The essays below will help you to understand the goals and objectives of the mission and provide additional context and information about the places being explored and the science, tools, and technologies being used.
From July 22-August 8, 2020, a team of researchers led by NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in partnership with the National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science explored Wimble Shoals, located adjacent to Rodanthe, North Carolina, on Duke University’s Research Vessel Shearwater.
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As a hazard adjacent to a major shipping route, it is likely that hundreds of catastrophic maritime events have occurred within the vicinity of Wimble Shoals over the past 400 years. Within the survey area, around 24 well-documented shipwrecking events have been identified to have occurred within or near the area. The identified vessels wrecked predominantly during the late 19th century and early 20th century.
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When looking for submerged landscapes below the seafloor, the main geophysical tool we use is a sub-bottom profiler. It can also show where there is a major change in angle and character of deposits, such as the cut of an ancient river channel, which has been filled by mud and sands.
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