A Royal navy ship, whose “bombs bursting in air” inspired Francis Scott Key to write what became “The Star-Spangled Banner,” was discovered recently in frigid Arctic waters.

Canadian Park Service scientists and rangers found what they believe is the HMS Terror or HMS Erebus, English warships that bombarded Fort McHenry in the Battle of Baltimore in 1814. Both vessels were lost a generation later on the doomed Sir John Franklin expedition, a voyage to map the Northwest Passage through the Arctic Ocean.

There was no way to free the ships when they became trapped in the ice. The crew, including Franklin, died as both the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus eventually vanished beneath melting Arctic ice.

Using an ROV, scientists confirmed the discovery of one wreck in 35 to 40 feet of water in Queen Maud Gulf off the Nunavut mainland, 1,800 miles north of Toronto. The Canadian Park Service spent six years scouring the icy waters off Nunavut for the wreckage. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the discovery, calling it a resolution of “one of Canada’s greatest mysteries.”

Ironically, the discovery was made during Baltimore’s Star-Spangled Spectacular anniversary of our national anthem and the battle against the British at Fort McHenry.

Bill Pencek, executive director of the Bicentennial Commission, smiled and said: “There’s no place except Ontario — actually all of Canada — which matches our enthusiasm and sentimentality for the War of 1812 as we do here in Maryland.”

Read Ellsworth Boyd's entire series of Wreck Chat blogs.