HMS Ontario Shipwreck

[MrClassicDoctorWho]

I don't think they would find any remains. After all this time the lake organisms would have consumed any flesh and bone. That's why no skeletal remains have been found at the titanic wreck site. I'm all for bringing up artefacts! One cannon please! :D

[ShawDAMAN]

if they're not going to do anything about it in terms of salvage or artifacts, at the very least they could do more as far as photographing/filming/catalogi­ng. This is great footage but piteously incomplete for such a stunningly remarkable find.

I don't see that any 'desecration' is, or need be, involved in putting a bit more effort and money into exploring it. Money has been spent on far less worthy causes. Ah well.

[IsengardMordor]

İ personally think the ship should be salvaged and put on display.As for the crew i think they should be buried in a military grave,rather than left to rot on the bottom.The latter is more disrespectful to them in my opinion

[shipwreckworld]

In freshwater wood decays very slowly especially if it is in deep water, cold, and with no current. A ship I found a number of years ago with blackwalnut lumber had only deteriorated 1/8th of an inch in 122 years and that ship was not in very deep water. See Shipwreckworld website, Articles - Lake Erie - Great Lakes Treasure Ship Found..

[MR4DJ0N]

OMFG! This is creepy!

If they try to bring it up, won't it just fall apart? Those old barnacled wood warships were great 250 years ago, but c'mon, even iron ships run the risk of deteriorating when brought up from the depths.

Just saying...

[shipwreckworld]

The Ontario is way too deep for any scavengers to salvage. The UK Ministry of Defence was notified and they consider HMS Ontario a war grave and do not want to raise or salvage any items from the ship. For more of the story of that period of the American Revolution and lots of pics of the Ontario read the book Legend of the Lake (Discovey Edition) available from the Shipwreckworld website. I can add a personal inscription in the book if desired. Jim

[gondolacrescent5]

I hope she's not copper hulled--the scavengers will find her and strip it off for scrap.

What a find!!! Haunting....

Anymore undiscovered, but known warship wrecks to be found in L. Ontario?

Will be eagerly awaiting anymore news of this ship.

Has there been a reaction from the The Royal Navy concerning the discovery?

[Acaciavet]

The water at that depth is cold she is just fine where she rests.

[TsumeAri]

Does anyone know our policy on war graves? I wasn't sure if the British 'Protection of Military Remains Act' still applied here since it's in our water? I know it's their ship, so I figured it would. The only thing is the Ontario isn't listed as a protected or controlled ship...?

[henerymag]

@TsumeAri It is classified as a war grave. 50 British soldiers, 40 Canadians and reports of 30 U. S. prisoners of war went down with her. The exact site won't be disclosed. RIP to all aboard.

[MrHobiecat]

@henerymag But if they had been native americans, they would be pulled up and their bones and artifacts put on display in a museum, for their 'scientific value'. Most likely, with the amount of acid rain in the great lakes in the last 30 years, their skeletons have dissolved into nothing.

[henerymag]

@MrHobiecat I agree with you there, even today the same respect would not be given the native peoples

[danjbudd]

Most certainly WOW ! Don't think I have ever seen a ship so old preserved so well !!!!! As for raising her, your 100% correct Robert. If she is a war grave then she should stay exactly where she is in my humble opinion, as much as I'd love to she her on the surface !

[BMan100]

wow... the level of preservation is almost mind boggling.

[huettmr]

wow...it's like looking into a time machine.

[elswick1542]

Incredible,any know how deep Ontario is?

[shipwreckworld]

It is in the area of Lake Ontario where the depth is over 500 ft. See the Shipwreckworld website for the story of HMS Ontario.

[elswick1542]

Thanks will check it out,looks incredible.

[andybob1981]

She is stunning an where she belongs we gain nothing by raising her not to mention the risk of doing so is far to great. Than you for the video Great work keep it up i truly envy you guys.

[SpartanMaster7]

I have mixed feeligs on what should be done with her. It is a war grave and should be protected no doubt about that. But at the same time it would be a great to bring it up so that way the legacy of these men will be preserved. Example i didn't even know about this ship untill I accidently discoverd an article on it while looking up oceanography material. I don;t know how leaving her down in the dark to be forgotten honor the men who served on her

[TBearM1776]

Also there where American POWs on board during the American revoultion. If they do raise it and found remains, send the reamians to Alrington National Cemetary for porper burial. Or just leave it as a war grave left undisturbed.

[robert140602]

Just read it's a British war grave,and should remain untouched.

[numptybaws3]

That is incredibly intact. Be great to see her raised and put on show

[3877878]

RAISE IT,

[Huneault17]

just imagine if there were no zebra mussels

[foamer4269]

AWESOME! I live near where this is rumoured to have gone down, while we don't know where it is exactly, it's pretty close to the approx location.

[Blakem713]

At 17 sec, notice the cannon

[DarkHypocrisy]

Two ships from the 17th century have been found in very good shape in Sweden latley!

[cafo7575]

yh, that area is perfect for wrecks, like the vasa

[Alexander661]

Its going to be protected as a war grave and Zebra Mussel memorial.

[tegunn]

If the treasure seakers don't get her, the Zebra mussels will! Bring her up!

[CarlaLR74]

I hope she is left alone and not ripped apart by treasure seekers.

[WithoutPassports]

This is incredible.

[bernie4u2]

I have really enjoyed seeing more Canadian history, Very well done Thank You For sharing..

[Coonstafabio]

Strange, a wooden ship more than 200 years old is preseves almost perfectly, meanwhile RMS Titanic is in danger of falling apart. Fresh water preserves wrecks beautifully.

[shipwreckworld]

HMS ONTARIO - Legend of the Lake - Discovery Edition - NEW book - NOW AVAILABLE

Just released is the update book with new chapters and revised information that contains many never seen before underwater images of the Ontario along with new paintings and sketches of the shipwreck above and below water. For details of the book and to order a personalize copy from one of the discoverers of HMS Ontario. Go to our website: Shipwreckworld

[dean11081988]

she looks great its like they just steped off her haw can that be after so long

[Yamieguy64]

Incredible. So well preserved.

[mari2681w5]

AMAZING!! MARI

[subanimal]

WOW!!! It is like something out of a dream, the freshwaters kept it in great shape. A window into the past. Thanks for posting this video!

[shipwreckworld]

The ship was found between Niagara and Rochester, NY in an area of the lake where the depth extends to more than 500 feet.

[Scioneer]

The ship is in better shape than the Titanic. My only guess on how well preserved it is would be the cold water. How deep is the wreck?

[0729051]

woow....history come alive...

[AnthraxBird]

That thing is preserved REAL well. Is the hull wood or metal?

[shipwreckworld]

Those are quagga mussels the deeper depth version of the zebra mussel.

[ZO6]

preservation is quite remarkable.

what is growing on the ship? i know what grows in saltwater but not in freshwater.

bivalves?

[JunebugBpt08]

with the technology today we can find out plenty. ones with no names can be known once more. i want to know the story's,names,what they looked like if possible,preserve their remains..restore their headstones..restore artifacts that were buried with them(only after being photographed and any additional information documented. let the diggings begin! then send them back.

[JunebugBpt08]

Dig up all remains after a certain period of time.I walk through old cemetery's  wondering how many forgotten joe's &j anes that came and went with no memory of them exists.Lets not forget they're DEAD! only emotional value the dead have is through the living, other than that its just material. No one wants to be forgotten.

[JunebugBpt08]

If this was indigenous artifacts with humans it would of been shelved already with no question.Its respectful to find out who was on this ship,if any fragments remains could be found..map it,I doubt any but anyway.

[shipwreckworld]

We had advised the UK Ministry of Defense (MOD) of our discovery of HMS Ontario and asked how the ship should be treated. Both the UK MOD and New York State consider it a war grave and want it respected that way in the future.

[VENGEFULSPIRITof911]

The British navy still owns this. I read that they are treating it as a war grave.

[wallyhines]

The ship remains the property of the Royal navy. No one but they have the say over what can be done with the ship that remains a war grave. At over 500' deep it's not something that will ever be moved.

[wallyhines]

There is no new information to learn from it since the construction of the ship is well documented.

It's precise location is not going to be told.

[popartpill]

You mean to tell me that a ship that sunk 128 years ago is still in one piece?

Remarkable.

[popartpill]

*228 years ago

[snorky500]

They should raise it!  Not to plunder it, but it is an amazing look back into history. I know it is an ethical issue, and I agree to an extent it is disturbing a grave. But, it would be great to see a real ship other than replicas. And, also, eventually, someone WILL find it's whereabouts and plunder it themselves, bones and all. Better that the scientific community perserves it for all, than scavengers tearing it to peices and ending up on eBay.

[popartpill]

I agree. While it is a mass grave, time is ticking. One day it won't be there anymore.

And I'm VERY tired of America's lack of historical values. People generally have no problem demolishing historic sites or destroying historic buildings. Over in Europe, the buildings are thousands of years old. It's gorgeous. Not here, of course.

[snorky500]

Unlike 23 years ago, when the Titanic was found, the technology to find these wrecks is now widely available. Here on YouTube, there are some treassure seekers who videotaped human remains inside a Uboat. I noticed that the skulls were missing, indicating someone was trophy hunting. This particular ship would be a grave robbers paradise. I think such historical ships should be saved for all to see. Not just those who can scuba dive. Well, those are my 2 cents worth.

[ShawDAMAN]

@popartpill well america hasn't been around long enough to have buildings thousands of years old, nevertheless your point is well taken.

[pcampbell17]

@popartpill agreed, there is no reason not to raise her and give those men and honorable burial instead of having them set in some dark abyss. I live not to far from this area and they just tor down a church from 1810 and built an ice cream stand over a British and Indian fort!

[Wassailing]

this amazing but fucking scary at the same time it just totally blew me away

[Drakan1987]

verdammt gut erhalten

[lorri789]

stunning condition

[kolordak]

«and he'll make them rest under green water»

[AlwaysWishing1983]

O my...that is some find..just look at it!! I watched a few times. The details are incredible.

Mind blowing when you think how old it is.

[brianpadraic]

Amazing! I hope it is raised instead of left to probable treasure hunters and vandals.

[phishing4fun]

if they do that then it will just decompose and rot whats the point of that a boat this old should be kept in the water so it perserves naturally

[brianpadraic]

I feel that it would be safer in a museum and not out there with thieves ready to steal artifacts, et cetera.

[LutzDerLurch]

properly threatet it will ,o the contrary, completely stop decomposing.

[MewVampireNinja]

they wont rise it because it sank carrying as many as 130 people so it's a war grave and its

still considered the property of the British Royal Navy.

[lm489]

WOW! this is amazing!Dan Scoville is my friend's uncle! (no joke!)

[hotgirlie23]

Canada should make a movie about this sunken treasure, a la 'Titanic." It could star Canadians Alanis Morissette in the Kate Winslet role, and Corey Heart in the Leonardo Di Caprio role. Anne Murray can reprise the Gloria Stuart role. The movie could be called "Delgado", in honour of former Toronto Blue Jay slugger Carlos Delgado.

[Athenagwis]

Awesome find and video! Thanks so muchf or sharing it with us!!

[Northside777]

Amazing find - haunting images. At the end of the clip, those dark windows on the stern are beautiful but also really creepy. I wonder if the Royal Navy would consent to a robot mini camera venturing inside. Not disturbing anything, just recording for archaeological images.

[paulamorde]

Why not bring up the ship? Its in great condition and lets face it people nowadays dont have a clue about history. I see mummies all the time this is just the ship that went down not the sailors them seleves

[65Dart]

There are scores of large Great Lakes wrecks in like condition. This is probably the deepest I've heard of. I would love to see it raised, but I suppose "beastalay" has a valid point.

[BlueFlamesHD]

Whoa..... very interesting.... I never see like this wood never melt or acid away. I am very surprised....

[RatPirate]

Wow... My grandpa found newspaper and give to me. I really shock and happy see come true for me. Wow. I always want to see it. Wow. It is very beautiful tall ship. Thank for sharing better video. Thumb-Up

[f3hdemon]

This Video Freaks me out! . . .Scary as hell!

[LadyMaggie1976]

Incredible, eerily preserved find..I appreciate the craftsmanship,but I believe that this is indeed a gravesite for 130 individuials and should be left in peace.

As a rev war re-enactor and amateur historian, however I would like to see at least some of the artifacts brought up for educational purposes

[guncrew24lb]

With all due respect to the dead, we are in a different age now. The Monitor turret has been brought up with remains still inside, the CSS Hunley with Dixon and his cherished "Golden coin", the Vasa and Henry's Mary Rose. If the Hamilton and Scourge were added to the HMS Ontario, what a wonderful museum it would make. To find these ships in such condition is truly stunning. What a wealth of history we could enjoy!

[beastatlay]

With all due respect to you, Hunley and Monitor are property of the DoD and raising them was not an issue. Ontario belongs to the UK Ministry of Defence and their answer is likely to be "fuck right off". British people walk past 18thC heritage all the time...we have plenty of history preserved, so we are less likely to get all worked up about this.

If you want to goof off over 18thC craftsmanship and history, why not visit HMS Victory in Portsmouth? Or HMS Trincomalee & Unicorn or Discovery?

[PyrateJim]

A war grave? We dont keep a wrecked car, train or bus that has killed people. We move it/scrap it. The people were not "laid to rest" in this vessel, but died within it. I mean no disrespect to those poor souls who parished on board, but dont let this discovery, and their deaths be in vain. Raise the vessel, conserve the vessel, put it on display for all to see, learn from , marvel at the workmanship of the time and pay respect to those that died aboard in the name of what they believed in.

[ranchy888]

I agree. We hardly have any history in Canada. Putting that ship on display would be off to a right start!

[cmcshane06]

It's a war grave so i think that it would be rather disrespectful to raise the ship or remove any artifacts, and with all due respect, it's a part of British history also (it's a British warship after all).

I think it's also considered to be property of the Royal Navy admiralty, so that could possibly also be why it cannot be raised. I'm not sure what the laws surrounding this are.

It's a very beautiful ship though, I love the way the windows on the quarter gallery have been preserved!

[cmcshane06]

Pyrate Jim, that is a terrible analogy for a number of reasons.

You wouldn't take tourists on a tour of a bus or car that people were killed in and rifle through their personal belongings for them to be put on display either.

If you want to see a British warship, why not come and see the H.M.S Victory?

[coppersmiths]

Oh right-on. Museums would be pretty empty places based on you philosophy wouldn't they?

Avert your eyes when passing Nelson's falling-place, hold your nose on the gun-decks!

[Zarathustra799]

It's better to let it waste away? Or to let robbers loot it? History's a precious thing. We should preserve it now while we have the opportunity to do so!

[norpell]

Makes perfect sense to me.

[RTdeluxe]

off the coast of wolfe island...im about 30 minutres away from the site. but the trouble would be going down past 500ft of water. nice vid its to bad they wont raise artifacts

[MHrynie1983]

What an amazing discovery! I hope this gets the underrated Great Lakes the archaeological attention it deserves. --I would love to see the wreck raised out of curiosity, but understand why they may not, out of respect.

[Valpo2004]

I just read about this discovery. Very cool, the article said that they are not going to raise any artifacts though because its a war grave.