LOOKING LIKE A WRECK
Within the next 60-100 years, the Titanic will become pretty much a rust spot on the bottom of the ocean. Although the depth and cold have been fairly kind to the most famous of all shipwrecks, bacteria continue to work facilitating the rusting process. They produce oxygen and rust, as we call it scientifically, happens because of oxidation.
In the way of wooden vessels, one of the most notables is the Mary Rose. She was one of the first designated military vessels and was built during the reign of Henry VIII of England. The Mary Rose sits in a huge concrete structure and must be bathed in chemicals continually to force the water out of the wood.
Frankly, if there were not an artist's rendering handy, it would be difficult to see the figure of the ship from among the wreckage. The marine archeologists have been excited from day one regarding the Mary Rose and look forward to someday when the ship can be preserved without the chemical bath.
Swing by maryrose.org/explore/ship1.htm. If anything, you will enjoy a wonderful painting and the Java effect of waves that makes the Mary Rose seem to come to life. maryrose.org/ship/index.html shows the ship in her modern 'bath.'
Nordic waters are shipwreck-friendly. Hence we have the Vasa, formerly the pride of the Swedish Navy. Like the Mary Rose, Vasa needed a big chemical bath to be preserved. The Vasa organization, though, managed to glean the information required to build a new Vasa to old specifications. See vasamuseet.se/indexeng.html for some details.
Somehow this next one slipped right by us, but earlier this year the Swedish Navy discovered one of the most remarkable undersea treasures of the 21st century. We think you will agree, too, if you visit abc.se/~m10354/mar/snowbrig.htm. It looks fake but, nope, it's the real deal. It's been submerged for more than 200 years. Just the right combination of salination, temperature and depth rendered a near perfectly preserved sailing vessel. Even the masts are standing.
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