Dr. Brad Barr visits Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
(Photo Courtesy/Mike Beiermeister) Dr. Brad Barr speaks with workers at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary on Thursday afternoon.
Alpena, Mich. — The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary has a special guest visiting Thursday.
Legendary Maritime Archaeologist and Historian Dr. Brad Barr stopped by to chat with fellow NOAA employees. Dr. Barr is famous for his exploration and discovery of lost whaling fleets in the Western Arctic.
The ships were trapped and abandoned 144 years ago. Six wreckage sites were identified and three were documented, producing numerous pieces of history.
“I like to be able to say while yes, whaling is a brutal and not a very pretty thing, it was extremely important at the time, and being able to tell these stories gives people a new insight into why it was important,” said Dr. Barr.
Dr. Barr presented his work for the Sanctuary Lecture Series on Thursday night at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center.
