In June 1770, explorer James Cook’s ship Endeavour lost an anchor when they ran aground on what is now called Endeavour Reef. The anchor became stuck in the coral when five anchors were used to drag the vessel free from the reef.
The anchor being raised
Photo taken by G.Markey)
(Source: “Australia’s Underwater Observatory on the Great Barrier Reef” by Vince Vlasoff)
The anchor was located beneath 1 metre of coral by an Australian expedition on Christmas Day 1971.
According to “Australia’s Underwater Observatory on the Great Barrier Reef” by Vince Vlasoff, “This anchor was restored at the Defence Laboratory in Melbourne for the Department of Shipping and Transport, then placed on display at the Science Museum, Melbourne.
“(three) metal rings* that held the wooden headstock to the metal anchor …. were recovered of a possible four…”
* (Headstock bands, “used to hold the wooden headstock to the anchor shaft”.)
The recovered headstock bands
(Source: “Australia’s Underwater Observatory on the Great Barrier Reef” by Vince Vlasoff)
This is page 35 of “Australia’s Underwater Observatory on the Great Barrier Reef” by Vince Vlasoff: -
(Source: “Australia’s Underwater Observatory on the Great Barrier Reef” by Vince Vlasoff)
The anchor at the top of the page is a replica of Cook’s anchor. (The anchors at the bottom of the page were both found at Jewell Reef by Vince Vlasoff. The left-hand one was found in 1946 and salvaged in 1974. It was displayed outside the Underwater Observatory at Green Island in 1975. The right-hand one was found in 1976 and was presented to the City of Cairns for its centenary year. It was placed on display on the Cairns Esplanade.)
Comments