shipwrecks

Sometimes the most traveled places hide stories that only come to light centuries later. For decades, fishermen in southern Spain commented that their nets they got stuck in the bottom in very specific points, as if there were invisible obstacles underwater. It was not until much later, with the use of sonar and systematic studies, when it began to be understood that these were not simple rocks, but rather remains of a past much more intense than it seemed. Much more than a step. The truth is that, if today the Strait of Hormuz concentrates all the great tensions global issues, the Strait of Gibraltar has been a critical point where trade, war and geopolitics constantly intersect. It is not an exaggeration, since every ship that enters or leaves the Mediterranean passes through here, which makes it a natural funnel where accumulate interest and risks. This almost obligatory nature has meant that, throughout history, the area has functioned as a recurring scene of accidents, naval conflicts and military operations. More than a hundred shipwrecks off Cádiz. The data sums it all up: 134 wrecks and remains of sunken ships in the bay of Algeciras alone, recently documented by Spanish archaeologists from the University of Cádiz and the University of Granada after completing the Herakles Projecta work that has successfully cataloged the vast expanse of this archaeological paradise. They say that, in just a few kilometers, more than 150 sites and at least 134 shipwrecks spanning from the 5th century BC to the Second World War. Reasons? They argue that, for centuries, this area has been a kind of forced “waiting port”, where ships stopped before crossing the strait, increasing the probability of accidents, collisions or attacks. Herakles Project Crossing of civilizations. What makes this archaeological find unique is not only the quantity, but the variety. Punic, Roman, medieval and modern remains coexist on the seabed, along with Spanish, British, Dutch and Venetian ships. This mosaic reflects that the strait was not only a trade route, but a point where they converged empires, exploration routes and conflicts. If you like, each shipwreck is a piece of that puzzle, from ships loaded with goods to warships designed for rapid attacks. War, espionage and naval tactics. Some of the findings They show to what extent this space was a constant battlefield. Among them appear 18th century gunboats designed to surprise attack large ships, or even remnants of World War II operations. These small boats, capable of camouflage like fishing boats before attacking, they reflect a logic very similar to the current one where ingenious and asymmetric solutions were the basis for facing superior rivals. A historical archive back. Researchers say that for decades only a few remains were known in the area, but that new techniques such as sonar or magnetometers have allowed us to discover an authentic underwater archive. Added to this is an unexpected factor: the change in currents and sediments, natural processes that are revealing remains hidden for centuries. The problem is that this same process, along with maritime traffic and industrial activity, also threatens to destroy them before they can be studied. The same problem, in historical version. The parallel is quite clear, because just as maritime bottlenecks today concentrate tensions economic and military, Gibraltar has been for millennia a point where everything intensifies. Possibly the difference is that here there is a cumulative physical test at the bottom of the sea. More than a simple collection of sunken ships, what is off the coast of Cádiz is the tangible trace of centuries of forced traffic, and of conflicts and repeated errors in one of the most strategic places on the planet. Image | NASA, Project Herakles In Xataka | We have been believing for 50 years that the Strait of Gibraltar was “closed” with an apocalyptic cataract. Now we have nuances In Xataka | The US is preparing a shipment of F-35s, Apache helicopters and missiles. And his destiny is in front of Cádiz: arming Morocco