Chapter 4: Review of Archaeological Literature
The history of the Redemptora as a shipwreck starts at an unknown date. Until now, little had been found about its abandonment, reflecting a common practice of disposing of vessels without fanfare. However, in the museum files (WA Maritime Museum file MA File No: 10/78-1) a very interesting article in the U.E.C (Underwater Explorers’ Club) News of October 1962 was unveiled, signed by the ‘Beach Master’. It reports on page six that the author had met one Mr. Fred Sweetman 81, skipper of the Lady Forest and ex-employee of the Harbour & Lights Department, who told him that ‘he remembered the old ship being used as a coal hulk in Careening bay them towed over to Clarence (Naval Base) and burnt’. Unfortunately, …show more content…
During that year, an archaeological team composed of individuals from both the Western Australian Maritime Museum and MAAWA led by Dr. Michael Mc McCarthy focused on the wreck known as the ‘Wreck of Stones’, due to the large quantity of ballast covering wooden remains. As no vessel of that size was known to be abandoned in the Cockburn Sound area and samples of timber taken from the wreck were recognized as of American origin at that time, by means of a process of elimination, the staff of the Western Australian Maritime Museum believed it to be the Redemptora (McCarthy …show more content…
2014) and the Conservation Survey Report (Richards et al. 2014). The survey was prompted by the information that a jack-up crane/barge had been placed close to the shipwreck and consisted of an examination of the wreck condition, environmental analysis and its influences on conservation.
A first investigation noticed the displacement of ballast stones since 2002 exposing the timbers on the NE side, potentially increasing the action of biological and mechanical agents which were confirmed on the exposed surfaces in the area towards the bow. Probe depths and pylodin measurements were also taken together with corrosion information from copper fastening (Richards 2014:5-6).
Although the time for exploration was very short, it was discovered that the wreck as a whole had not changed significantly since 2002, though it was noted the displacement of pieces of the hull such as one large bilge stringer eight meters long moved sometime after 2006. Erosion from propeller wash acted on the seabed slope in the north part (the bow) and undercut the sediment timbers causing their collapse to the seabed (Anderson
The history of the Redemptora as a shipwreck starts at an unknown date. Until now, little had been found about its abandonment, reflecting a common practice of disposing of vessels without fanfare. However, in the museum files (WA Maritime Museum file MA File No: 10/78-1) a very interesting article in the U.E.C (Underwater Explorers’ Club) News of October 1962 was unveiled, signed by the ‘Beach Master’. It reports on page six that the author had met one Mr. Fred Sweetman 81, skipper of the Lady Forest and ex-employee of the Harbour & Lights Department, who told him that ‘he remembered the old ship being used as a coal hulk in Careening bay them towed over to Clarence (Naval Base) and burnt’. Unfortunately, …show more content…
During that year, an archaeological team composed of individuals from both the Western Australian Maritime Museum and MAAWA led by Dr. Michael Mc McCarthy focused on the wreck known as the ‘Wreck of Stones’, due to the large quantity of ballast covering wooden remains. As no vessel of that size was known to be abandoned in the Cockburn Sound area and samples of timber taken from the wreck were recognized as of American origin at that time, by means of a process of elimination, the staff of the Western Australian Maritime Museum believed it to be the Redemptora (McCarthy …show more content…
2014) and the Conservation Survey Report (Richards et al. 2014). The survey was prompted by the information that a jack-up crane/barge had been placed close to the shipwreck and consisted of an examination of the wreck condition, environmental analysis and its influences on conservation.
A first investigation noticed the displacement of ballast stones since 2002 exposing the timbers on the NE side, potentially increasing the action of biological and mechanical agents which were confirmed on the exposed surfaces in the area towards the bow. Probe depths and pylodin measurements were also taken together with corrosion information from copper fastening (Richards 2014:5-6).
Although the time for exploration was very short, it was discovered that the wreck as a whole had not changed significantly since 2002, though it was noted the displacement of pieces of the hull such as one large bilge stringer eight meters long moved sometime after 2006. Erosion from propeller wash acted on the seabed slope in the north part (the bow) and undercut the sediment timbers causing their collapse to the seabed (Anderson