Report on the Orchid Beach Wreck
Site Description
The wreck is located approximately 800 meters north of the beach ramp at Orchid Beach Frazer Island, about 60 meters at a 90 degree angle from the edge of the fore dunes. It is almost directly in front of 2 CCA green treated pine posts buried upright in the sand to block access to an old track/camping site. The exact location has been shown to the Park Rangers and a detailed site map is in the process of being created.
The portion of the wreck closest to the surface is about one and a half meters below the current sand level and approx. 20cm above the water level of a 0.17 low tide. Generally there is a gutter several meters to the east of the site. Viewing aerial photographs over a period of 40 years it appears that the wreck site has created its own sand formation which tends to build sand around the site and create a gutter to the east. It is likely this occurs as the structure slows down the water currents around it and sand movement is also slowed.
The artifact closest to the surface is an iron object of which has the appearance of the muzzle and barrel of a canon and which has been often mistaken for same. It lies at about a 45 degree angle with its “muzzle” pointing sky ward to the south east. This object is, in fact, a davit support tube. It is not a davit. It is a cast iron “barrel” into which the davit’s base fits. In this particular case the davit inserts into the barrel a little over one meter. It would be supposed that the inside of the davit support tube (DST) was greased to assist the swivel motion of the davit needed to launch the life boats. The over all length of the davit support tube (DST) is estimated to be about 2 meters.
The base of the DST flares out to create a flange which appears to be fastened to the still existing deck of the vessel.
From this artifact (which I will call DST 1) there is a line of artifacts which are close enough to the surface for the metal detector to locate or that can be reached by touch through sand liquidified by high pressure water. This line runs from northwest to southeast and is about 15 meters long. I will call this line the DST. line.
The magnetometer data shows that there is an extensive area of ferrous metal under the sand beneath and around this DST line but as it is beyond the reach of the metal detector so specific data is not available. It is also beyond the reach of a person with a sand probe.
Based on the angles of the decking and other material physically seen or touched, we project that the final depth of the wreck will extend about 8 to 10 meters under the sand.
The magnetic anomaly around the DST. line extends in a ovoid shape with a elongate diameter of about 30 to 40 meters with the DST. line as the axis (see the attached magnetometer images). The magnetometer data interpretation indicates a further scatter of ferrous material around the wreck site but most likely not attached to the wreck.
A separate anomaly lies closer to the dunes in a south, south west position about 30 meters from the DST. line. Some locals have said that they have seen what appears to be a ship’s bollard in about this location but this is not confirmed. If this is a bollard it lies very deep under the sand and at the time of this expedition vertically beneath the high water mark of a 2 .1 meter tide.
Methods
Day One
The site was located by using two magnetometers. A length of beach about 4 kilometers long was searched by 2 operators walking about 6 meters apart parallel with the beach and along the water line at low tide. The search began about 4 kilometers the north of the site and proceeded south. Once the anomaly was detected, a block about 100 meters square was searched around the site with the fore dunes as one side and the DST. line as the center. A small amount of scatter was found to the east and south east of the site, separate from the main area. The search along the beach was terminated about 200 meters south of the site due to time and personnel constraints.
No anomalies were detected on any section of the beach searched other than at this site.
The strongest part of the anomaly (the DST line) was grid searched with a metal detector until a section close to the surface was found. This was the only area where the metal detector gave a signal ( the DST line) everything else was too deep to register on the detector.
The strongest signal on the DST line was at the southern end. A group of the team members (mostly the teenage sons of the older members) dug a starter hole with shovels until a hole about 6 meters in diameter and half a meter deep was created. This began to fill with water from the surrounding sand. The next phase of the hole was dug using the combination of a venturi pump to remove the sand from the hole and two high pressure water pumps. The two pressure pumps floated in a small aluminum punt anchored in the nearby ocean gutter from where they obtained sea water. The 2 high pressure hoses returned water to the hole and kept the sand in a state of liquid turbulence which assisted the venturi pump’s operation.
The tip of the object called DST 1 was uncovered after about one hour of work. It appeared to be a cannon muzzle and the team leader decided that the team should try to reach the other end of the cannon where markings or other features might be found that would assist in identification.
As the walls of the hole kept caving in the team was unable to reach the base of DST 1. The hole created was over two meters deep, conical and shaped a bit like a giant ‘ant lion’s’ hole only full of water. Several iron rods were revealed in the vicinity of DST 1. Measurements of all parts of (what was thought to be) the cannon were taken.
At all times DST 1 retained the look of a cannon. We used a water jet to clean out its “barrel” and measured the diameter of the barrel, the muzzle flange and the bore. A metal probe was slid into the bore and penetrated about one meter before hitting what felt like a mixture of compressed sand and rust.
No trunions were found. A magnet was used to confirm the metal was iron. It had the appearance of cast iron. No markings were found but it was very thickly covered by a mix of rust and sand. It had one unusual feature which created some doubt as to it being a cannon. This feature is a ridge or spine which extended from the muzzle flange along the barrel length. This appeared to run the total length of the barrel but this is assumed due to sand preventing investigation of the entire length. The ridge is about 2cm thick and high. It appears to be there to add strength to the barrel. The overall impression was that (if it were a cannon) DST 1 was some kind of swivel mounted deck cannon with a design feature that no-one on the team had seen before. The iron rods were thought to be part of the swivel mechanism.
Greg thought that the shape of the barrel and muzzle was very similar to the Portuguese Pedrero cannon, particularly the Falcon de Servico which has been shown to have been built over 2.6 meters long with similar barrel dimensions. Most importantly, the Pedrero was often built with the trunnions set much further back along the barrel than the usual half way point.
The two people in the hole used the water jet to probe deeper into the sand and found wooden decking and other material. As the walls of the hole continued to slide into the hole a large piece of timber was exposed in the north east side of the hole. This timber was about 26cm square but thickened as it extended beyond reach into the sand. The exposed end was cleanly beveled. There were no nails, bolts, screws or holes in the timber. Several of the team members thought it to be oak but this is not yet proven. A sample was taken for analysis.
The several iron rods which were exposed appeared to be attached to cannon 1. but this could not be confirmed visually due to the sand. It appeared that the iron rods would enable the cannon to be maneuvered. In retrospect it is likely that the rods are railings and that DSTs were attached to the railing for structural reasons. Another piece of a different type of timber was found in conjunction with the iron rods. It was of a different species to the large beam, a sample was taken, it is possibly teak. The sample had a layer of rusty concretion on it. Between the rust and the wood was a layer of white chalky material which might be a heavy, lead based, paint.
The writer’s overall impress of the artifacts in this site was that some force had smashed things about, the iron rods looked like they ought to be parallel but were at unusual angles. DST 1. Looked like it had been thrown back by a considerable force.
Later inquiry revealed that, about 30 years ago, the davit support tubes had been exposed and a local, thinking they were cannon, had tried to rip one out of the sand with a back hoe. He described grabbing DST 1 with the back hoe claw and rocking it backwards and forwards. He was unable to work it free so ripped up a piece of iron we suspect was a section of hull plate.
Day Two
On day two we decided to dig the north west end of the DST. line by the same methods. This revealed an Davit Support Tube identical to DST 1. So we will call it DST 2. We attempted to reach the base of DST 2. But could not, for the same reasons, the sand walls of the hole kept caving in.
DST 2. appeared to be in its original position in relation to the deck in that it was at a 90 degree angle to the deck, parallel with the hull facing E.S.East. No iron rods were visually revealed. Another DST was felt by the hose operators using their hands and feet. It was on the north end of the DST. line and confirmed as a third identical in shape approx. 2 meters north of the DST 2. Facing the same direction and laying the same way in relation to the deck and hull. This davit support tube was not uncovered as we had decided to try to get to the bottom of DST 2 then move south along the DST line. This is in fact the convergence of the deck and hull. It could be followed through the liquidified sand with the two operators using their hands and feet in conjunction with the water jet to probe and describe what was felt there.
Apart from the deck and hull planks the most significant object encountered was a sheet of metal with some sharp, broken edges between DST 2. and 1. . We assume this is where the plate was ripped off by the backhoe.
The water jet probe was placed into a hole in the deck planking and two small pieces of blown glass emerged in the over flow. This glass was black glass and about 2 millimeters thick. Small lumps of pitch such as is used for caulking between planks also washed up as did sandy globs of what Brad Horton (marine engineer) called ‘molly grease”.
Also washed up were pieces of sandy soil matted with fibrous roots, bits of flotsam, such as branches and tree roots.
This process was continued until DST 1 was reached.
Work on both days was continued until the tide rose to a level which forced an end to the work.
Documentation
All work was video taped with high resolution equipment. All artifacts which were uncovered were photographed close up.
Extensive and detailed measurements were taken of both the site and the artifacts. A detailed site map is in the process of being created.
Site and Artifact Preservation/Protection.
The two dig holes were quickly covered and filled by the tides. Within 45 minutes of work ceasing there was no evidence of the holes at all.
The site can not be located without specific and detailed knowledge of the location and the use of sophisticated metal detecting equipment. Even if the site is located by some one wanting to steal things it would be impossible to move the sand without special equipment. Occasionally, as has happened in the past the davit support tubes may be partly revealed by a low tide in conjunction with sand movement but this happens rarely.
We would suggest that an area about 100 meters square around the site be declared a protected zone and regularly checked by the rangers. This only need be done at low tide so a check once a day is not a big deal and would fall within the normal range of a day’s movements for the rangers who regularly patrol the beach and camp sites in this area.
Conclusions
Analysis of the design of the material surrounding cannon one was conducted by Brad Horton immediately on return to Brisbane. He was prompted to do this urgently by reports that had been in the news media that the cannon were not cannon but ship’s davits. Brad is a marine engineer and was the only team member who had extensively examined the deep (breech) end of DST 1 by liquefying the sand and feeling around with his hands and bare feet. Using his memory of the shapes encountered he constructed several pencil drawing of what he felt.
He then checked his extensive collection of 19th century shipping design and found a davit and davit holder which was of very similar design. The following morning he informed Dr Cliff Rosendahl and Greg Jefferys of his finding and showed them the drawings and pictures from his collection.
Greg then went into the Queensland Library and checked over 500 images of 19th century ships and their davits and was able to confirm conclusively that the objects thought to be cannon were, in fact, part of the davit structure.
Testing of wood samples and examination of the various images of the artifacts found by experts in these fields will give a better indication of the age and origin of the vessel.
It is most likely that the object found is the stage deck or upper deck of the 19th century steam ship the Marloo which was wrecked in 1914 about 2 kilometers south east of the site location.
Inspection of photographs of the Marloo show that her davits were supported by iron tubes of the same appearance as the ones uncovered at the site.
The Marloo was a former Italian luxury steam ship which did the coastal run between Cairn and Melbourne for many years.
The main body of wreck was destroyed by the combined forces of nature and humans who dynamited the wreck to retrieve its brass and copper fittings in the 1950’s.
It is likely that the top deck broke off from the main body of the ship shortly after it was wrecked as it is reported that powerful gales hammer the ship shortly after it ran aground.
This deck is significant as, unlike the main body of the ship, it has remained hidden and protected under the sand. Apart from the back hoe incident it appears to be relatively intact and may represent a very fine example of the 19th century steamers which were so important to trade and settlement of the East coast of Australia in the 19th century.
Future Action
As the site is relatively safe no urgent action is required although the generally destructive conditions of the beach environment will affect the remains over time.
The sand environment has prevented worms and other destructive sea organisms from attacking the timber structure. All timber seen or felt was, apart from being waterlogged, in excellent condition. The quality of the iron appears to of such a high standard that, whilst rusting has occurred all the iron structures are relatively intact and in good order. The piece of iron ripped up by the back hoe was reported to be in good condition when removed from the sand but began rusting quite rapidly when exposed to the air (though I am informed it is still intact).
Should excavation be considered it
End Note
Queensland shipwrecks and maritime archaeology is generally controlled by the Queensland Environmental protection Agency (EPA) through the Historic Shipwrecks Act. The purpose of the Historic Shipwrecks Act was essentially to protect Historic Shipwrecks but it has become a tool through which genuine historic research is stifled or suppressed. The various states have different agendas as far as marine history goes. Queensland shipwrecks are rotting away while the EPA flexes its muscle by doing nothing to actually protect Queensland's historic Shipwrecks
