EMERGING FROM BELOW

Erosion Uncovers Mysterious Object on Dayton Beach

There’s been intense speculation in the local community on just what the object, believed to be between 80 to 100 feet in length, actually is.

Archaeologists have gotten to work excavating a mysterious object that emerged from the sands on Daytona Beach last week after a series of major storms eroded a large swath of the beach front. Early theories on just what it is—based on the crude shape of the protruding object—included a submerged dock, a barrier, and even an old portion of bleachers leftover from when NASCAR ran races on the beach. But archaeologists who are up to their elbows digging out the massive feature say it’s likely a wooden hull mercantile ship from the 19th century. “I’m convinced it is a ship wreck because of some key construction features,” said an unnamed lead archaeologist speaking with WESH 2. “Like the frames or the ribs of a ship, the ceiling planking that goes on top of those ribs, the fasteners that it has, and the joinery, some scarves where timbers were notched to fit in each other—those are all features you have on wooden hull sailing ships.” The object is believed to be between 80 and 100 feet in length, according to Volusia County Beach Safety. “You just wouldn’t have a dock that was built like that,” the archaeologist added.