Archaeologists Explore Historic Shipwreck in Coral Bay

A team of investigators led by archaeologist Ken Wild has been conducting a study of a historic shipwreck in Coral Bay Harbor since February.

They are conducting excavations and mapping the remains of a ship, officially known as Coral Bay Shipwreck 1, which has been partially submerged in mud for as many as 300 years.

The ship, around 65 feet in length, is typical of sailing vessels of the early 18th century, according to Wild, but it’s still unknown what flag it might have sailed under or what its primary purpose might have been. “Did it belong to a planter, a trader, a smuggler, a military unit? There seem to be gun barrels, but any ship would have to be armed because of the danger of piracy,” Wild said.

Wild is hoping that artifacts they find, such as ceramics and bottles, will narrow down the date of the ship’s activity, and wood samples might indicate where the ship was built. One of the main objectives of the testing is to determine the integrity of the ship. The fact that it is buried in thick mud raises the possibility that organic remains — such as cloth, rope, and plant remains — could be preserved.

If so, Wild said the wreck would be extremely important as it could answer many research questions about the history of the Virgin Islands during this era. He’s looking forward to the subsurface testing in the coming weeks. So far, earlier investigations have revealed clay pipe stems commonly used by Dutch planters, a small wooden cross, and bottles that were in use in the 1730s or 1740s.