Discovery of 207-Year-Old Whaling Ship Highlights Hidden Maritime History
The ship, found by ocean explorers in the Gulf of Mexico, tells a story of racial diversity on its deck.
In 1836, the whaling ship Industry encountered a storm in the Gulf of Mexico. The brig's masts broke and the ship eventually sank. Now, 207 years later, the wreck has been found and identified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its partners. NOAA announced the discovery on Wednesday.
The NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer used a remote-operated vehicle in late February to explore the wreckage on the seafloor at a depth of 6,000 feet (1,830 meters). The agency was following up on previous sightings of debris that hadn't yet been fully investigated.
A team of scientists that included a marine archaeologist concluded the wreck is "most likely" Industry, a 64-foot (19.5 meter) two-masted wood brig that was used to hunt sperm whales. It was built in 1815 in Massachusetts. While the ship sank, historical records show the crew was rescued and the whale oil on board was removed.
There isn't much left of the ship since the wood has disappeared, but the team found anchors and other artifacts. A NOAA video shows underwater footage of the site.
Positively identifying the ship was an exercise in examining details. A ghostly outline of the ship remains on the seafloor and it's a match for Industry's size. The ROV notably spotted a cast iron stove, part of the ship's "tryworks" that was used to render whale blubber into oil.
The remains of Industry's tryworks is still on the seafloor.
NOAA emphasized the importance of the ship as a window into history. It had Black, Native American, white and multiracial crew members on its lists during its years of operation.
"Today we celebrate the discovery of a lost ship that will help us better understand the rich story of how people of color succeeded as captains and crew members in the nascent American whaling industry of the early 1800s," said NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad. "The discovery reflects how African Americans and Native Americans prospered in the ocean economy despite facing discrimination and other injustices."