Ongoing
Investigation of the Steamship Portland
 Portland photograph from the 1890s (courtesy of the Portland Marine Society and Portland Harbor Museum) |
 Computer aided drawing of the Portland 's remains in 2005 (NOAA/SBNMS) |
Following the confirmation
of the Portland's location in 2002, NOAA scientists have visited the steamship
each year with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to study the shipwreck's
remains.
In 2003, with support
from NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and the Discovery Science Channel,
NOAA returned with a ROV outfitted with a HDTV camera and
HMI lights. This combination provided stunning imagery of the wreck and
was the basis for an episode entitled"The Wreck of the Portland"
in the Science Channel's Science of the Deep Series. The documentary won
a viewer's choice award.
 Photomosaic of the Portland's bow (NOAA/SBNMS) |
When NOAA researchers visited the Portland in 2004, the ROV carried a high resolution digital still camera and video camera in a downward configuration. The project's focus was to acquire imagery of the steamship's freight deck. A plan view photomosaic of the Portland's deck is under construction.
This summer's expedition
to the Portland will broadcast DVD quality live video from the ROV to
viewers at the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown, MA. Lower resolution
video will also be available over the World Wide Web via this website.
Future projects will continue to document and monitor the steamship as
well as provide public access to the site through live video broadcasts.
Last Updated: April 28, 2006