PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- The historic ship that washed ashore in St. Johns county is attracting hundreds of visitors who are traveling for hours to see the artifact, including a team of archeologists and professors from the University of South Florida.
So far, researchers believe the ship may be from the 18 or 19th centuries, but there’s still plenty of mystery that surrounds it.
Dr. Lori Collins is an Associate Research Professor and Director at the University of South Florida. Her team spent Saturday recording 3D imaged with laser technology that can capture every aspect of the ship for later research.
"It’s an important find but it’s also one that’s pretty perishable, it can disappear just like it came up," said Collins.
Collins and her team have been using the same process to document the historic Castillo de San Marco in St. Augustine.
"We can work with other researchers to bring this back to life digitally."
Researchers have tried using tractors to move the ship from the beach but it’s too fragile and too heavy, so they are leaving it on the sand. They estimate it weighs about 10,000 pounds.
"In order for the state to actually do something or for the state to respond to this, it would have to be wet preserved probably, which means they would have to put it in a tank to keep it from disintegrating and then get it up to Tallahassee."