The remnants of the wooden mast deteriorated over time, but the stout mast band survives.

“ . . . the Brig, being the Act of turning over on her Starbd. Bilge, I was under the necessity of cutting away the Masts, the preservation of those left on the wreck had now become some what precarious . . .” Master Commandant George C. Read described his effort to slow the destruction of the ship by cutting down the masts, a common practice on sailing ships. The remnants of the wooden mast deteriorated over time, but the stout mast band survives. Image courtesy Donald H. Keith, The Search for Trouvadore 2008, NOAA-OER.

Related Links

The Search for Trouvadore 2008

The Search for Trouvadore 2008: US Brig Chippewa

NOAA Ocean Explorer Gallery

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