Research aims

The main objectives of the fieldwork at the Lacroix Inlet were to: 1) revisit and study the remains of wooden vessels previously reported; 2) survey the supratidal and intertidal areas of the shallow-water inlet (subjected to tidal changes) and assess potential finds; and 3) prospect the surroundings for evidence of a temporary occupation. Archaeological research combining previous finds and new data is being developed to identify the sites and discuss the alleged association (since Vairo Reference Vairo1998) with the castaways of the Espora.

Fieldwork on shipwreck(s) and a possible castaway camp

On-foot surveys allowed for the location of nineteenth-century shipwreck remains and a possible castaway camp (see Figure 1). Finds were geolocalised, photographed, measured, drawn and qualitatively assessed. A non-intrusive strategy was prioritised, but sampling was also carried out for analytical purposes. A drone survey provided a view of the spatial relationship between sites (Figure 2).

Figure 2.

Aerial survey of the south coast of the inlet printed on a Google satellite layer (figure by A. Raies).

In this initial approach, wooden shipwreck remains were identified during low tide on the southern part of the inlet (Figure 3). One site, near the inlet entrance in the intertidal area, comprises the lower part of a vessel’s hull (BF010) and an adjacent iron chain (BF009). A second structure (BF005) sits slightly above the high-tide line (at a quadrature tide) and consists of the remains of a hull at the height of a deck. Both sites were partially studied by personnel from the Ushuaia Maritime Museum (Vairo Reference Vairo2000) and archaeologists from the Austral Center for Scientific Research (CADIC-CONICET) (Zangrando et al. Reference Zangrando2017), respectively. A third structure, corresponding to a small part of a wooden hull, was also located at the north side (BF004). After recording the visible remains, test pits were dug and the timbers were sampled. A comprehensive study of their architectural features and context will help to determine if they belong to more than one wreck by assessing the dimensions, function, date and provenance of the vessel/s.

Figure 3.

Wooden hull structures identified in intertidal and supratidal areas (a: BF010 site; b: BF005 site) and a view of deck frame remains (clamp, beam and knee) (figure by N.C. Ciarlo).

The remains of a short-term occupation were located at the lower side of a steep hill (above 12m asl), beside a small stream (BF008) and equidistant from structures BF005 and BF010, about 150m each. European/creole artefacts related to everyday activities and personal goods were located on the surface (e.g. glass beads, ceramic Prosser-style buttons and corrugated galvanised sheets), in association with nautical items such as a deck prism (illuminator) and a small non-ferrous rudder hinge. A selection of diagnostic finds was collected to examine the nature of the site (Figure 4).

Figure 4.

A selection of finds related to the temporary settlement on the steep hill: a) deck prism; b) rudder hinge; c) bottle; d) glass beads and four-hole ceramic buttons (figure by N.C. Ciarlo).

Isolation and survival in southern Patagonia

Exploring the maritime cultural heritage of the island will provide insights for understanding sailing and human strategies in a high-risk environment, supplying data that are poorly represented in documentary sources. Its status as a protected nature reserve and the isolation of Franklin Bay have favoured the preservation of archaeological contexts. Site BF008 attests to these unique conditions and to the value in studying short-term occupations linked to maritime mishaps. These experiences have recently been explored in relation to sites in continental Patagonia (e.g. Ciarlo et al. Reference Ciarlo2025; Grosso & Buscaglia Reference Grosso and Buscaglia2026), yet they comprise a nascent field of research.

The location and material culture of the temporary occupation at Lacroix Inlet point to a connection between this site and the nearby shipwreck remains and thus, possibly with the Espora (ex-Nancy, a 157-ton brig with one deck built in Maryland, USA) and her crew. Available data are not coherent on how far the Espora was supposedly dismantled (cf. Eyroa Reference Eyroa1884: 610–11; Piedra Buena 1933 [Reference Piedra Buena1873]). These accounts should now be assessed in light of material evidence that does not fit with the expectations of scrapping. For instance, structure BF005 is preserved to the height of a deck. Additionally, no traces of a shipyard—as installed by Piedra Buena to build the Luisito (Figure 5)—have been found thus far. Further research could help to improve this first insight.

Figure 5.

Watercolour (E. Biggeri, c. 1965) of the cutter Luisito under construction. The Espora wreck site is depicted on the left (image courtesy of National Naval Museum, Argentina).

Final remarks

Surveys on maritime and nautical remains at Lacroix Inlet have provided novel data on nineteenth-century seagoing activities at Isla de los Estados. A preliminary historical and archaeological assessment of the finds attests to at least one naval accident that led to a temporary settlement. The identity of the vessel/s and the castaways’ trajectories are the subject of ongoing inquiry. This case can benefit an emerging line of research in Patagonia, shedding light on the sailing and survival behaviour of castaways in distant, isolated places.