Shipwreck Discovery in Hawaii

The lure of clear waters and thriving coral reefs is enough to excite most scuba divers in the Hawaiian Islands. Diving archeologists, however, have a different goal. Engaging in painstaking (and often fruitless) searches these underwater scientists spend hours scouring the ocean floor looking for tell-tale signs of shipwrecks and lost civilizations. It takes a trained eye and a lions-share of patience to engage in underwater archeological searches, but when that patience pays off, it pays off big.

NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) reports that Underwater archeologists recently discovered a 188-year old shipwreck well off the cost of Honolulu, Hawaii, in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The wreck has been identified as a whaling ship from the early 1800's called the "Two Brothers." The identity of the ship was first suspected when divers discovered not only an anchor, but large cast iron trypots used for melting whale blubber. Scientists were able to confirm the identity of the ship after finding more artifacts from the whaling industry and checking accounts written by sailors aboard the Two Brothers at the time of it's sinking. Amazing! Read the full story on the NOAA website.

Image courtesy of NOAA