Mr. William J Wilson

The vicinity of Shield’s Point in Blackwater Bay, Santa Rosa County, Florida represents a ship’s graveyard that has been investigated by archaeologists for over three decades. The graveyard slowly formed as vessels were mothballed following the decline of the lumber industry, and these sites have remained well-preserved in the benign conditions of the estuary. In June of 2025, the University of West Florida returned to Shield’s Point during the underwater field school. In addition to conducting site assessments, students discovered a new vessel in the midst of the known sites.

For decades, “spoil” and “disposal” material were the terms used to characterize dredged sediment. The expansion of many American harbors, which often includes the deepening of existing channels, continues to relocate large volumes of sediment. In the past coastal engineers solved this problem by creating spoil islands and disposal zones. More recently, coastal engineers have begun to rebrand and recharacterize dredged sediments as a beneficial resource. Successful programs have used dredged sediment to stabilize ecosystems and create and expand wetlands. Additionally, many archaeological sites have already benefited from shoreline stabilization and even beach renourishment projects. Including cultural resources in the structured management plans of coastal stabilization projects provides new opportunities for the long-term protection of sites. This paper argues that archaeologists should consult with coastal engineers and agencies, particularly the Army Corps of Engineers, to include at-risk sites for integration into coastal management and resiliency plans.

Following discovery of the first Emanuel Point Shipwreck (EP I) in 1992, the University of West Florida has been investigating vessels associated with the Luna expedition in Pensacola Bay. Since the onset of the COVID pandemic, field work has been extremely limited. This year, excavations continued at EP III for the first time since 2019. Additionally, test units were placed near EP II to explore a scatter of ladrillos found just northwest of the main site. Geophysical surveys since 2023 have covered a total of 189 hectares, generating many additional targets which have the potential to represent other Luna-period shipwrecks