On Aug. 30, teams from NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, began a survey of the historic wreck of Diamond Shoal Lightship No. 71, the only American lightship to be sunk by enemy action during World War I.
The archaeological survey expedition off the coast of Beaufort, North Carolina, will document the wreck site, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places this month. Information from the survey also will be used to create educational exhibits and materials to help recreational divers better interpret the wreck site, which is managed by NOAA and the Coast Guard.
The sanctuary’s research vessel SRVx Sand Tiger will provide the platform for at-sea operations. Other partners for the project include East Carolina University and University of North Carolina Coastal Studies Institute.
