOAA Ocean Exploration via its Ocean Exploration Fiscal Year 2016 Funding Opportunity. This dataset contains field images and video taken by uncrewed aerial systems, scientific divers, and a remotely operated vehicle during project fieldwork May-August 2017 in Presque Isle County, Michigan.