BAREG Fall 2024 Update

NAS Training

In mid-October, three BAREG members completed Nautical Archaeology Society skills training.
Congratulations to Billie, Kevin, and João. As always, many thanks to Troy for tutoring the class and spending hours in the dinghy working with the students. The in-water portion of the training was conducted in St. Georges Creek, a tributary of the lower Potomac River, and the classroom work was held on the M/V My Purpose Holds, during the transit to the dive site.

BAREG NAS Class 24-2, 6 OCT 2024 (from left to right): Billie T., Kevin M., João S., and instructor Troy N. on the D/V My Purpose Holds (photo source: BAREG/Fred Engle).

Bareg 2024 Scapa Flow Trip

In late October, six BAREG divers traveled to Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands to dive the wrecks of seven WWI German warships. This was the third BAREG trip to Scapa Flow and our first charter with the M/V Huskyan. Four German divers were diving from Huskyan with us and we shared onshore accommodations in the charter operator’s lodge. The two groups dove well together, shared meals, and explored Orkney together when the weather shut down diving for a day. Details of the trip will be presented at the symposium in January 2025, along with highlights from other 2024 activities. BAREG is planning to return to Scapa Flow in 2026.

Scapa Distillery

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To warm up after weathering the Atlantic storm’s winds at the Ring of Brodgar, the divers retreated to the Scapa distillery for flights of scotch. Photo Source: Dany

Upcoming Events & Activities

BAREG 2024 Business Meeting – 16 NOV
As before, the meeting location is the Mantua Clubhouse, 9330 Pentland Pl, Fairfax, VA and by Zoom
(invite to follow). At this year’s annual business meeting we will hold our board election as the current
five-year term is ending.

Business meeting agenda:

BAREG status report (membership, funds, equipment)
2024 activities overview
Board election
Charter amendment – dues and fees increase
2025 draft activities plan

Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA) 2025 Conference (SHA) 8-11 JAN
BAREG is returning to SHA after a six-year hiatus. The PI for our 2021-2022 survey of the U-1105,
funded by the Maryland Historical Trust, will make a presentation on the project. Additionally, we will
have a poster presentation on BAREG’s first eleven years supporting maritime archaeology. The 2025
conference is being held in New Orleans.

Buoy Ops – 7&8 DEC
Working dive to take the U-1105 mooring buoy off station for the winter for cleaning and maintenance.
Working dive team is complete.

2025 Symposium – 25 JAN (T)
The tentative date for the 2025 symposium is Saturday, 25 January. The location is TBD.