A festival celebrating underwater exploration of our Great Lakes maritime history
On March 9, 1862, during the Civil War battle of Hampton Roads, the ironclads USS Monitor and CSS Virginia ushered in a new era in naval warfare. Although indecisive, the clash brought forth the change from wood and sail to iron and steam.
Today, The Monitor rests in 240fsw off the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where she sank in a storm on December 31, 1862. She was discovered in 1973 and the site is now home to the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The sanctuary exists to preserve this treasure, as well as study her and the way she shaped history.
Join Sue as she shares the history of The Monitor and what it was like to conduct technical dives on this extraordinary shipwreck.