Beneath the bustling city of Seattle, a hidden world lies submerged in Lake Union – a “shipwreck city” teeming with forgotten vessels and shrouded in mystery. Underwater robotics specialist Phil Parisi is meticulously revealing this underwater graveyard, documenting nearly one hundred potential wreck sites.
For over a century, Lake Union has been a vital waterway, the lifeblood of Seattle’s shipbuilding industry and a hub for maritime traffic. Now, Parisi is using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to visually confirm and document sites previously identified through sonar, bridging the gap where divers cannot reach.
Descending into the lake’s depths is like entering a “ghost town,” Parisi describes. Beyond twenty-five feet, vibrant life gives way to a stark emptiness, a chilling lack of marine activity. Yet, this desolate environment is remarkably rich in the remnants of the past.
“It’s crazy that there’s so much down there,” Parisi stated, visibly stunned by the sheer volume of wreckage. “It’s shocking to me. Looking at these maps – it’s shipwreck city.” Approximately half of the identified targets are strongly suspected to be shipwrecks, many unexplored by human eyes.
The process isn’t simple. Parisi’s team relies on precise GPS positioning combined with sonar technology to navigate the murky, low-visibility waters. The ROV, equipped with sonar, acts as their eyes, “seeing” through the gloom until the target appears on the live camera feed.
Pollution within Lake Union necessitates the use of ROVs, protecting the team from potential contaminants. However, even with this technology, challenges persist. Many wrecks are concealed beneath Seattle’s piers, and some marina owners are hesitant to allow filming under their docks.
Once located, identifying the wrecks proves difficult. Years of submersion, biofouling, rust, and poor anchoring techniques have obscured identifying marks, causing many vessels to collapse and lose their history. The lake’s shallow depth means a wealth of maritime history lies just beneath the surface, largely unnoticed.
This isn’t a new discovery, Parisi emphasizes, but a continuation of previous sonar surveys and dive records. He’s building upon existing knowledge, filling in the gaps in our understanding of Lake Union’s submerged past.
Parisi’s ultimate goal is to ignite a sense of local pride and curiosity. He believes incredible landmarks and hidden treasures exist in every community, often overlooked in the rush of daily life. He urges people to explore their own backyards, to delve into the history that surrounds them.
“Every place holds incredible landmarks and hidden treasures,” Parisi explains. “Allow curiosity to take over and do a deep dive into your local city or town's history – it is amazing what happened not so long ago, and it never disappoints!”
