The hurricanes that hit Florida this fall have helped unearth a “relic” of the maritime past – the wreck of a shipwreck that has remained hidden under the sands for more than a century.
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A “strange object” made of wood and metal, about 24 meters long, was discovered last month on the beach of Daytona Beach, Florida, after Hurricanes Yan and Nicole hit the state in the fall. Numerous theories immediately arose about what it could be: some suggested that it could be the remains of a grandstand set up decades ago for NASCAR racing, others thought it was the remains of an old pier.
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“The mystery was solved by a team of researchers who, after excavating the object, came to the conclusion that it was the remains of a private trading vessel of the 19th century. “This is a relic of a bygone era, where we rarely get to look,” said archaeologist Chuck Meide.
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As a result of the excavations, iron bolts, nails and ship fasteners were found.
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“We believe that this is most likely the wreck of a ship from the 1800s and most likely a merchant ship,” Meide said.
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The researchers took 22 wood samples to try to find out more about the find.
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The removal of the wreckage from the sand requires high costs associated with environmental measures, so they will remain in their place, and souvenir hunters will be “scared off” by strict Florida laws.
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“Right now, the debris is again hidden. They are in wet sand and have been buried for more than a hundred years. As long as they remain wet and out of light, they will last almost forever,” Meide emphasized.
