PBS&J’s nautical archaeology and remote-sensing group may have located the archaeological remains of the steamboat Dayton and the cargo vessel Utina. Working under contract with the Galveston District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, PBS&J conducted archaeological investigations adjacent to the Corpus Christi and La Quinta ship channels and areas immediately offshore the Aransas Pass Entrance Channel along the Texas middle Gulf Coast. Several potential shipwreck sites were identified using marine remote-sensing technologies, and subsequently investigated with underwater archaeological diving, resulting in two shipwrecks being located.

The Dayton was constructed in 1835 making her one of the earlier U.S. western river steamboats. She was employed during the Mexican War to facilitate troop movement across Corpus Christi Bay, and after 10 years of service, tragically sank in Corpus Christi Bay. PBS&J nautical archaeologists spent over 40 hours working underwater near the reported resting place of the Dayton. The remains documented during this work coupled with the historic and cartographic research and the remote-sensing results suggest that this shipwreck may be the remains of the Dayton.

The Utina was constructed during World War I and sank in 1921, prior to seeing any service. PBS&J’s remote-sensing survey “accidentally” recorded a submerged shipwreck outside the proposed project area and in the locale of the Utina’s sinking. Because this shipwreck is located outside of the project area, PBS&J archaeological divers did not investigate the site. The remote-sensing data and the archival research, however, strongly suggest that this is the resting place of the Utina.