Sailboat with champagne: an unusual find by divers

An ordinary trip with an unusual find

The Polish association Baltictech is engaged in deep-sea diving and excavations. The association regularly holds conferences and trips around the Baltic Sea in order to search for interesting and significant underwater finds. The association's team searches for potential locations of artefacts buried on the seabed and sets off on an expedition to the supposed coordinates. 

The diving team's vessel before departure. Source: Baltictech.com

Just recently, the association's divers conducted a seemingly routine expedition to Sweden. According to Baltictech, there were several interesting places to check in the dive area. During the exploration of the next wreckage, the divers found the remains of an old fishing boat using sonar.

The entire team assembled shortly after the discovery. Source: Baltictech.com

The team had already made one long dive that day, and the divers had doubts about the wisdom of another trip to the bottom. Two members of the expedition, Marek Kakaj and Pawel Truszyński, volunteered. Marek and Pawel donned diving suits and, saying, “This will be a quick dive,” headed to the seabed.

General plan of the found vessel in 3D. Source: Baltictech.com

Contrary to expectations, the journey did not go quickly. The divers spent almost two hours at the bottom. The remaining crew on board the research vessel had already begun to suspect that the find was much more interesting than a simple fishing boat. But their real surprise was yet to come.

Gentlemen, get your glasses ready!

On the Baltictech website, the team posted the following message about the find: “We came across a 19th century sailing merchant vessel. It was filled to the brim with bottles of champagne, wine, mineral water and porcelain.” Further investigation revealed that there were more than 100 unopened bottles of champagne and mineral water on board the sunken vessel. 

Broken sailboat steering wheel. Source: Baltictech.com

The association's director, Tomasz Stachura, says: "I have been diving for about 40 years, and it often happens that we find one or two bottles on one ship. Finding a ship loaded with such a quantity of wine, champagne and mineral water – this is something I have never seen before."

Those same bottles of champagne and wine, stacked in piles. Source: Baltictech.com

The real treasure on this sailing ship was the mineral water. In the 19th century, it was considered healing and appeared only on royal tables. Sealed bottles of mineral water told a lot of interesting things about the ship. It turned out that the mineral water was produced by the famous Selters company - a German brand that still operates today. 

The same bottles, but from a different angle. Source: Baltictech.com

Stamps on the bottles indicate that this particular mineral water was produced and bottled between 1850 and 1867. The team was also able to identify the “extremely exclusive” champagne, but the name was not revealed. According to media reports, only the first letter of the champagne’s name is known – the Latin “R”.

What's next?

It is currently impossible to accurately calculate the entire valuable cargo. There are no plans to raise the ship in the near future. Tomasz Stachura said of the idea of raising the sailboat: "It [the sailboat] has been lying on the bottom for 170 years. So let it lie for another year, and we will have time to better prepare for the operation." The exact location of the find, of course, is not being revealed.

Metal and porcelain tableware. Source: Baltictech.com

Baltictech is currently making inquiries about the vessel and its cargo. The association has also joined forces with the MARIS Foundation, Södertörn University and Professor Johann Rönnby to identify the sailboat and prepare for its recovery. More information about the find is planned to be presented at the annual Baltictech conference in November. 

Baltictech is currently making inquiries about the vessel and its cargo. The association has also joined forces with the MARIS Foundation, Södertörn University and Professor Johann Rönnby to identify the sailboat and prepare for its recovery. More information about the find is planned to be presented at the annual Baltictech conference in November. 

Closed bottles of mineral water. Source: Baltictech.com

After the world learned about the find, many asked a logical question: "Is it possible to try drinks from the 19th century after raising the sailboat from the bottom?" Tomasz has a completely logical answer to this question. Stachura is sure that due to the deep-sea conditions, the champagne and wines should have been well preserved. This is indicated by the favorable location of the remains of the ship: deep bottom, constant low temperature, no sunlight and underwater currents that could damage the bottles. 

We look forward to hearing more about the Poles' discovery and what fate awaits the ship, bottles and jewels.

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20.08.2024