Canadian Filmmakers Discover Century-old Shipwreck Of Steamship Africa In Lake Huron
Documentary filmmakers Zach Melnick and Yvonne Drebert of the Inspired Planet Productions Team study the ecology of the Great Lakes and its impacts using an underwater drone.
They captured remarkable footage that not many have seen before.
However, this time, while exploring the depths of Lake Huron, they discovered a ship that had been lost for over a century.
It happened on a Saturday when they decided to head out to the western part of the Bruce Peninsula.
When they lowered their drone, all they encountered was the ordinary, the barren land filled with millions of quagga mussels. However, they kept going until they stumbled upon this historical treasure.
Drebert and Melnick could see the steam sack and the wooden frame and realised they had made an important discovery. Initially, they thought they had found a wooden steamship quite well-preserved at the lake’s bottom.
Later, it was revealed that they had found the shipwreck of the steamship Africa, an American cargo steamer that had been lost for over 100 years. They found coal all around the sunken ship.
This ship was constructed in 1873 and was the transport truck of the 1800s. They collaborated with marine archaeologists to dig into its history and found that the ship was caught in a snowstorm and powerful winds, which led to the death of 11 crew.
As they researched more, the ship’s story became personal since they lived in a community named ‘Larson Cove’, named after the Captain of this steamship Africa, Hans Larsson.
Once the news spread, 3 of Captain Larsson’s great-grandchildren reached out to Drebert and Melcnick.
Melnick said that they were going to work with the three men and discuss a way to honour the sailors who lost their lives on the ship 128 years ago.
The plan is to take them to the wreck in 2024 and give them time to reflect on what happened with their ancestors. After that, they will be memorialised at the local museum.
The steamship Africa now comes under the protection per Ontoria Law as an archaeological site of historical significance.
The filmmakers said people would be more excited about the shipwreck than just invasive molluscs.
Hence, they would use the story of the wreckage to bring this epic ecosystem of the Lake and the changes it experienced over the years to the audience.
Melnick and Drebert are exploring the Great Lakes and looking forward to sharing their documentary called All Too Clear, which will premiere in 2024 on all streaming platforms without any charge across Canada.
References: MSN, yahoo news
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