MtNUlE rrEM . lhls Cafendar Hem No. Q

was r~rO'ved 0$ Minute ttem No. U _by the State i.Qnds Cr.--w:trra~ by 2 vo.19 ct ;""> 1c.. _]_ Qt tts ? • ;~ I ..J 1

meeting.

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CALENDAR :ITEM

10 06/05/91 PRC 7408 Pelkof er

RENEWAL OF SALVAGE PERMIT - PUBLIC AGENCY USE

APPL:tCANT: calif ornia Department of Parks and Recreation Attn: John Foster P. o. Bex 942896 Sacramento, California 94296

AREA, TYPE Ll\ND lWD LOCA'.r:ION: A 19.74-acre parcel of tide and submerged la~d in the Pacific Ocean near Cabrillo Point, Mendocino County.

LMm USE: Mapping, identification, and retrieval of surface artifacts from the s~ipwreck "Froli,r.".

TERMS OF PROPOSED PE!Ull~: Initial period:

one (1) year beginning July 14, 1991.

CONS:tDElU\'.r:IOll: ~'he public benefit.

BASXS FOR COHSXDBRATION: Pursua~t to 2 Cal. Code Regs. 2003.

PRERBQUISXTE CONDXTIONS, FBES AND EXPENSES: Filing fee has been received.

STA'.rU'rORY AND m!!ER REP'mtBNCES: A. P.R.C.: Div. 6, Parts land 2; Div. 13.

B. Cal. Code Regs .. : Title 3, Div. 3; Ti.tle 1~\, Div. 6.

AB 884: N/A

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CALENDAR !TEM NO. 10 (CONT'D)

OTm!ttt PBRTXmm'l' DIPORMATJ:ON: 1. The California Department of Parks and~Recreation (DPR)

has applied f9r a salvage permit to map, identify, and retrieve surface artifacts from the shipwreck "Frolic". The project will enable Parks and Recreation to identify the extent and integrity of the remains of the nFrolic~, and assist DPR in evaluating the site for possible inclusion in the State park system as an underwater park.

1~e "Frolic" is a Baltimore Clipper built in 1844 which was. used to transport opium from Bombay t.o Canton. The ship sank off the Mendocino coast in 1850 whil~ transporting Chinese goods.

The Depart?!lent of Parks and Recreation has contracted with San Jose State University Foundation to perform the underwater mapping project. curation of artifacts is being done at the Mendocino coµnty Museum in Willits, with eventual exhibition at a proposed State park facility at Point Cabrillo.

2. The permit fee of the site is estimated to be $500.

3. Pursuant to the commission's delegation of authority and the State CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. 15025), the staff has prepared a Proposed Negative Declaration identified as EIR ND s10, 'State Clearinghouse No. 69030C70. such Proposed Negative Declaration was prepared and circulated for public r.eviJtw pursuant to !:he provisions of CEQA.

Based; upon the !nitial Study, the Proposed Negative Decla~ation, and the comments received in response tberet~, there is no substantial evidence that the projec~ will have a significant effect on the enviro~ilnent. (14 Cal. Code Regs. 15074(b))

4. Thi\~ .'aJi:tivity involves lands identifJ.~d as possessj_ng sigral:~.icant environmental values pu:rsuant to P.R.C. ~370, et seq. Basetl upon 1:.he staff's consult~tion with the persons nominating such lands and through the CEQA review process, it is the staff's opini9~ that the projec~. as proposed, is consistent with 4~B use classification.

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£Xs'IB%TS:

A. Negative Declaration, SCH No. 89030070 .a. Location Map

IT IS RBCOJ!MENDB.t> ~!r TRB COJDttss:roN:

l. CERTIFY THAT A NEGATIVE DECLARATION, EIR ND 510, STATE CLEARl:NGHousE NO. s9oJoo7o, WAS PREPARED AND AlloPTED FOR THIS PROJECT PIJllsOANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE CEQA AND THAT THE COMMrssION HAs REVIEWED AND CONSIDERED THE INFORMATION CONTAINED TlfilREIN, AND THAT THE CONDITIONS OF :!'HE ORIGINAL PERMIT AND PROPOSED l!ENE'ri'AL ARE STILL PROPERLY COVERED llNDER SAID NEGATIVE DECLARATION.

2. DETERMINE THAT THE PROJECT, AS APPROVED, WILL NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE ENvIRONMENT.

3. AllTHOR:!zE ISSUANCE To CALIFoi!un DEPAR'rM£NT OF PARKs AND RECREATION OF A ONE-YEAR ll£NEWAL OF.SALVAGE PERMIT PRC 7408 BEGINNING JULY 14, 1991; IN CONSIDERATION OF THE PllBLIC BENEFIT, FoR THE MAPPING, IDEi>'TIFICATION, AND li£TRIEVAL OF S!JRFACE ARTIFACTS FROM THE' SHIPWRECK "FROLIC" IN :<'HE GENERAL LOCATION SHOWN ON THE LAND DESCRJ:BJ;:o ON EXHIBIT tt;B• ATTACHED AND BY REFERENCE MADE A PART HEREOF. .

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.). STATE Of-CAll'OAM4

STATE LANDS COMMISSION .

r.Atl.LO..!.J. .. A ..

EXECUT&Vi: OFFICE 11!107 ·13th Stnst Sacnmento. Califo.-r:ia 95814 LEOT. McCARTHY. Lmir«WitGolvmM

GRAVDAY!S. Omu~ .JESSE R. HUFF. Dw«tor cl Finana

CHARLES WAFtiCEN (-Eaeaitive OfflCH (916) 322·4105

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT NEGATIVE DECIJ\RATION (Section 21092 PRC) •

• An app~ication for the f olloving described

eu:rrently being ,processed by the sta£f of 'tl"'le Commission:

project is State Lands

Project Title:

Pro;~ct Proponent:

Project Location:

Project Description:

Archaeological surv~y and mapping permit for the brig "Frolic"

C:alif ornia Department of Parks and Recreation

Offshore of Mendocino County, north of Point cabrillo

Underwater mapping and photo survey of wreck site of the Brig "Frolic", with sample collection of surf ace artifacts

Contact Person: GOODYEAR K. WALKER Teiephone: (916) 322-9530

A l?egative Declaration identified.· .as EIR ~ID 510 I state Clearinghouse No. 89030079 has been prepared ptl.._~suant to the requirements of the california Environmental Qual,; t~( Act.

The above described document will be cons~dered for adoption nt a regular meeting of the STATE' LANDS COMMISSION scheduled for June 11, 1990, at 10:30 a.m., City of El Segundo, City Hall, Council Chambers, 350 Main Street, El Segundo, california. Anyone interested in this matter is invited to comment' on the document by wri tte-'tl response prior to the meeting or by personal appearance at the meeting.. Persons wishing to appear at the meet,ing should call (916) 322-4i07 so that time can-be allotted for such appeara~ce.

CHARLES WARREN Executive Officer

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INITIAL STUDY FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE "FROL'IC" WRECK

The State Departlllent of Parks and Rccrel'ltion (SPR) has applied to the State Lands commission (SLC) for a permit to do archaeological survey and identification work on the remains of the brig M.F:?:olic", 'which ~unk July 2~, 1850, near the present site of the city of Mendocino. ~his project vould take place on sovereign lands of the State of ca..:.ifornia, and this permit would be issued under the State and Federa~ Shipwreck Acts.

PROJECT DESqR!PTION . I

San Jose state University Foundation has been awarded a contract by.SPR to perform an underwater mapping proj~ct of the wreck site of the "Frolic" (archaeological site CAL-MEN~l947H) as part of a large underwater cµltural assessment project covering the Mendocino coast District. Dave Buller of Landseair E,xplorations (LSA) and Coastal Diving and Construction (CDC) has been subcontracted by the Foundation to carry out the actual mapping.

The goal of this project is to carry out a preliminary proqra!ll of researc~ and documentation to identify the extent a~d integrity of the remains of the "Frolic". The project• s findings will be published, and will assist the state in evaluating the site for. possible inclusion in the state Park system as an underwater park.

With preliminary assessment as lts main· purpose, the "Frolic" project is designed to identify and inventory surface features of the wreck site. The proposed project will .consist of tl1e following elemen~:

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3.

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5.

Conduct archival :record search for information on the "Frolicn and her history.

Prepare an underwater map a,nd photo record of the wreck site.

Assess the extent and integrity of the "Frolic" remains, cargo, equipment, stores and personal f:1ffects.

Conduct a sample surf ace collection of loose artifacts from the wreck site. ·

Evaluation of the site ~aps and surface collection ,to detenuine if significant potential exir.ts to learn more about the ship's design ~nd contents by fon:ial excavation operations.

6- conservation of collected artifacts for .Public exhibit by the State.

7. Preparation and.publishing of all results.

Project Locatio~ The wreck of the "Frolic" is located in the large, unnamed

cove between Casper Cove and Point Cabrillo. The wreckage lies below the north rims of the cove and is located less than 100 feet from the sh~re (see attached map). The wreck is shallow, only 10 to 20, feet deep, and exposed to the prevailing northwesterly swell. Very calm ocean conditions are required for any diving operations at the site.

The "Frolic" ~eckage rests on ·a ·rock substrate that is densely ovargrown with kelp and coralline algae. During the Fall, when k~lp qrowth is at its maximum, the kelp completely masks the wreck site. , The wreck lies on a ~ast-west axis with 'its bow on towards the· shore. The most prominent surface features of the wreck are anchors and a capstan in the bow area, a pile of iron ballast bars in mid-ship and a general scattering of Chinese ceral!lic sherds over the entire site. A mixture of .\oose to compacted overburden up to several feet deep, consisting· :r.,'f small rock debris, sand: shell fragments and other biological debris, and small artifacts from the "Frolic", covers an unknown po~_ion <"Jf the wr~~age.

·Project Personn~l The project manager will be ~homas Layton, of the San Jose

State Un'iversity Department of Anthropology. He •will als,6 do most of the archival research. Dave Buller of CDC wil~ supei-:.vise all underwater operations, which will be c~rried out by himsel~ and four other partners in CDC. Volunteer divers may al£o be used to assist in the field work. Robert Orlins, California State Archaeologist, will be the contract manager for SPR. John Foster, california state Marine Archa~~logist, will act as a consultant to th.e project.

Equipment Diving ~per.atior.s will be carrie,d out froM a 14 foot

inflatable bt>at moC"ad over the wreck site. Project dives will utilize a combination of SCUBA arid surface supplied (hookah) diving equipment while working the site. The hoqkah equipment will consist of a low pressure compressor and one or two 150 £oot iong umbilical equipped with second stag('! regulators.. Underwater ~µrveying equipment will i~clude measuring tapes and staffs, poly line marked off in accurate segments for use as a Laseline, clip boards with mylar and pencils for recording and drawing, and underwater markers and stakes. Underwater photodocumentation equipment will include 35·mm camer.as with wide angle and close-up lenses and an a nm video camera.

ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

The ,project is located on the California coast ·in Mendocino County, approximately four miles ~9rth o~ the town of Mendocino.

The coast in this area is marked by cliffs of forty to sixty feet, rocky headlands and nWlle;-ous small to medium sized coves.· The wreck lies in an unnamed cove hounded on the south by Point Cabrillo and on the north by.the south h~adland of Caspar cove.

The air quality in the region is rated as very good to excellent dw:ing all seasons. There is very little industrial. development, and California Highway 1 is the primary soarce of pollutants. Lw:iber operations can occasionally lower air qu'ality, but this is generally ~, factor further north than at the project site.

Marine water quality is also excellent, with the exception of suspended particulates. The coast is in a very high.energy zone, and particulate material of every kind is kept in aliilost constant suspension. • 'l'his leads tp poor visabilities, but is not detrimental to the local biota.

The biology of the· wreck site is dominated by bull kelp {m:reocystis luetkeana) and giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) .. They form a surface canopy that blocks out the major portion of -~unl:tgbt during muc~ of the year. This limits competition fro~ ot!i~r plants, but .allows rich colonies of sponges, hydroids, bcy9i.oans and tunicates. ~ishers are also attracted by the kelp forest enviroru::ient.

Invertebrate life is abundant in the .slia·llow cove. The purple urchin (Strongylocentrotus pu....-puratus) and giant red urchin cs. franciscan~s) are quite numerous, as are den~e areas of strawberry anemone (Corynactis californica). The most famous molluscan resicient at the site is undoubtedly the red abalone (Haliotis refuscens). These shells are often completely ~overed with dense growths of algae and other invertebrates. 'l'ha abalone feed on drift kelp and tend to concentrate in large crevices and surge channels.. ·

'VESSEL B..~CKGROONO

The "Frolic" wa~ a clipper-built brig built in the summer of 1844 by the Gard."ler Brothers at Fell' s Point in Bal tim~re, Maryland .. Her measurements w~re recorded in Baltimore as 99'2" length overall, 24 • beam and 9~11 H depth of hull. She was registered at 212 30/95 tons. She is described as a "Baltimor~ Clipper", with sharp dead rise, square istern, and no g~~leries. As was typical of the class, she was built for speed', at the~ expense of cargo carrying capacity.

· The "Frolic" vas expressly built to transport opium· ~~om Bombay to Canton. She was owned and operated by Augustine Hea~d and Company. They selected F4ward Horatio Faucon as her 111aster~ and h~ served in that rol~ for the ship's entire six year career. The "Frolic's" sailings began on December 9, 18~4, when she left Baltimore for Bombay. From 1845 to 1850 she made 11 opium runs from Bombay to q~nton, carrying an average of 53 short tons o o~ium

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per trip.. on hnr return trips to, India she carried treasure earned as payment ,for the opium, ~~ wel1 as various sundries to be sold to the Bri~ish in India. She proved to be a fast sailo~; she posted 1:;.he quickest pa&sages 1.from Hong Kong back to Boml;Jay t;,f the entire opiun fleet~ covering :the distance in only 35 days in 1845.

To protect their valual:iie cargoes fx.-om capture the opium fleet had to either outriln or ~1utfight, the Chinese, Malay l!nd Dyak pirates that lay in wait among the Indonesian Islands between India and China. Dur.ip.~ her op'ium career the "Frolic" carried large crews and sever11l cannons, swivel guns, small arms and edged weapons.

By the end o~~ her time in the opium tr~de steamer~ were making it difficult for ~~ilin9 vessels with small cargo ~pacities and large crews_ to co~pete. The owners of the nFrolic" decided to capitalize on the ~~gh demand in California for manufactured goods brought on by the Gold Rush. Taking on 13 5 tons of Chinese goods, she left Hong Kong, bound for San Francisco, on June 7, 1850.

Shipwr~ck After a 46 day passage of the Pacific, breakers were spotted

on the evening of July 25, bearing to the North. The helm was put· over to port, but a ttcurrent or tide" carried the "Frolic" onto a reef vhere she struck, stern on~ Almost immediately she lost her rudder, and the water rose in the hold to within a few inches of the cabin floor. The lifeboats were launched, an~ 20 of the 26 crew m~illbers boarded them, and landed at daybreak on a beach about six miles below the wreck. The six crew who remained with the "Frolic" apparently drowned. There was no"time to save anything from the wreck except some crackers and iibations. The lifeboats vere so 11 leeky" that most of the crew .decided to walk to Sz1n Francisco. The captain, officer? and 3 crewmen reached Fort Ross in the bett~ of the t~o lifeboats on July 30. ·

News of the rich wreck spread qriickly after the survivors reached Bodega and becamt public with the appearance of an article on the disaster in the Dai:y Alta California on August 5, 1850. The wreck came to rest in shallow water close to shore, making her easy prey for looters. Local Pomo indians and possibly a few white settlers managed to salvage portions of the ·cargo as the vessel broke up. By August of 1851, numerous cargo items from the "Frolic" were appearing inland as far as what today is Ukiah in the Russian River valley.

Significance of Vessel in California History The 1849 Gold Rush spark~d a wiassive migration of people into

California. This great influx\ sparked, a· huge demand for manufactured goods of all kinds that the developing state could not; provide. Realizing the potential for high profits, Heard Augustine and 'C"'>mpany sent the "Frolic" to San Francisco with a load of Chinc$Se trade goods, all of which were lost in the shipwreck o~ JUly 25, 1850. The "Frolic's" cargo represents the only known assem}?~age. of Gold Rush China Trade good~ available for study

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today.

Pri_or i.:o the wrecking of the "Frolic", there was very little whit·e settlement on the Mendocino coast north of Point Arena. Je~ome Ford organized the only documented attempt to salvage the car.go, in 185le He found local indian women wearing silk shawls sal,;ag.ed from the "Frolic", hut he was too late to ~~~~vage anything s;guificant himself. But, during the trip, F .... ~cJ. noted the logging potential of the giant redwoods arou.11d Big Rivr!r, and informed his f>.mployc;r, Henry Mieggs of San Francisco. Mei~Jgs had a lumber mill. shipped around capa Horn, and set up the mill at the mouth of the Big Riyer. Both the establishment of the lumber industry and the first town on the Mendocino coast, known first as Mieggsville., then Big River lL&d finally as Mendocino, were precipitated.by the wreck of the "Frolic". •

.. The wreck of the "Frolic" and her partial salvage by the locM

Pomo indians vas an important cultural event that the Pomos preserved in their oral history. Subsequent discovery of Chinese ceramics and green bottle glass at Three Chop Village, a Pomo site located in Jackson State Forest, indicate that the Pomo att~pted to use ceramic sherds to make disc beads, and used the bottle glass to fl~e projectile points. The Three Chop Village "Frolic" artifacts also provide direct dateable evidence of interior to coast trading movements by the Mitom Pomo.

PROJEC'T :IMPACTS

Due to the nature of the project it is anticipated that there v~~l be no impacts to any environl11ental area except the cultural remains of the ship itself. The small number of people involved, the lack of any heavy equipment and the ~ature of the survey al1 in~~~ that air quality, w~ter quality, biological regimes and recreational val\.'.. ···~·,, net be impacted-.

The impacts to the wreck site will be insignificant . .- The mapping and photo survey is non-intrusive, and the markers used to locat~ and reference artifacts will be removed at the conelusion of th~\ project. Only surface artifacts will be collected, and only a repr~~~tative sample of these. All collected artifacts will be properly, conserved, and prepared for eventual public display. It is anticipated that, with the trans~er of federal p~operty at the Point cabrillo lighthouse to the 'Departl:::ent of Parks and Recreation 1 a display cf artifacts can be presented essentially at the wreck site.

RECOMMENDED AC"l'ION

It is recommended that t.he State Lands Commission adopt a negative declaration based on the above Initial study, and.issue a mapping and survey permit to the Department of Parks_ and Recreation to cover the site of the wreck of the vessel "Frolic".

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