Kostervraket
In 1995, the crew of the minesweeper Koster made an unexpected find. They were searching for a missing exercise torpedo in Mysingen outside Älvsnabben in the Stockholm archipelago, but instead found a well-preserved wreck at a depth of 35 metres. Although it is called the Koster Wreck, what the ship was actually named and where it once came from are still uncertain.
The ship was just over 22 metres long and had two masts and transom. This suggests that it is a galeas, one of the most common types of merchant craft in the Baltic Sea during the 18th century. The Koster Wreck’s dating to the 18th century is also confirmed by dendrochronological analyses. These reveal that it was built from timber from trees felled sometime during the period 1752–1767.
The Koster Wreck is exceptionally preserved. An anchor lies on the bottom next to the wreck along with what remains of the rigging. The transom has fallen off, offering a glimpse of ornate furniture in the interior of the aft cabin. Planks and objects lie on deck. Parts of the rigging, along with the remains of a ship dinghy, lie over the large cargo hatch. The cargo consisted of grains, barley and wheat.
The deckhouse where the crew lived has collapsed, exposing its contents. The remains of a bricked galley with wooden cladding are still visible, next to what was once the front wall of the deckhouse.
The identity of the wreck has not yet been determined for sure. But much suggests that the Koster Wreck is the ship Concordia, which sank in 1754.
Facts
Deep
35 metres
Build
1752–1754?
Length
22,2 metres
Width
7,4 metres
Shipwreck
1754?
Ship type
Galeas