MIAMI – A dugout canoe that emerged on Florida’s Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian may not be North American in origin, experts say.

The norm is for ancient dugouts found in southern Florida to be linked to ancestors of the Calusa, the Seminole or the Miccosukee, according to the Florida Division of Historical Resources.

But this canoe differs from the hundreds of others found submerged in rivers and lakes across Florida.

“The canoe’s form is highly unusual in Florida and research is still ongoing to determine its origin,” the division wrote in a Sept. 12 Facebook post.

“Comparisons to similar vessels in the Caribbean suggest that it may have connections to that region. If this is proven, then this canoe may be considered a cayuco (a term used in Hispanic countries to distinguish a small dugout canoe typically for riverine or coastal navigation).”

State archaeologists recently completed conservation work on the canoe, but have yet to provide an estimated age.

The canoe was discovered in Fort Myers after Hurricane Ian in 2022. The storm brought “catastrophic storm surge along the southwest coast of Florida,” with inundation levels of 10 to 15 feet above ground level in Fort Myers Beach, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Archaeologists believe the surge “washed” the canoe from a riverbed in Fort Myers before a passerby reported it to state officials.

The canoe is about 9 feet long and made from a single tree trunk, officials say.

“Prehistoric canoes” have been found across the eastern half of the United States, but Florida remains the state where most have been recovered, state officials say.

“There are 450 canoes or log boats reported in over 200 recorded sites in Florida. Some are single canoes, others are groups of canoes, and a few sites have large numbers of canoes in close proximity,” the division says.

“The oldest canoes date to the Middle Archaic Period, ca. 6,000 to 7,000 years ago, but canoes from many time periods are known, including examples made by American Indians, Europeans, and American settlers.”

The canoes are often “extremely fragile” due to centuries spent underwater, and will rapidly deteriorate unless preserved, experts say.

Fort Myers is about a 125-mile drive south from Tampa.

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