Nimble Large Iron Ballast Block No.2 (2019)

An iron ingot, 36 inches (ca. 1 meter) long and 6 inches square in cross-section, is integrated into a shallow reef near Key Largo, Florida. Blocks of iron like this were ballast carried in the hold of a ship, to stabilize the vessel by making it bottom heavy. This piece is found at a site thought to be where the British Royal Navy schooner *Nimble* ran aground while chasing the pirate-slaver *Guerrero* in 1827. *Nimble’s* crew jettisoned iron ballast and iron shot to lighten the vessel, so it could float off the reef. Because of heavy marine growth, it was difficult to fully render one side of this piece. Model created June, 2019. Scale = 20cm.