In March 2001 a team led by Western Australian Museum staff travelled to the Falkland Islands in search of Uranie. Finding the survivors’ camp on the shores of Uranie Bay proved easy despite the cold and strong winds making work difficult.

Many pieces from the ship were found on the shore. The wreck, was much more difficult. After a comprehensive but unsuccessful search in freezing conditions a number of contemporary drawings and images were examined. Though the clues were often contradictory, one image showed the camp and a distinctive line of reef still recognisable today. Using this observation the wreck was found buried in sand, under a bed of thick waving kelp. The site was documented and left undisturbed.

Like earlier historic voyages, the 2001 Western Australian Museum expedition to the Falkland Islands to search for the wreck of the Uranie was fortunate to have its own doctor/artist to make contemporary recordings.

Plan of Uranie Bay, 2001

(Not to scale, but 10 cm = approx. 1 km)
John Williams
Coloured final version.

Reproduced courtesy of John Williams.

Campsite 2 in Uranie Bay, looking South, 2001


Watercolour
John Williams

‘We originally set our tents on flat land above the wind-eroded hummocks, but discovered we were amongst pottery sherds, and man-made circles of flat stones. Realizing that the area might be the subject of a future archaeological dig, we shifted our tents to a pristine area further down towards the beach, but it did mean exposing our campsite to less protection from the very strong winds, and near zero temperatures. The 'high-water' line was littered with old timber debris from the wreck, and our bulky dive gear, food and cooking utensils had to stay outside the tents, in the wind, rain and blowing sand.’

(John Williams)

Reproduced courtesy of John Williams.

The wreck site today, 2001


Watercolour
John Williams

‘This scene was incorrectly labeled by me, and should be ‘Pellion's viewpoint’. I walked back up the hill to find the point from which Alphonse Pellion, (not Arago) had painted his scene ‘Vue du camp de L'Uranie’ in which the wreck is depicted, and I noted how accurate were all the reference points in his painting. Especially the outline of the distant hills, the position of the creeks, pond and reef.’

‘It occurred to me that the sitting of the wreck in his painting would also be accurate, so I suggested that, using two hand-held radios, I could stand at 'Pellion's point' and direct the dive-boat to that point where, in his painting, he depicted the wreck. We acted out this little charade, and ... Bingo, there it was, shrouded in kelp, but parts of the keel and ribs clearly visible! Previous parties searching for the wreck had failed to appreciate the detail and accuracy displayed by expedition artists.’

(John Wiliams)

Reproduced courtesy of John Williams.

Uranie Bay, 2001

Watercolour
John Williams

‘This scene depicts the distant headlands forming the entrance into Berkeley Sound and Uranie Bay, and the RIB (rigid inflatable boat) and 'LandRover' provided by Falkland Island residents for our use during our visit.’

‘There were many large wooden relics, particularly oak beams, ribs, planks and large 'natural knees' washed up along the beach just above high water mark, and the scene also shows one of the two-man tents kindly supplied by our sponsors.’

(John Williams)

Reproduced courtesy of John Williams.