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Dismantling the Ship
As can be seen from the images on this page the P.S. Lady Sherbrooke was a relatively big vessel. After years of resting underwater entire sections had crumbled atop of other sections making it impossible for divers to understand what they were dealing with. With many support members being built from large pieces of solid white oak it was difficult to maneuver pieces underwater. These factors dictated that some sections were dismantled and brought to the surface for closer analysis.
In addition to the improved ability to view the object, once it was on the research vessel, there were instances where the safety of the divers was an issue. On one section of the boat, where an upper deck was precariously perched over a section being excavated, an iron bolt was cut underwater allowing for a more complete demolition of the section.
When large and heavy objects, such as those seen here were brought to the surface, it was a slow and potential risky operation. The weight of these water logged objects cannot be appreciated in images alone. After being placed on the deck of the research vessel the objects were traced and then once again returned to the bottom. This ensured as little damage as possible due to exposure.
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