An eighteenth century sloop called the Washington has been discovered off the coast of Oswego.
Jim Kennard, Roger Pawlowski, and Roland Stevens found the ship, which sank in 1803. It is the second oldest wreck discovered in Lake Ontario.
Kennard and his team used sonar technology and a remotely operated vehicle to locate the sloop.
"As an explorer, you can't be the first one to the top of a mountain because most mountains have been climbed, but you can be the first one to make a discovery of a shipwreck," said Kennard.
The Washington, sometimes called the Lady Washington, was built in Erie, Pennsylvania as cargo ship, carrying goods as well as passengers between Erie, New York State, and Canada. The 53-foot ship went down on its last trip of the season.
"I guess they pushed it a little too far, and they got caught in a November gale and the ship went down in Oswego," said Kennard.
He estimates there to be about 200 wrecks left undiscovered in Lake Ontario, and says he plans to keep searching.
