1780 British warship found in Lake Ontario

[Contrary1]

"SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A 22-gun British warship that sank during the American Revolution and has long been regarded as one of the "Holy Grail" shipwrecks in the Great Lakes has been discovered at the bottom of Lake Ontario, astonishingly well-preserved in the cold, deep water, explorers announced Friday.

Shipwreck enthusiasts Jim Kennard and Dan Scoville used side-scanning sonar and an unmanned submersible to locate the HMS Ontario, which was lost with barely a trace and as many as 130 people aboard during a gale in 1780.

The 80-foot sloop of war is the oldest shipwreck and the only fully intact British warship ever found in the Great Lakes, Scoville and Kennard said.

<snip>

The dark, cold freshwater acts as a perfect preservative, Smith said. At that depth, there is no light and no oxygen to hasten decomposition, and little marine life to feed on the wood.

The Ontario went down on Oct. 31, 1780, with a garrison of 60 British soldiers, a crew of about 40, mostly Canadians, and possibly about 30 American war prisoners..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25145600/

[ben_meyers]

1. Sounds like a job for

Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino!

[asjr]

4. Let's contact Clive Cussler!

[PermanentRevolution]

2. Very cool...

Hope Discover Channel or someone makes a special about it.

[dems_rightnow]

3. I'm still pissed at them.

Attack the British!

[Captain Hilts]

7. Hey, hey, hey, my family was on the Other Side in that one! nt

[Recursion]

5. Let me at'em! I have not yet begun to fight! nt

[Captain Hilts]

6. Cool beans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[eleny]

8. It looks beautiful

Kennard says he wants to make a documentary about the find. They have so many hours of film. That's such good news.

[Orrex]

9. Probably part of a Cold War plot right here in North America!!!!1!!!

The Glomar Explorer strikes again!

[jazzjunkysue]

10. It went down the last time we evicted King George.

Note to self: Don't name my next kid George. Bad career move.