Wood takes a very long time to saturate enough to properly sink. A partially-floating log in the ocean is sometimes called a "deadhead" log (supposedly named be

Wood takes a very long time to saturate enough to properly sink. A partially-floating log in the ocean is sometimes called a "deadhead" log (supposedly named because the bobbing motion of the lighter end of the log resembles a human head, but this feels apocryphal). I cannot find reliable sources for how long it takes for a log to fully saturate with seawater before sinking below the surface. Some sailors have reported seeing the "same" deadhead for over a decade. (While the deadhead is still at- or close-to-the-surface, it is a major hazard for boats. Deadheads have been known to punch through boat keels and destroy propellers and other equipment.) After the logs become fully submerged and settle, I do not believe that they decompose rapidly, but (again) cannot find reliable sources. The state of Florida has a licensed program for "Deadhead Logging"[0], but much of the content I've found about that program is specific to river ecosystems, not oceans. A 2020 article entitled "First evidence of microbial wood degradation in the coastal waters of the Antarctic"[1] offers a few nice quotes: > Wood submerged in saline and oxygenated marine waters worldwide is efficiently degraded by crustaceans and molluscs. > Our results establish that there is ongoing wood degradation also in the Antarctic, albeit at a vastly reduced rate compared to warmer environments. Historical shipwrecks resting on the seafloor are most likely still in good condition, although surface details such as wood carvings, tool marks, and paint slowly disintegrate due to microbial decay. [0] https://floridadep.gov/water/submerged-lands-environmental-resources-coordination/content/deadhead-logging https://floridadep.gov/water/submerged-lands-environmental-r... [1] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-68613-y https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-68613-y