Hidden Beneath the Waves - Exploring North Carolina's Underwater Cultural Heritage

February 16, 2021

Tane Casserley, Resource Protection and Permit Coordinator, NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary and Chris Southerly, Deputy State Archaeologist - Underwater, North Carolina Office of State Archaeology

NOAA's Monitor National Marine Sanctuary and the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology presents the first webinar in a year-long series titled "Submerged NC."

Partnering since 1975, NOAA and the state of North Carolina work to research, honor, and protect the hallmarks of North Carolina's underwater cultural heritage: shipwrecks. From violent storms and dangerous shoals to world wars, the waters off North Carolina have claimed thousands of ships and lives over hundreds of years. These shipwrecks hold information about the ever changing technologies and cultural and physical landscapes. They serve as a uniquely accessible underwater museum and a memorial to generations of mariners who lived, died, worked and fought off our shores.

Learn how the discovery of the USS Monitor in 1973 and its designation as our nation's first national marine sanctuary brought NOAA and the Office of State Archaeology together. Hear how these agencies have worked together for over 45 years to tell the stories of the USS Monitor and the many other shipwrecks to celebrate North Carolina's underwater cultural heritage.