Marine archaeologist James Delgado, left, and beachcomber Craig Andes, right, examine one of the larger shipwreck timbers removed from sea caves off the northern Oregon coast. Andes discovered the timbers.
Katie Frankowicz/KMUN
For centuries, mysterious blocks of beeswax and Chinese porcelain have washed up on the Oregon coast, leading to legends of pirates, treasure, and a sunken Spanish galleon. It became known as the Beeswax Wreck, and it inspired centuries of treasure hunters—and maybe even Steven Spielberg, as he created The Goonies.
Now, researchers have found nearly 330-year-old timbers from the ship in a hard-to-access cave. We talk with Scott Williams, the president of the Maritime Archeological Association, about how a team of volunteer archeologists are working to solve one of the most enduring mysteries of the Pacific Northwest, using old-school detective skills and one well-timed natural disaster.
