The remains of a British whaling ship lost for 171 years have been found off the Kure Atoll in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.

A team of maritime archaeologist discovered the shipwreck Wednesday during an exploratory dive, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration press release.

Equipped with a hand-drawn map, a handheld GPS, historical charts and notes, the archaeologist located the spot where the Gledstanes was believed to have sunk in 1837.

"After preliminary surface surveys, one dive and there it was," wrote Dee O'Regan of the National Maritime Historical Society in the team's daily mission blog.

Divers came upon a pile of iron ballast and some chain, which led them to a part of the reef where more pieces of the ship were found.

Explorers believe that the artifacts, which include four massive anchors, cannons and cannonballs, belong to the Gledstanes, a British whaler that was lost due to extremely rough seas.