Rare mahogany canoe from Hurricane Ian discovery
Florida officials say a highly unusual wooden canoe unearthed in Fort Myers after Hurricane Ian (discovered fall 2022) has completed conservation, but experts still do not know its origin. The Florida Division of Historical Resources announced on Sept. 12 that conservation is finished and on Sept. 18 reported a wood‑anatomist identified the hull as mahogany; researchers say the form may match Caribbean 'cayuco' dugouts, leaving open questions about whether it was made locally or has Caribbean connections.
Culture/Heritage
Science
📌 Key Facts
- The canoe was discovered in Fort Myers, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian (fall 2022).
- The Florida Division of Historical Resources announced conservation was completed (FDHR Facebook post Sept. 12) and later reported mahogany identification by a wood anatomist (FDHR post Sept. 18).
- Researchers describe the vessel as 'highly unusual' for Florida and say it may be a cayuco—a dugout canoe used for riverine/coastal travel—with mahogany that could be native to the northern Keys/Everglades or sourced from the Caribbean.