Research history

The wreck site was discovered based on a tip from a coast guard diver during the 2010 inventory of Suomenlinna's waters. At that time, the wreck was documented by photographing it. In the winter of 2011, samples were taken from the wreck for preliminary dendrochronological dating as part of Minna Koivikko's dissertation research on the wrecks of Suomenlinna.

A team of volunteer divers assisting in taking the samples also photographed and took video of the wreck. Wood samples were taken from the planks, ribs, and beams. Some of the sawing of the samples was done on the surface, and the remaining pieces were returned to the wreck area. In addition to photos and videos, the wreck was documented using a scanning sonar device, making it the first wreck site in Finland to be documented this way.

The Finnish Cultural Foundation, that funded Koivikko's dissertation research, funded the analysis of the wood samples. The samples were analyzed by the Senior Specialist Pentti Zetterberg from the University of Eastern Finland. Preliminary dating results suggest that the wood originates from the northern coast of the Baltic Sea, with the last growth rings dating to 1780.

In 2019, the Finnish Heritage Agency conducted a side scan sonar survey of the area, detecting potentially related wooden debris south of the wreck over an area of 13 by 18 meters. In the winter of 2021, the wreck was systematically photographed, and a photogrammetric model of the site was created.

From 2022 to 2024, the site has served as a test field for environmental change, particularly regarding the temperature of the bottom sediment. The goal of this research is to understand how the wooden wreck affects its environment. It is widely accepted that water temperatures are rising due to climate change, making it important to investigate the role of wooden wrecks in this process.