Renowned archaeologist Robert Grenier, known for his groundbreaking work in underwater exploration, has passed away. Grenier is credited with the discovery of the Basque whaling ship San Juan in Red Bay, Labrador in the 1970s. The ship, which sunk around 1565, was located based on information provided by a researcher at the time.
In an interview with CBC Radio’s show “The Broadcast,” Grenier described the exhilarating experience of exploring the wreck, likening it to uncovering a snapshot of the 16th century in Red Bay. Born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec in 1937, Grenier earned a master’s degree in classics from Laval University before joining Parks Canada, where he became a trailblazer in the field of underwater archaeology.
Grenier passed away on January 3 in Gatineau, Quebec at the age of 88. He first learned about the San Juan in 1974 through a note from researcher Selma Barkham, who had been conducting archival research in Spain. Barkham’s meticulous work pinpointed the exact location where the San Juan had sunk in 1565.
Despite initially being occupied with researching the British ship HMS Sapphire in Bay Bulls, Newfoundland, Grenier’s team eventually located the wreck of the San Juan in Red Bay in 1978 after just a few days of searching. Grenier emphasized that the vessel, unlike the Titanic, was well-preserved in the cold, icy waters of the North.
Red Bay town manager Keith Pike, who was 11 years old when the discovery was made, fondly remembers Grenier and his team’s arrival in the community. Grenier, described as a good person who treated everyone with respect, made a lasting impact with his work. Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial archaeology office hailed Grenier as a key figure in underwater archaeology and conservation.
Grenier’s legacy includes leading government-funded expeditions in the Arctic to locate Sir John Franklin’s lost ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. He was honored as an officer of the Order of Canada in 2004 and chaired a UNESCO scientific committee on the protection of underwater cultural heritage. The survey of the San Juan wreck facilitated the construction of a replica vessel, set to sail for Labrador in 2027.