Page 30: of Marine Technology Magazine (July 2025)

DISCOVERY SHIPWRECK WINDFALL & RHODY THE ROV

Source Marley Parker

SHIPWRECK

WINDFALL

ROV Expedition Captures

Maritime History

By Celia Konowe he chill, freshwater depths of Lake Ontario may

Preserved Beneath the Surface not ? rst come to mind when thinking about ship-

Lake Ontario, one of North America’s Great Lakes, features wrecks, but an expedition by the Ocean Explora- a trove of submerged history. Beneath its waves lie hundreds tion Cooperative Institute (OECI) at the University — potentially thousands — of shipwrecks, many dating back

T of Rhode Island (URI) is challenging that percep- to the era of westward expansion. These include wooden sail- tion. Its star explorer? A compact but mighty Remotely Oper- ing schooners and early steam barges, vessels that once car- ated Vehicle (ROV) named Rhody. What began as a mission to ried goods and dreams across the inland seas.

support NOAA’s interest in high-resolution shipwreck docu- “We documented 17 shipwrecks during the expedition,” said mentation within the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctu-

Holly Pettus, project manager at OECI. “But within the lake in its ary has evolved into a dynamic academic research experience entirety, there are hundreds or potentially thousands down there.” merging innovation, partnership and the expanding role of ro-

You’re not alone if these numbers surprise you. Your cor- botics in nearshore and inland underwater operations.

respondent, who for ? ve years lived on the lake’s southern 30 July/August 2025

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