December 11, 2021: U.S. Revenue Cutter Bear
Left image courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection; right images courtesy of NOAA/MITech. Download larger version (jpg, 2.1 MB).
After nearly two decades of searching, in 2021, NOAA Ocean Exploration, the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries' Maritime Heritage Program, the U.S. Coast Guard, and a number of academic research partners located with "reasonable certainty" the final resting place of U.S. Revenue Cutter Bear, 90 miles due south of Cape Sable, Nova Scotia. Having served for nearly 80 years, including in the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, the U.S. Navy, and as a ship of exploration in the Antarctic, Bear is considered one of the most historically significant ships in U.S. history for its long and meritorious service.
This image shows a comparison of bolt patterns from a 1933 photograph (left) and structure observed during the 2021 remotely operated vehicle survey of the shipwreck. These bolt patterns appear to be quite similar and are considered an important diagnostic feature, further supporting the identification of the wreck as Bear.
From: Yes Indeed, We Found U.S. Revenue Cutter Bear!.