returned on Sept. vessel's past and plan for its future. August 2002 within NOAA's Gerry E. Sanctuary (SBNMS) off the coast of Massachusetts. and its immediate surroundings. the wreck site. and maintain the archaeological integrity of the wreck site. superstructure and propulsion apparatus. clues into the exact cause of the steamer's sinking, which remains a mystery. down during a ferocious storm on Nov. 27, 1898. the impact of the disaster on the region. scientist. nation's history. serving as the expedition's floating base of operations. century-old wrecks. said Ivar Babb, NURC director. the initial surveys of the Portland. The Science Channel, a service of Discovery Networks U.S. NURC-UConn for archival and further analysis. January 2004. executive producer, The Science Channel.