September 2016 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 9. Waterfront News Edmund Drisko and Jonathan Popham Passes over the Bar


Those designs are still used to this day at the John’s Bay Boat Company in South Bristol, where Edgar could be found at many boat launches. After retiring, he could often be found


volunteering at the Fishermen’s Museum at the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. He had a tremendous gift for telling stories which fi t in perfectly at the museum. Even after 85 years of stories, he was still telling new ones to his family until just days before his death. He is survived by his wife of 20 years,


Edgar Drisko, local lobsterman, passed


away at his home surrounded by his loving family in Bristol, on the morning of August 10, 2016. Born in Addison, Maine on July 24, 1931, he was the son of Donald and Evangeline (Alley) Drisko. Edgar grew up on Beals Island and at-


tended schools there. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Navy where he served on a LSMR 520, rocket launching ship. Upon his honorable discharge as a Sea- man 3rd Class Boatswain Mate, he returned to Beals for a short time before moving to New Harbor in 1960. Edgar started fi shing at the age of 7


years old, and did so his entire life until retiring in 2006 at the age of 75. He was an innovator in the local fi shing community, de- signing traps with shrimp twine heads, traps which are still used today. As innovative as he was, he remained a traditionalist when it came to wooden boats. His fi rst boat was the LIZZIE P., moved up to the DONNIE JO, and ended his career aboard the MARGIE FAY, which was a Carroll Lowell design.


German U-boat, Nicaraguan freighter discovered off Cape Hatteras in 2014 July 15, 1942. America had been in


World War II for less than a year, but the fi ght was at our nation’s shores. That day, off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, the German U-boatU-576 sank the Nicaraguan-fl agged freighter SS Bluefi elds. But it came at a steep price – the merchant ship convoy and its U.S. military escorts fought back, sinking the U-boat within minutes as U.S. Navy air cover bombed the sub while the merchant ship Unicoi attacked it with its deck gun. NOAA and its partners will visit what


remains of the two ships, documenting World War II’s “Battle of the Atlantic,” which pitted the U-boats of the German navy against combined Canadian, British, and American forces defending Allied merchant ships.


NOAA discovered the two vessels in


2014, 35 miles off shore and approximately 700 feet underwater just 240 yards apart. Ar- chaeologists aboard NOAA research vessel SRVX Sand Tiger located the ships during an autonomous underwater vehicle survey, using a sophisticated high resolution sonar. Using manned submersibles, the re-


searchers will collect data to visualize and virtually recreate an underwater battlefi eld that has remained undisturbed for 74 years. Project Baseline, a global conservation non-profi t, is supplying the GlobalSubDive assets including the research vessel Baseline Explorer, and two manned submersibles. Underwater robots and advanced remote sensing technology, provided by 2G Ro- botics and SRI International, will generate bathymetric data and detailed acoustical models of the wrecks and surrounding sea- fl oor. University of North Carolina’s Coastal Studies Institute will provide three-dimen- sional modeling of the wrecks. “This discovery is the only known loca-


tion in U.S. waters that contains archaeolog- ically preserved remains of a convoy battle


The freighter SS Bluefi elds was sunk by the German submarine U-576 in July 1942. The wrecks of the two ships were discovered in 2014 off Cape Hattaras, North Carolina, only 240 yards apart. (Credit: Mariners’ Museum)


where both sides are so close together,” said Joe Hoyt, Monitor National Marine Sanctu- ary archaeologist and chief scientist for the expedition. “By studying this site for the fi rst time, we hope to learn more about the battle, as well as the natural habitats surrounding the shipwrecks.” The expedition, which runs through


September 6, builds on previous work by NOAA and its partners to document nation- ally signifi cant shipwrecks in the “Grave- yard of the Atlantic” off North Carolina’s Outer Banks. During the expedition, NOAA will also visit several other World War I, World War II and Civil War vessels includ- ing the USS Monitor. NOAA is currently considering an ex-


pansion of Monitor National Marine Sanctu- ary’s boundaries to increase the protections to the Bluefi elds, U-576 and other historic shipwrecks. Although the crew of Bluefi elds evacuated and did not suff er any casualties, the site is a war grave for the crew of U-576. “The signifi cance of these sites cannot be overstated,” said David Alberg, superin- tendent of Monitor National Marine Sanc- tuary. “This area off North Carolina is the best representation of a WW II battlefi eld off the East coast. Now, working with our


partners, we have an opportunity to study it, and hopefully protect it.” Additional funding to support the mission was provided through a grant from NOAA’s Offi ce of Ocean Exploration and Research and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. For more information and to follow the expedition, visit http://oceanex- plorer.noaa.gov/explorations/16battlefi eld/ welcome.html.


Marjory Drisko of Bristol; a son, Donald F. Drisko and partner Laurie Crane of New Harbor; a daughter, Mona Alley and her husband Tim of Walpole; three stepchil- dren, Cheryl Preble and her husband Arliss, Elaine Bechtel and her husband Larry, and Laurie Martin and her husband Alan; 11 grandchildren, Hayley Drisko Chambers and husband Jed, Jessica Drisko and fi ance Ian Mortimer, Sarah Alley, Luke Alley, Tra- cy Levesque and her husband Chris, Ryan Reed, Brad Reed and his wife Angel, Angela Hall and her fi ance Merlin Dilley, Charlotte Martin, Jared Martin, and Colin Bechtel; and 5 great-grandchildren, Malakai Drisko Mortimer, Taylor Levesque, Joe Levesque, Jeannie Levesque, and Hunter Reed. A time to visit with the family was held


August 20 at the Strong-Hancock Funeral Home in Damariscotta. A private burial will be held in the Village Cemetery on Beals Island, where he will be laid to rest with his parents. In lieu of fl owers, donations may be made to The Fishermen’s Museum, PO Box 263, New Harbor, ME 04554.


Jonathan Jacob Popham


Machiasport—Jonathan Jacob Popham, 28, unexpectedly went to be with his Lord, July 16, 2016. He was a loving husband and father, a hard-working man, but most impor- tantly, a child of God. He loved the Lord and wanted to share His love with lost souls. Recently, Jonathan travelled to Israel,


a life-changing experience for him, which served to deepen his love for the Lord and increase his love and concern for the lost. He wanted to share with others the love and forgiveness he had found in Christ. His greatest infl uence were his brothers and sisters in Christ. A member of the Maine Lobsterman’s


Association, Jonathan was a lobster fi sher- man, and he loved being on the ocean setting and pulling traps. His stern men, Timmy White and Jesse Frisbee, both performed he- roic eff orts to save him. Timmy will always hold a special place in the hearts of family for jumping overboard himself to pull Jonathan from the water. Jonathan was predeceased by his father,


William Adelbert Popham. He is survived by his loving wife and two-year-old son, Me-


NOAA to Take Look at Two WWII Shipwrecks


linda Popham and Isaias Jonathan Popham, his mother, Gail Popham all of Machiasport; brothers, David and wife, Heidi Popham and William Popham; his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Neil and Mary Albee of East Machias; sister-in-law, Emily Bena and husband, Sean of Bremerton, WA; special adopted grandparents, Ben and Mary Ann Crocker of Buck’s Harbor; special adopted parents, David Wallace and Freda Roberts of Cutler; special adopted brother, Bryan Wallace and special adopted sister, Bobbi Jo Wallace. He will be sadly missed by many special friends, with whom he wanted to share Christ’s love, including Wayne and Laura Dennison of Cutler, Rob and Amanda Boynton of Machiasport, Donna Dennison of Machias, and Ben Crocker, Jr. of Roque Bluff s. A memorial service was held at Machias


Christian Fellowship, Machias, July 23 with Pastor Aaron Dudley offi ciating. Contributions may be made to The


Isaias Popham College Fund, c/o Machias Savings Bank, Attention: Jennifer Tuell, PO Box 318, Machias, ME 04654.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31