The wrecked sailing vessel in Shimmering Flats

[busuan]

Probably everyone has seen it? There's a half buried boat in Shimmering Flats.
I wonder if there's a story or quest about it.

[somepeoplecallmemaurice]

Quoted from Wowwiki:

"It is suspected that ages ago, Thousand Needles was once a small inland sea, or perhaps even an inlet of the Great Sea. This explains the salt flat as well as why perhaps there are so many "needle" like mesas (once possibly islands). The cause for the sea's evaporation could be attributed to the sundering, which tore the ancient Kalimdor cleanly in two. A catastrophe such as this could easily have caused climate change.

Another theory states that a river with its source in Feralas, possibly Wildwind Lake flowed into the area that would become Thousand Needles. The river cut through the earth, carving the canyon and shaping the dramatic pinnacles that became the Thousand Needles. It was a verdant, forested land. The river emptied into a large inland sea in the east. When the Great Sundering occurred, the course of the river was altered and ceased to flow through what would become Thousand Needles. The forests died and the fertile soil became orange dust. The inland sea, without it's source of water, evaporated leaving a vast salt flat."

[Imrei]

Its AWESOME to see others are as curious about these things as I am :)

[KalziEast]

I think the first one's a better theory.

[ZulazeeYsera]

I think the first one's a better theory.

Speaking as a geologist, the second theory is actually better. That's still just "in my opinion" of course.

[KalziEast]

I don't see why a Geologist would post on the forums, but I guess I'll just have to take you at your word. I just think Theory number 1 seems like a better one.

[ChaosSaber]

Everyone plays WoW, and sometimes their real life knowledge can be applied to the game world to enlightening others.

[Gormash]

I have to agree with ZulazeeYsera.
It's very improbable that the pinacles should have ever been islands. The reason is the extremely steep slopes, almost vertical, on the majority. That kind of landscape would have been carved out through slow erotion by moving water.

Of course, it could be a combination.
the shimmering flats could have been a former lake with a river running into it throught the mesa area of Thousand Needles. That's account for the level of salt flats.

[Metatron]

What I wanna know is who forgot to move the boat when the lake / river drained? Bet the Captain was most annoyed when he staggered out of the pub the next day to notice the river gone... and his boat still there.... and the crew all looking sheepish trying to explain that Roger the Cabin Boy had lost the keys....