250 year old shipwreck discovered in Orkney gives up its secrets ⚓ Compelling evidence points to a shipwreck found off Sanday in February 2024 being a whaling ship, the Earl of Chatham. But diving deeper into the archives, researchers discovered that this ship had a previous life as a Royal Navy frigate, HMS Hind. This ship likely took part in some of the most significant events of the 18th century, including the conquest of Canada during the Seven Years’ War and the American Revolutionary War,