After months of scanning with the SeaSearcher, research, and preparation we were finally able to dive on the Melbourne Beach Ring Site and were amazed by the sheer amount of artifacts discovered! Further diagnostics on some of these artifacts point to a late 1700s to mid 1800s shipwreck. Seafarer Now has this site is now listed as a newly discovered historic shipwreck site in the Florida Master Site File system.

0:01 – This is a platform ring. These platforms would be found on upper masts and would mark where the yardarms would be located. This allowed a small area in which sailors could stand before moving out onto the yard arms to hoist or lower the sails.

0:09 – Several long pieces of chain. Chains were used in very select areas on earlier vessels due to it being extremely expensive to produce.

0:16 – An excellent view of a deadeye ring. You can clearly see the metal thimble at the bottom which would have had a rope loop around it. The purpose of the thimble is to cradle the rope loop and prevent fraying, and also allow the deadeye to move freely – preventing breakage during rough conditions.

0:38 – We are currently referring to this unusual piece as ‘the pulley’. We are not sure where this would have been placed on the vessel, we will be investigating further!

1:04 – Here you can clearly see several mast rings. Mast rings were used to provide structural support, sometimes being used to secure two timbers together and create taller masts for larger vessels.

*All work was conducted under the terms of a 1A-31 exploration permit issued by the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources, Bureau of Archaeological Research.*