The Virginian-Pilot
©
COROLLA, N.C.
State engineers and volunteers plan to salvage what could be the oldest shipwreck remains known on the North Carolina Outer Banks.
Plans are to move the wreck next week from its precarious place in the sand and surf to a plot near the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla, keeper Meghan Agresto said.
Some are concerned the ship would go to pieces and disappear if left alone.
The ship is believed to be about 400 years old. State underwater archaeologists measured and photographed the remains, discovering early construction methods - including spikes made from wood instead of iron - that could date back to the early 1600s.
Local beachcombers Ray Midgette and Roger Harris found coins near the wreck years ago when small portions of the wreck first appeared on the beach near the lighthouse.
After storms in November, the wreck was almost fully uncovered. Typically, exposed wrecks remain in place and settle back into the sand.
But in the past four months, tide and surf carried this wreck south more than two miles. The keel and other timbers disappeared.
State engineers plan to guide local volunteers who would help dig the timbers from the sand, Agresto said.
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Wreck
This was the response I got from my inquiry to the Underwater Archaeology Branch NC Office of State Archaeology. We asked abut the tags that were affixed to the wreck
Here is their website : http://www.archaeology.ncdcr.gov/default.htm Maybe you can inquire about volunteering there..
Hi John, The tags are affixed to a substantial wreck fragment (Site# 0022CKB) that we only became aware of last winter. Several weeks ago our team inspected it and it appears to be part of the bottom of a of an older sailing vessel that we estimate was approximately 20 feet wide and possibly 70-80 feet long. It's probably English built and was probably wrecked during the American colonial period. At this point we're still studying the shipwreck remains so we don't know much more about it.
Hopefully we'll figure out more in the near future.
Thanks for your interest.
Corolla Shipwreck
We were there for New Years and saw two wrecks that were mostly uncovered. AT that time the first was off the Corolla Light Resort. The second was about a mile down the beach towards VA. One was was approximately 30 feet long. A central keel board with multiple ribs. The other was similar to a flat bottom boat constructed of 4x6. This one was made with pegged construction. It was about 30 feet long as well. Both were tagged by the NC Underwater Archaeology Dept. We took a few pictures that show more detail than the Pilot but I don't see a way to post them here...
I contacted the Dept back in Jan to inquire why they weren't being removed.
Ships wrecked on the beach
Good luck for the archaeologists...! There are several examples of work from shipwreck sites located on the beaches and surroundings. It is never easy to locate the remains especially when you have important tides.
On the coast of France, there is the wreck site of the last English Eastindiaman the "Reliance" (see http://www.oceantreasures.org/rubrique,reliance,1076614.html) - Prepare your English/French dictionnary - It has not been found yet...
how much of the wreck
how much of the wreck remains? Is it just those two strips of wood shown in the picture or is there a significant amount of it buried. I ask because the story says the wreck had move several miles down the beach which seems unlikely if there is much more of it that is shown. However, some of the language in the previous story makes me think there is more of it.
This is going to be historical
"State engineers and local volunteers plan to salvage what could be the oldest shipwreck remains known on the North Carolina Outer Banks."
What engineers at which state agency? Who's sanctioning this effort?
Get ready for the documentary. All the elements of a great story are here too.
This might be almost as fun as the raising of the SS Monitor to recover the original turret.
Wonder what the graveyard sands will reveal with this old wreck?
volunteer info ???
How and where would someone sign up to volunteer to help move this piece of history. Anyone know ?