A couple wanting to film a documentary about invasive mussels in the Great Lakes discovered an even greater treasure.
Yvonne Drebert and Zach Melnick stumbled upon a shipwreck from 128 years ago while diving in the waters of Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada.
After receiving a tip on where to find quadrillions of these invasive mussels, Drebert and Melnick sent their remotely operated vehicle 250 feet below the surface and instead found what they described as a “large structure.”
“Out of the darkness emerges this great big, big shape and we could see that it’s a pretty big ship, so we’re all pretty excited about it at that point,” Drebert said.
They soon contacted a marine archaeologist and historian who concluded that the ship the couple found, known as “The Africa,” was wrecked in an early season snowstorm in 1895.
Yvonne Drebert and Zach Melnick found much more than just mussels when they dived Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada, in June. After working with a marine archaeologist and historian, they discovered that the ship was known as The Africa and had been lost 128 years ago.
Quagga mussels covered the entire ship when the filmmaker couple discovered it at the bottom of Lake Huron in Ontario, Canada. These mussels are known as ‘plankton feeders’ and are considered invasive because they take food from the food supply of other living organisms
The shipwreck claimed the lives of 11 men on board while towing a ship from Ashtabula, Ohio, to Owen Sound, Ontario. It is 44 meters long, 26 meters wide and 3.5 meters high and appeared to be in good condition when the couple discovered it
When the filmmakers discovered the old ship, they said it was difficult to know for sure if it was The Africa because the ship itself was covered in the mussels they originally wanted to locate.
Drebert and Melnick have dedicated their film careers to chronicling the story of the invasive mussel species in their documentary “All to Clear.”
For the past two years, they have used a remotely piloted vehicle to tell the underwater story of the Great Lakes.
The species of freshwater mussels, also known as quagga mussels, are known as ‘plankton feeders’ and are considered invasive because they draw on the food supply of other living organisms.
These mussels are also called the ‘evil’ cousin of the zebra mussels, another freshwater mussel. They are considered evil because they can survive and feed up to 150 meters below the surface of the water.
According to the National Invasive Species Information Centerthe first quagga mussels ever detected were in Texas in 2022.
The specific mussels have invaded not only the Great Lakes, but also the Mississippi River basin and Lake Mead.
Drebert and Melnick have dedicated their film careers to chronicling the story of the invasive muscle species in their ‘All to Clear’ documentary
Quagga mussels are also called the ‘evil’ cousin of zebra mussels, another freshwater mussel. They are considered evil because they can survive and feed up to 150 meters below the surface of the water
Melnick said relatives of the lives lost on The Africa have since reached out. “And we are working with these families to find a way to commemorate the sailors who died 128 years ago,” Melnick said.
Despite their prolific nature, the mussels are great at filtering the water and leaving it virtually crystal clear.
“It’s a bit of a double-edged sword for us because it’s kind of amazing to be able to see how bright the mussels have created, but they also have huge impacts on the ecosystem,” Drebert said.
As the couple explored the hidden treasure, they discovered that the ship was covered in quagga mussels.
‘Conservationists say the mussels have covered more than 1,400 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes and are slowly destroying their hulls’ CBC reported.
The boat, which was carrying coal, went missing after hitting shallow ground.
Melnick revealed that he and his wife live in Larson Cove, named after Hans Larson, the captain who went down on The Africa.
“Having that personal connection is almost like fate or something,” Melnick told CBC.
The shipwreck claimed the lives of 11 men on board while towing a ship from Ashtabula, Ohio, to Owen Sound, Ontario. The boat, which was carrying coal, went missing after hitting shallow ground. It is 148 feet long, 26 feet wide and 12.5 feet high and appeared to be in good condition when the couple discovered it
As the couple explored the hidden treasure, they discovered that the ship was covered in quagga mussels. “Conservationists say the mussels have covered more than 1,400 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes and are slowly destroying their hulls,” CBC reported.
Melnick revealed that he and his wife live in Larson Cove, named after Hans Larson, the captain who went down on The Africa
The Africa itself is 45 meters long, 7 meters wide and 3.5 meters high and appeared to be in good condition when the couple discovered it on a whim.
While the discovery of the 128-year-old lost ship brought much excitement to the couple and their film crew, it also brought a sense of connection to the families of the lives lost during the voyage.
Melnick said these family members have since contacted him and his wife.
“And we are working with these families to find a way to commemorate the sailors who died 128 years ago,” Melnick said.