ProJo reported yesterday that an old wooden ship has been uncovered not far from East Matunuck State Beach. It is lying on her side and “seaweed drapes much of the eroded woodwork — timbers nine inches square extending from keel to gunwale and still covered in part by strakes, wooden planks that run from stem to stern. Here and there a green stain betrays the occasional metal pin, perhaps of copper, but the hull is held together mostly by wooden pegs.”
Captain Dave Sutton rings the bell of the Andrea Doria for the first time since the ship sank in 1956. The bell rings out with wonderful tone. Recovered June 26, 2010 by Ernie Rookey and Carl Bayer on the Silverstein/Sutton 2010 Andrea Doria Expedition.
The famous oceanliner shipwreck Andrea Doria that sunk in 1956 in the Atlantic Ocean still gives up treasures. Today aboard the R/V Explorer on the Silverstein/Sutton 2010 Andrea Doria Expedition divers Ernest Rookey and Carl Bayer located and recovered a bell from the Andrea Doria.
This particular bell is suspected to be the “crows nest bell.” The divers searched the debris field in 240 feet of water while diving on untethered mixed gas scuba gear, and located a small portion of the bell exposed from the sand.
On-board this expedition was noted Andrea Doria historian and popular author Gary Gentile. Gary was the lead diver in the 1985 recovery of the stern bell. Other attempts to locate the forward bell in 1993 were unsucessful. “There was never any proof that a crows nest bell existed until today.” said Gentile who has been diving the wreck since 1974 and has more documented dives on the Andrea Doria than any other diver. “This is an outstanding and historic find,” said expedtion leader Joel Silverstein. “In my 18 years of of diving the Doria this is probably the most significant artifact found,” he added.
“Ernest Rookey (Jackson, NJ) and Carl Bayer (Hillsborough, NJ) are both experienced deep mixed gas divers. This was their first expedition to the Andrea Doria.” said Captain David Sutton. “Andrea Doria expeditions are hard core adventures; a discovery like this one just makes it all that more special,” he added.
Expedition participants include: Captain David Sutton, Joel Silverstein, Gary Gentile, Chris Gini, Kathy Mallon, Laila Richard, Carl Bayer, Ernest Rookey and Ric Simon.
The Andrea Doria is located 55 miles off the coast of Nantuket in 250 feet of water. It’s been called the Mt. Everest of Diving due to its location, depth and extreme conditions.
The Cousteau Society is launching a year-long celebration in Paris commemorating the birth of Jacques-Yves Cousteau. As part of this celebration they will be “re-launch of iconic vessel Calypso for marine education tour; new Cousteau Divers program”; and broadcast The Golden Fish, the film that won an Oscar in 1960 for Best Short Subject, Live Action Subjects.
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