Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour Found Off Newport After 250 Years

After 250 years of mystery, maritime experts have finally located the resting place of Captain James Cook’s iconic ship, HMS Endeavour, just off the shores of Newport, Rhode Island. The Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) confirmed the discovery in a detailed report released on June 3, identifying the wreck at a site known as RI 2394, or the "Kerry" site, submerged between 39 and 43 feet underwater.

The Endeavour, a vessel that charted uncharted waters and etched its name in history as the first European ship to reach Australia’s eastern coast, was deliberately scuttled by the British in 1778 to thwart French and American forces during the Revolutionary War. For centuries, its precise location off the Ocean State remained a puzzle, despite historians knowing it lay somewhere in Newport’s waters.

Decades of meticulous research culminated in this breakthrough. The wreck at RI 2394 boasts a linear stone ballast pile, exposed frame ends, and four iron cannons, two of which lie prominently on the seabed. Remnants of floors, futtocks, and a stanchion further align with the ship’s known structure. Crucially, the site matches 10 specific criteria, including a European elm keel, evidence of hull repairs, and scuttling holes that confirm the ship was intentionally sunk. These features, combined with the absence of American timbers, point decisively to the Endeavour.

The discovery is a triumph for marine archaeology, spotlighting a vessel that not only sailed the globe but also carried profound historical weight. Sold to a private owner in 1775 and renamed Lord Sandwich, the ship’s legacy endured despite its watery grave. This find joins other recent underwater discoveries, from a 16th-century wreck in French waters to a treasure-laden ship off Ireland, proving the ocean still guards secrets waiting to be uncovered.