In brief
A recent expedition using an underwater drone has led to the discovery of numerous shipwrecks in Lake Ontario, with plans for detailed mapping and study of these historical vessels.
Last week, the research vessel Lake Guardian embarked from Oswego, N.Y., setting its sights on uncovering the maritime history of the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary. This vast 1,722-square-mile area stretches from the New York State shoreline to the Canadian border, serving as the final resting place for 63 sunken ships, many of which met their fate during 19th-century voyages amid severe weather and unforeseen challenges.The expedition, backed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute and accompanied by students from the University of Rhode Island, aims to develop intricate three-dimensional models of select shipwrecks, beginning with around a dozen vessels. This ambitious task is achieved using Rhody, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with a high-definition camera, which has already captured remarkable imagery prompting the researchers to express their surprise and excitement.“There’s lifetimes worth of research potential here,” declared Benjamin Ioset, a NOAA maritime archaeologist and a native of central New York who has explored these waters since his teenage years. He is passionate about revealing the stories buried beneath the lake's surface. The Lake Guardian made a brief return to port on Thursday to engage with students from Oswego High School, whose astonishment at the hidden historical narratives piqued Ioset's enthusiasm further. The discovery of shipwrecks, often associated with distant regions like the Mediterranean or Arctic, is generating fresh interest in the local maritime heritage.
