Old ship unearthed in S. Kingstown

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) - Beach erosion at its best.  Receding sand has revealed a piece of history just down the road from East Matunuck Beach.

Mother Nature has unearthed an old wooden ship that's been buried in the dunes for decades.

The old boat measures 34-feet long and about 8 to 10 feet wide and it's creating a big buzz.

Dr. Kathy Abbass of the RI Marine Archeology Project was busy inspecting the old ship Thursday afternoon. She also had some help from some curious youngsters.

Abbass says there are lots of theories on where the ship came from, but there's no way to tell for sure from a quick assessment. It could be anywhere from a hundred to hundreds of years old.

"We do know that there have been a number of vessels lost in the Point Judith area. It could be any number of things," said Abbass.

Because of the movement of the sand, it's actually not the first time part of this ship has made an appearance. It was last seen about 15 years ago.

The advice then is the same as it is now.

"You're better off just to leave it where it is," Abbass said. "Make it a thing where the local folks can get interested in history, and realize that there is a lot of this history around. People just don't realize that sometimes."