Shipwreck uncovered on Washaway Beach

As reported by the Seattle Times and other news outlets, erosion on Washaway Beach in Washington has revealed the remains of what might be the Canadian Exporter, a lumber ship wrecked in 1921. Ownership rights over the wreck site, which may be on state-owned land, are now being determined. Until the wreck's ownership is determined, neither the Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation nor the local Westport Maritime Museum will be able to perform an excavation.

The Seattle Times reports that the wreck is already being salvaged by local residents attempting to sell the remains of the ship's cargo:

Strange, the former fisherman, wasn't waiting. "I'm sure the Westport shipyard would like some of these beams," he said, adding that he'd already salvaged some of the metal rods.

"It should be saved for history," said a disgusted passer-by.

Saving it would be nice, Strange nodded. "But a guy's gotta make a paycheck somehow."

It will be interesting to see what becomes of this wreck site. If it is, in fact, the Canadian Exporter, a relatively recent wreck, will it be something legitimately interesting to archaeologists and historians? Would it serve the community better by being salvaged? Alternatively, if the site is on state land, it could be protected and serve as a tourist attraction along the lines of other Northwest Coast shipwrecks, like the Peter Iredale wreck on the Oregon Coast in Fort Stevens State Park, or the George L. Olsen, a Coos Bay, Oregon wreck whose salvage created deep ties to the cultural heritage of the local community and is now protected by it's location on federal land, or even the disappearing and reappearing Helen E., a WWII-era shipwreck also located on Oregon Coastal federal land that made its most recent appearance only a few days ago.

It seems clear that, as coastal erosion continues to occur, shipwrecks previously hidden by protective layers of sand will be exposed to both natural and human elements; a situation that may be best helped by communities thinking deeply about what benefits they might want to receive from these historic sites. Hopefully, local governmental or museological institutions can encourage effective historical stewardship with the active participation of these communities.

Image from the Seattle Times.