Armchair archeologists across the globe can experience the thrill and excitement of undersea exploration during a series of “Live Dive” webcasts July 14 from NOAA’s Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Viewers in several predetermined locations will also be able to interact live with the sanctuary dive team. Audiences will learn how marine archaeologists document shipwrecks and work to preserve them for future generations

Through support from a NOAA’s Preserve America Initiative Grant, Sanctuary archeologists will invite the public along as they explore in real-time the shipwreck of the Montana, a wooden freighter from the late 1800s that burned and sank in Thunder Bay. Today, the Montana is one of over 200 well-preserved submerged historic sites in “Shipwreck Alley,” an area of northern Lake Huron known for extreme weather and dangerous shoals.

Viewers will be able to interact live with divers 70 feet below the research vessel RV Storm by submitting email questions at www.immersionlearning.org. Three webcasts will take place from the wreck throughout the day, exploring the maritime history and archaeology of the site. Each program will highlight different themes including underwater research techniques, diving  technology, and the study of Great Lakes health and ecology through NOAA observation  platforms.

In partnership with Immersion Learning, a division of Sea Research Foundation Inc., the  live webcasts will air Wednesday, July 14 at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 3 p.m. EST on the Immersionlearning.org Web site, as part of a sanctuary initiative to provide greater access  to America’s underwater treasures. Additional information, including lesson plans and  activities for students can be found on Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s Web site  http://thunderbay.noaa.gov/ .

“The cold, fresh water of the Great Lakes has done an amazing job of preserving these  historic shipwreck sites,” said Cathy Green, archaeologist with Thunder Bay National Marine  Sanctuary. “As archaeologists, we want to share the thrill of shipwreck exploration with others  and inspire them to be better stewards of these incredible sites. There is no better way to do  that than to take folks with us as we dive below the surface of Lake Huron in search of historic  treasure.”

In addition to the webcasts on Immersion Learning available to anyone via the internet,  audiences will be able to watch the programs at four venues around the country that will take  part in extended interaction with the dive team: the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in  Alpena, Mi; Ann Arbor (Michigan) Hands-on Museum, Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Public Museum  and Mokupapapa (Hawaii) Discovery Center.

Along with NOAA Preserve America and Immersion Learning, the project being conducted in  partnership with the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, the Great Lakes Environmental  Research Labs, the Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum and the National Association of  Black Scuba Divers.

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the  ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.  Visit http://www.noaa.gov .