ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. — The boat from the 1800's that was found under the road in St. Augustine this month has now been completely removed. It's now in pieces and will be studied.
Last week, after construction crews discovered the wooden fishing boat during a Department of Transportation project by the Bridge of Lions, archaeologists with SEARCH, Inc. lifted it out plank by plank.
Each piece is now tagged and labeled. Some pieces are long, others are short. They're all in storage in vats of water being, being monitored by archaeologists with the St. Augustine Lighthouse Archaeological Association.
One of the vats is about 20-feet-long, and in it are some of the longest hull planks from the boat.
Some pieces are still recognizable, such as the piece of wood at the front tip of the boat.
Archaeologist Sam Turner with Search, Inc. lifted that piece to the surface of the water in the tub, "This is the stemson. This was in the bow, and it supported the stem of the vessel which is essential."
Turner said the boat pieces have to stay in water for now, or they could "shrink, warp, crumble and turn to dust."
The Florida DOT and archaeologists are talking about what’s next for the boat.
DOT Archaeologist Ian Pawn said there is a meeting this week to discuss "what kind of preservation efforts we can do an see if we can find it a permanent home."
Archaeologists are not sure why the boat was left by the side of the Matanzas River. It was eventually covered in silt which preserved the wood.
"The boat had reached maybe the end of its useful life," Pawn noted.
This 19th century everyman’s fishing boat is indeed a unique find.
"Even for a humble fishing boat, you just don’t’ find one that well-preserved that often. It’s a big deal," Pawn said.
It's a big deal... for archaeologists who want to know more about common Florida fishing boats from this time period. Turner said this boat find could shed light on a little-known topic. "How was boat building done here? Because boat building in New England is boat building in New England. It's a different environment, using New England wood."
"Boat carpentry is a dying skill set," Turner said. "It’s a boat from a bygone era. They seldom survive in the record. When you come upon it, it’s exciting!"