Tourists Flocked as Remnants of Ancient 'Ghost Ship' Washed Ashore in Latvia

Tourists flocked to see the ruins of an old "ghost ship," and it's possible that a mix of waves and sand carried the parts onto the beach.

"The coastline erosion at Daugavgriva is fascinating. Dunes have drifted there for quite large distances in the recent century," archaeologist Arturs Thomsons believes so.

The so-called ghost ship, an ancient boat, was discovered on a beach near the Daugavgriva lighthouse in Latvia, a country in northeastern Europe.

Dragged by Sand and Waves

Over the last century, the dunes in the area have been gently shifting. This has caused sand to wash up in certain areas while washing away in others. According to Thomsons, the wreckage of this phantom ship was most likely dragged to shore by waves and sand.

"When sand is washed up in one area and rinsed off in another, these are fascinating phenomena to watch. This is why miracles are occasionally uncovered after 100 years. "According to Ruptly, Thomsons stated.

According to Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert, the interaction of waves and winds on each specific beach and the slope of the ocean or seafloor and its currents.

"With a deeper ocean, there will be less opportunity for the sand to be moved as readily. But, on the other hand, the waves can readily stir up the sand if the water is relatively shallow, "Reppert elaborated.

Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea, where the phantom ship washed ashore, is 1,506 feet deep at its deepest depths. The deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean is 27,841 feet, with an average depth of 11,962 feet. At its deepest point, the Pacific Ocean is 36,161 feet deep, with an average depth of 13,000 feet.

No Plan to Restore

Despite the boat's historical significance, there are presently no plans to retrieve it and preserve it due to the high cost of maintaining antique wooden vessels.

The Vasa ship in Stockholm, Sweden, is a famous example of this. To avoid disintegration, the ship must be treated regularly.

"It would have to be deconstructed piece by piece, and each element would have to be bathed in chemicals for an extended period of time to absorb antifungal and antimicrobial protection," Thomsons added.

Sea-full of Remnants

According to estimates, there are about three million shipwrecks on the ocean floor. The image dates back to when people first began crossing oceans and lakes. The oldest wrecks are 10,000-year-old canoes, while the newest are shipwrecks from the twenty-first century. Only a tiny percentage of the ships are known, and even fewer have been examined. Approximately 3,500 merchant ships, 783 submarines, and 175 warships were sunk during the Battle of the Atlantic during WWII.