Expedition · Far north Queensland, 2013

Great Detached Reef & HMS Pandora

Crocs and crooks: searching for wrecks in crocodile territory, and a visit to HMS Pandora.

Read the story (PDF)Expedition photos

Anchor in the picked-in orientation on the Great Detached Reef

Expedition

November 2013

Location

Great Detached Reef, far north Queensland

Also searched

Frederick, Wreck Bay, Stanley Island

Partners

Silentworld Foundation & ANMM

Crocs and crooks

Wrecks in croc territory

Embarking on a quest to locate wrecks in crocodile territory is no mean feat. Silentworld Foundation and the Australian National Maritime Museum partnered once more in November 2013.

After an unsuccessful search for the wreck site of Frederick in Wreck Bay, Stanley Island, the team went searching for a number of wrecks on the Great Detached Reef in far north Queensland.

They located several sites.

The expedition also visited the wreck of HMS Pandora, the Royal Navy frigate sent to hunt down the Bounty mutineers, which was lost on the outer Great Barrier Reef in 1791 with captured mutineers aboard.

Read “Return to the reef” in Signals (PDF)

Aerial view of the survey vessel and tender on the reef — Aerial view of the survey vessel and tender. Image: Xanthe Rivett for Silentworld Foundation

November 2013

On the Great Detached Reef

Pete Illidge snorkelling over windlass hardware on the reef — Maritime archaeologist Pete Illidge inspects windlass hardware concreted to the reef top.

A half-submerged anchor seen above and below the waterline — Half-submerged anchor in the picked-in orientation, seen above and below the water.

The crown of a concreted anchor underwater — Crown of a concreted anchor underwater.

A snorkeller investigating a carronade — Snorkeller investigates a carronade on site.

Front view of a carronade on the reef — Front view of the carronade on site.

An anchor standing upright on the reef underwater — Underwater view of the anchor in the picked-in orientation.

The survey team and crew — Survey team and crew.

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