Talk about a treasure worth celebrating.
A group of Polish divers from the Baltictech Association recently discovered a 19th-century shipwreck “loaded to the brim with Champagne” on the ocean floor south of Sweden.
The sunken sailing ship, which sits around 66 yards below the surface of the Baltic Sea, looked like a wrecked fishing boat on the sonar system at first, but divers Marek Cacaj and Pawel Truszynski still decided to check it out. The two found an almost complete wreck laden with Champagne, wine, mineral water, and porcelain.
A member of the Baltictech team exploring the wreck.
Marek Cacaj/Baltictech
“The divers reported finding around 100 Champagne and mineral water bottles among the items,” Baltictech team leader Tomasz Stachura said in a statement. “I have been diving for 40 years, and it often happens that there is one bottle or two . . . but to discover a wreck with so much cargo, it’s a first for me.”
The historic treasures aboard have provided more insight into the vessel’s history. The mineral water was produced by none other than Selters. The renowned German brand, which is still operating today, garnered attention in the 19th century for naturally carbonated water with reputed medicinal qualities. The H20 was highly coveted and has been enjoyed by royals for centuries. The shape of the stamp on these particular bottles indicates that the shipment was produced between 1850 and 1867. Interestingly, the pottery factory that made the clay bottles still exists and has been contacted by Baltictech.
The Champagne.
Tomasz Stachura/Baltictech
The team has also identified the “very exclusive” Champagne and reached out to the French maison behind the bottles. The producer shared that the tsar of Russia was a fan of this fizz, meaning that the shipment was probably meant to go to Russia. The divers are working to get permission to remove some bottles and send them to the winemaker to see how much they are worth and if they are still drinkable.
The extraction may take some time. The wreck lies about 20 nautical miles south of the island of Öland, meaning the divers must get permission from Swedish authorities to bring the cargo to shore since it is outside Polish territorial and economic waters. “It had been lying there for 170 years, so let it lie there for one more year, and we will have time to better prepare for the operation,” added Stachura.
The porcelain.
Tomasz Stachura/Baltictech
Baltictech appears to be on the right track, though: The team has partnered with the MARIS Foundation, Södertörn University, and Professor Johan Rönnby to develop guidelines for the future exploration of the wreck. It will give an update at the Baltictech conference in November.
