Great Lakes Shipwreck Festival

Presented by the Ford Seahorses in conjunction with the Dossin Great Lakes Museum

April 20, 2009

Programs & Presenters: Luke Clyburn

Luke Clyburn is a USMM Captain and operates the Research/Training vessel Pride of Michigan. He is a professional dive instructor, underwater photographer/videographer and Commanding Officer of the Great Lakes Division of Naval Sea Cadets.

Clyburn is also the founder and President of the Noble Odyssey Foundation, created to expand knowledge of the Great Lakes through seagoing education and research projects. A 501-c-3 organization, NOF supports the training of the Great Lakes Division Sea Cadets.

After first earning his masters degree in Business Management from Central Michigan University and establishing a career in banking and real estate appraisal some 35 years ago, Luke Clyburn volunteered one day to help train a few young Sea Cadets at the Southfield Naval Reserve Center.

He very soon decided that to really develop a maritime interest in young people, their training should take place under realistic conditions 'at sea' where Sea Cadets, 13-18 years old, would participate directly in the operation of a ship. For their voyages to be successful, the young crew, with adult supervision, would have to learn the technical skills of seamanship, as well as personal responsibility and teamwork.

In 1977 Luke Clyburn acquired the first ship, a 75' former Navy training vessel used at Annapolis and named it Noble Odyssey. In addition to shipboard training, the Cadets earned certifications as PADI SCUBA divers and began to take part in Great Lakes underwater research projects led by scientists. In the process, Cadets gained valuable field experience in scientific and maritime research.

Over 35 years and two ships later, Captain Clyburn and his professional team of specialists have trained hundreds of young people for successful careers in the Coast Guard, Navy, Merchant Marine, Sciences, Education and Naval Architecture.

With support from the Noble Odyssey Foundation (NOF), Sea Cadets nationwide may take part in a 'Great Lakes Odyssey' which involves diver training, ship experience and research experiences with professional divers and scientists and is based at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Alpena, Michigan and extending throughout the Great Lakes.

In 2005 Clyburn's staff and cadets supported Jean-Michel Cousteau's dive team as they filmed historic shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary near Alpena, MIichigan. The Cadets appeared in the Cousteau documentary series Ocean Adventures, which aired on PBS.

One outstanding senior cadet, Nathan Dembeck from Warren, Michigan, was assigned to assist the Cousteau team directly in dive operations. Offered a permanent position with the organization, Nathan now travels the world working with the team on the underwater documentary films produced by Cousteau's Ocean Futures group.

In 2008, the Noble Odyssey Foundation produced its seventh documentary film, Great Lakes, Ancient Shores: RIVER CHANNELS. The film, set to premiere in February of 2009, describes exploration and research along the now submerged ancient river channel which runs some 80 miles through the Straits of Mackinac and features fantastic underwater footage of the shipwrecks which rest near the ancient banks.

We hope to see you there next year, The Ford Seahorses.