CLEVELAND — Shipwreck Camp is a unique opportunity exploring the stories of unfortunate events, learning about the lake and having fun while doing it all.
"How many kids get to a camp where you actually get to go down to see a shipwreck? I don't know too many other camps like this," said Kathryn Kwiatkowski, a Director at The Leonard Gelfand STEM Center, on the campus of Case Western Reserve University.
A group of 12- to 16-year-olds are constructing a remotely operated vehicle, or an ROV, wiring controls that will take an underwater camera to a shipwreck.
"Technology and engineering pieces are important elements of exploration, so when we go to the lake and they drop in the ROV, hopefully they'll be learning more than just a cool tool to use," said Kwiatkowski.
The Leonard Gelfand STEM Center at CASE Western Reserve University has offered Shipwreck Camp for years. The camp is inspired by oceanographer Robert Ballard, who discovered the wreck of the Titanic.
"I used to be so obsessed with the Titanic. I wanted to learn everything about it,” said Chelsie Dockery. “My mom said I need to do something this summer, at my school they handed out these pamphlets. And the second I saw Shipwreck Camp, I was like, this is perfect. I need to go.”
"It's an awesome camp. I always loved shipwrecks since I was a little kid,’ Logan Pinner recalled. “Just learning about them through Google is just the coolest thing ever."
Next is testing the ROVs in a swimming pool. The campers have to get the buoyancy right. It can't float on the surface or drop like a rock. Plus, they must get used to piloting, getting the camera in the right place, which is critical for the real dive.
"Visibility in Lake Erie is not like the pool,” remarked Shipwreck Camp Counselor Jeff Klein. “So, we get this beautiful pool and you'll see what's going on. They will really have to rely on their lights and cameras to figure out, if they can get down to the wreck and, see what's going on at the wrecks themselves."
The group traveled to Kelley's Island to explore two shipwrecks, the W. R. Hanna and the Adventure. The Adventure caught fire at the dock and sank with a full cargo of limestone. With some luck, they were able to find the wreck and even touch it.
"For kids that are just in middle school and entering high school, they're doing great. Their perseverance and persistence is really key,” said Klein.
Seeing an actual shipwreck made everything the campers learned feel real.
"Every wreck has a story that it will tell just by looking at it," said Pinner.
Low visibility in Lake Erie the day of the dive prevented any good pictures or video being taken during the dive. But the campers will certainly remember the experience of exploring the shipwrecks.