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Learning from Scotsman (French only)
Serie «10th Anniversary»
There was once a sailing ship named Scotsman
By Daniel Laroche et Vincent Delmas, IRHMAS
Voir la mer (Seeing the Sea) at Bic, near Rimouski, Quebec, and shedding light on its maritime past, that is how the researchers of IRHMAS, the Institute for Research in Maritime History and Underwater Archaeology, approached and titled the multidisciplinary research undertaken in this area.
To achieve this, they partnered with other scientists from the University of Quebec at Rimouski (UQAR-ISMER), thanks to the support of the Quebec Maritime Network and the Quebec Ministry of Culture and Communications. This collaboration was established in 2019 to explore the area around the Bic Islands using sonar surveys, magnetometric measurements, and core sampling. The numerous maritime accidents that have occurred in this area were among the main objectives of this research. This collaboration did not lead to any new discoveries, but it was followed by two further diving expeditions to undertake the archaeological documentation of a shipwreck already known and identified in this area for several years: the Scotsman.
Archival research conducted at the outset made it possible to reconstruct the history of this small merchant sailing vessel, owned by Scottish merchants. Documents preserved in Scotland confirm that the Scotsman was built in 1835 and wrecked near Bic in November 1846. A contemporary Montreal newspaper reports that the vessel departed Montreal on November 6 bound for Liverpool, England. Its cargo consisted of barrels of wheat and flour, together with rough timber and barrel staves intended for cooperage.
Title : A brig (right) in the port of Montreal. From an engraving by William Henry Bartlet, 1841.Credits : https://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/1996199
The archaeological investigations carried out between 2019 and 2021 resulted in partial photographic and photogrammetric documentation of the wreck and the identification of several diagnostic elements still preserved in situ, including fittings, rigging components, and cargo remains, despite challenging diving conditions and limited underwater visibility. Images provided by local divers also helped complete the documentation and allowed researchers to assess changes in the archaeological site over time. These datasets were subsequently processed by specialists from the Centre for Digital Development and Research (CDRIN), who produced three-dimensional models of portions of the vessel's external structure and enhanced their visual representation using artificial intelligence.
This work has also highlighted numerous avenues for future research, particularly concerning the vessel's construction, its cargo, the living conditions of its crew, and its long-term preservation.
The investigations further demonstrated that the lower hull, extending for approximately 23.5 metres, remains exceptionally well preserved at a depth of nearly 30 metres. Archaeologists documented several remarkable features, including anchors, a windlass, sections of masts, and portions of the vessel's Muntz metal sheathing, which originally protected the hull against marine organisms.
Given the exceptional nature of the remains, the growing threat to their integrity, particularly the gradual collapse of the bow and the potential risk of looting, further archaeological investigations are clearly warranted. Future work should include detailed measurements of additional diagnostic structural elements, the collection of wood samples from both the vessel and its cargo for laboratory analysis, the exploration of the adjacent debris field, and, where appropriate, the excavation of targeted archaeological test units.
Today, the Scotsman represents one of the best-preserved examples of nineteenth-century commercial sailing vessels on the St. Lawrence River. The research conducted by IRHMAS and its partners demonstrates the outstanding scientific, heritage, and technological potential that this remarkable shipwreck continues to offer.
The Voir la mer Voir project was funded by the Odyssée Saint-Laurent and Scientific Development programs of the Réseau Québec maritime (RQM), as well as the Project Assistance component of the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications. Initiated in 2019, it is a scientific partnership uniting UQAR-ISMER, CIDCO, CDRIN, Super Splendide, and IRHMAS.