Could shipworms be destroying the wreck of Captain Cook’s Endeavour?

HMS Endeavour launched from Plymouth in 1768 on a three-year global voyage of discovery, ultimately being scuttled a decade later during the American War of Independence.

Dr Shipway first became involved with work on the wreck thought to belong to HMS Endeavour – also known by its codename of RI 2394 – in early 2022.

He had seen international speculation about the vessel’s identity and contacted Dr Kathy Abbass from the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project, which has a permit to dive at the site and has conducted studies on many other wrecks located nearby.

After months of discussions, he travelled to Rhode Island this month to examine the wreck personally, and instantly saw the tell-tale signs of shipworm damage.

On the outside of the wreck’s timbers, which are submerged around 40 feet below the ocean surface, are small holes similar to that commonly seen in timbers affected by woodworm.

Beneath that, the worms have turned the wooden structure into something similar to honeycomb which has reduced its rigidity and, over time, would cause it to collapse.

After examining the site and talking to Dr Abbass and her colleagues, Dr Shipway said he agrees that the wreck’s fragile nature means that preserving what is left is not as easy as simply lifting it from the seabed.

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