By Liz Gwynn for ABC
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The steamer SS Nemesis disappeared off New South Wales in 1904.
Photograph: Supplied / CSIRO / Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
The SS Nemesis is one of thousands of shipwrecks along the Australian coast.
The 73-metre iron-hulled ship was carrying coal when it disappeared in a storm 120 years ago, causing the tragic loss of all 32 people on board.
Although fragments of the ship and some bodies washed ashore, the hull was never found and its location remained a mystery until Subsea professional marine services discovered it by chance while searching for lost containers off Sydney.
One of the technicians on board saw an anomaly appear on his screen around 1 a.m. This led to further investigations using a remotely operated vehicle in difficult conditions.
“Our eyes lit up because we could see the height and that it was a pretty important ship,” said Subsea CEO Ed Korber.
“After a few minutes of filming, we were able to see the presenter, which was a stroke of luck for us, and that’s when we knew we were on the right track.”
So you think you’ve found a shipwreck, what happens next?
CSIRO researcher RV carried out detailed seafloor mapping and systematic visual inspection of the entire wreck of the SS Nemesis using specialist underwater cameras.
He discovered that although the bow and stern sustained significant damage, other structures belonging to the ship were still intact and identifiable, including two of the ship’s anchors.
“The camera investigation is really important in determining a positive identification of the remains,” said CSIRO group leader Matt Kimber.
This information, along with previous images collected by Subsea, was passed on to Heritage NSW maritime archeology experts, who were able to identify the wreck as the SS Nemesis, finally solving the 120-year-old mystery.
Various identifying features included the ship’s unique hull, apparent coal load, number of fans, and engine type.
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The Nemesis SS.
Photograph: Supplied / CSIRO / State Library of Victoria
“You have to determine what wreck was found by comparing images of the site with historical records,” said Emily Jateff of the Australian National Maritime Museum.
“Each little fragment of the site discovered and understood gives us a better picture of what happened in the past.”
The remains of the SS Nemesis are protected as a historic shipwreck under the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act of 2018.
What do these underwater remains tell us?
Many maritime archaeologists describe shipwrecks as “underwater museums” or “time capsules” because of the important information they provide.
“It is extremely important to identify a shipwreck because it helps us better understand Australia and global maritime history,” Jateff said.
Tasmanian Maritime Museum curator Camille Reynes said the shipwrecks contain “an incredible amount of information.”
“They tell us what people ate and give us insight into shipbuilding techniques, trade routes or what cargo was transported,” Reynes said.
“They are a capsule and you can discover all kinds of information if you study the wreck or the objects on board.”
Efforts to find objects recovered from shipwrecks
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The boat crew places the underwater camera on the rear deck of the RV Investigator.
Photograph: Supplied / CSIRO / Hugh Barker
It is understood that items belonging to the crew aboard the SS Nemesis are contained within the wreck and will be protected from disturbance or damage under the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018.
Before these laws came into effect, it was common for curious divers or deep-sea “treasure hunters” to recover objects or fragments from shipwrecks.
The Tasmanian Maritime Museum has started a new scientific project that aims to find objects recovered from shipwrecks.
“Many pieces have been recovered and are scattered around the state in different museums or in private collections, but that means we don’t have a comprehensive understanding of what’s out there,” Reynes said.
“We are trying to find these objects and fragments and put them in a database because it would be valuable to researchers.”
Some of the items found include everyday objects such as cutlery, toothbrushes, razors, ceramics and metal plates.
“It was a different time and people were interested in history and loved treasure hunting because it was exciting,” Reynes said.
“We’re not judging anyone, we just want to make a big list and catalog these items so the data can be preserved.”
– This story was first published by A B C
2024-03-17 03:42:27
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