While producing a documentary about mussel species in the Great Lakes, two filmmakers discover a shipwreck that disappeared 128 years ago.
Yvonne Drebert and Zach Melnick were in the process of filming invasive quagga mussels in Lake Huron when they came across the Africa, a steamship that went missing in October 1895 while carrying coal from Ohio to Ontario, Fox Weather reports.
Africa disappeared after a night “in the choppy, wind-swept waters of Lake Huron,” the news site continued.
Drebert and Melnick also found themselves in the midst of stormy weather while searching for an invasive species of clam.
“Just like when Africa came down in the 1895 storm early in the season, it got tough,” Drebert shared with Fox Weather.
“When we went out to see it, it was supposed to be nice and calm, but of course, the wind kept coming. We actually took some friends with us,” he added.
The Giant Africa shipwreck that disappeared in 1895 has been spotted. Inspired Planet Productions
“We thought we were just going to see piles of rocks, so why not? But it got pretty rough, and they got a little seasick. So we had to call it a day.”
After Drebert and Melnick’s underwater drone spotted something quite large, the pair and their team lowered a robotic camera to get a better look.
The camera captures images of mussels that they have documented. But when they see a shadow appear, it amazes them.
Africa disappeared after one night “in the turbulent, windswept waters of Lake Huron.” Inspired Planet Productions
“It got more definition as we got closer, and all of a sudden, we could see, ‘Wow! This is a steamship, a wooden steamship,’” Melnik told Fox Weather.
“So this is old, and it’s very intact.”
The invasive clam that brought the two filmmakers to Lake Huron seems to have found buried treasure before they found it.
The steamship is covered in mussels that help identify the wreck, but an invasive species will eventually destroy the ship.Inspired Planet Productions
“Quagas is the reason we can see a shipwreck in almost 300 feet of water without any additional lights,” Melnick continued.
The steamship was covered in mussels that helped identify the wreck, but the invasive species would eventually destroy the ship.
The filmmakers were able to identify the ship as African because of the size of the ship and the coal found around the wreckage.
The filmmakers were able to identify the ship as African because of the size of the ship and the coal found around the wreckage. Inspired Planet Productions
The discovery of the shipwreck brought excitement to the film team, but it also brought a sense of closure to the families of the crew lost in the wreck.
“One of the amazing things that has happened since this story came to light just a few weeks ago is that several descendants of family members who died in this wreck years ago have contacted us,” shared Melnick.
He continued, “And we are working with the family to try to find a way to remember the sailor who died 128 years ago.
The Africa was carrying coal when after one night “in the choppy, windswept waters of Lake Huron,” the ship disappeared. Inspired Planet Productions
The Invasive Species Research Center in Riverside, California, reports that the quagga [and zebra mussels] invasions “have disastrous effects on the ecosystems in which they have been established.”
“These organisms clog water intake structures (eg, pipes and screens), which increases maintenance costs for water treatment and power plants,” the organization added on its website.
“Recreational activities in lakes and rivers are severely affected as shellfish accumulation on docks, buoys, boat hulls, anchors and beaches can be very severe.”
“Interestingly, invasions by quagga and zebra mussels have been documented as having several positive effects on host ecosystems. For example, water filtration by clams as they extract food removes particles. This filtration has improved the water clarity, and reduced the eutrophication of the polluted lake.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
