Of course, finding a shipwreck is a necessary prerequisite for finding artifacts. Many wreck locations are well known. Others are secrets, and many wrecks have yet to be discovered. The wrecking of the Adonis.
Research is the most productive method.
This will require visiting local libraries, historical societies, nautical museums and many other institutions. It means lots of reading and digging for information. Be prepared to spend some time looking. It's like searching for clues that aren't willing to be found. Once you have a suspect shipwreck, look thru old newspapers, journals and books to determine where it might have sunk, unless you already know this, it helps to determine not only where the ship is, but what might have happened to the passengers and crew and their cargo and possessions.