Captain James Cook's famous ship, the HM Bark Endeavour, was positively identified off the coast of Newport, Rhode Island, closing a maritime mystery that had endured for 250 years. The Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) announced this week that, after 25 years of meticulous research, the wreck known as RI 2394 is indeed the Endeavour.
"This final report is the culmination of 25 years of detailed and meticulous archaeological study of this significant vessel," said Daryl Karp, the director of the ANMM. She described the report as the "definitive statement" on the project.
Researchers studied the history of the ship and other vessels scuttled in Newport Harbor, narrowing down the possibilities among 13 ships sunk there during the American Revolutionary War. Detailed underwater investigations and extensive archival work led experts to identify the Endeavour among five potential wrecks.
"The size of all the timber scantlings are almost identical to Endeavour, and I'm talking within millimeters—not inches, but millimeters," said Kieran Hosty, an archaeologist at the museum. He added, "This stem scarf is identical, absolutely identical."
Wood analysis showed that it came from Europe, consistent with records indicating that the Endeavour was repaired there in 1776. The identification was further supported by the structure of the wreck, which corresponds with the original plans, the positioning of the masts, and other features.
James Hunter, another archaeologist at the ANMM, noted the challenges in identifying the wreck. "Everything that had value would have been extracted from that ship before it was sunk," he said. Hunter explained that since the Endeavour was intentionally scuttled, the chances of finding artifacts that would provide immediate identification, such as a bell, were very unlikely.
The Endeavour was originally tasked with observing the transit of Venus in Tahiti and documenting "undiscovered southern land." Between 1768 and 1771, it became the first European ship to reach Eastern Australia and circumnavigate the main islands of New Zealand, marking milestones in exploration.
After its historic voyage, the ship was decommissioned and sold in 1775, being renamed Lord Sandwich. It served as a military transport, moving British troops during the American Revolutionary War. In 1778, it was intentionally sunk off Newport Harbor to form a blockade against French vessels supporting American forces.
The findings regarding RI 2394's identification as the Endeavour have not been without controversy. When the ANMM published a preliminary report in 2022 recognizing RI 2394 as the Endeavour, their research partners at the Rhode Island Marine Archaeology Project (RIMAP) reacted strongly, denouncing the identification as "premature" and attributing it to "Australian emotions or politics." RIMAP argued that more research was needed and did not rule out other candidate wreck sites.
On Wednesday, the ANMM acknowledged RIMAP's "fine historical analysis and detailed artifact recording" but stood by its conclusions. "We acknowledge that RIMAP accepts that RI 2394 may be the Endeavour, but does not rule out other candidate wreck sites," the museum stated.
"The ANMM has spent 25 years researching the location of the Endeavour after its voyage of discovery in Australia, with significant progress made through diving expeditions," reported the New York Post. The museum emphasized that their determination was based on extensive underwater investigations and archival research conducted over decades.
"So far we have found many elements that confirm that this is the Endeavour, and nothing in the site shows us otherwise," said Hosty. He added, "We will never see a ship's bell with Endeavour crossed out and Lord Sandwich inscribed on it."
With only 15 percent of the ship remaining, there is a need to preserve the wreckage before it is lost to the sea. Shipworms and gribbles are reportedly consuming the wood, threatening the remnants of the vessel. "Now that there is international acceptance of the Endeavour's whereabouts, the next task is determining how to preserve the wreckage before it is lost to the sea for all time," reported The Sun.
"This final report is our definitive statement on the project," the ANMM stated. The museum recommended that more work be done to protect the site and that an educational project should be launched to share the Endeavour's story with future generations.
Produced with the assistance of a news-analysis system.