A digging we will go...

[barney]

Some video a friend shot of our dives this past weekend on a wreck in the Gulf of Mexico. We were doing some airlifting in an attempt to help identify this heavily sanded in wreck. Unfortunately, nothing definitive was found - some bottles, a brass/copper oiler, a broken chamber pot (English ironstone), and some other interesting pieces came up.



Cheers,
Mike
Association of Underwater Explorers
http://uwex.us

 

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[rgecy]

Mike,

As always, thats awesome! I always love to see your footage and the latest adventures.

So any idea on the date of the wreck?

Robert

 

[Monty]

Have you looked it up to see what wreck it might be? Any photos of the finds out of the water? Monty

 

[ecastro111]

That is just so cool

 

[Mr.Jody]

I had problems breathing watching that vid.....

 

[barney]

Its a stern-wheel paddle steamer, probably sunk very early 1900s. A gauge found with an 1898 date on it helped to date it. These vessels were fairly common in Florida rivers in the 1800s and early 1900s -- however, what is odd about this is this wreck is upside down and 30 miles offshore. These were not bluewater vessels (shallow draft, flat bottom), so we are trying to figure out how this got out here. Thus far, archival research and discussions with steamboat historians have yielded zip as to potential suspect vessels.

Mike

 

[ivan salis]

early steam age vessel --with the the 1898 dated gauge on her --SHE MUST HAVE SANK IN OR AFTER 1898 AND SHE WOULD HAVE TO BEEN BUILT IN OR BEFORE 1898 so thats a starting point records wize ( a steam stern paddle wheel vessel built in or before 1898 and sank in or after 1898) ----she might be a illegall gun runner * -- some folks in florida ran arms to the cuban resistance against the spanish (long before america got invovled in the spanish american water) and they used whatever vessel they could get to do it -- napolen broward was just such a man * -- you are correct -- a flat bottomed stern drive paddle wheel steam ship of that era was basically a coastal trader / passenger type vessel --and should not have been out in "open" blue water --maybe a storm disabled her and she drifted out to sea with her flooding and rolling over --with no radios in those day unless someone "saw" you in distress and helped out --- you were on yer own *

 

[allen_idaho]

What is the general area where the wreck is located? It might be a bit more helpful in pinpointing a possible identification of the wreck.

 

[pcolaboy]

Brain gas time for the possibilities:

1. Vessel was damaged at some point or needed retrofitting that its owners felt were not worth the expense and the ship was taken out to be scuttled. (There are a few examples of this in the Pensacola area alone)

2. Vessel was being towed along the coast for repairs but a storm came up that made her too dangerous for the towing vessel. She was cut loose and driven offshore to meet her demise.

3. Vessel was berthed or moored inshore and was carried out to sea due to wind/tide.

4. Vessel was used as an early naval artillery target ship

Just some ideas.

Pcola

 

[Salvor6]

Pcola, I dived this wreck 2 years ago. Here are the numbers: N25*- 53.320', W82*- 17.510' or about 30 miles due west of Marco Island. I rule out your reasons because 1. there is cargo on board. No one would scuttle a ship with cargo. 2. is possible. 3. is out because the nearest port around the turn of the century was over 50 miles away. 4. is out (see #1). I think it got caught out in the Gulf during a storm and sank.
Barney, how did you manage to get a dredge permit?

 

[pcolaboy]

Pcola, I dived this wreck 2 years ago. Here are the numbers: N25*- 53.320', W82*- 17.510' or about 30 miles due west of Marco Island. I rule out your reasons because 1. there is cargo on board. No one would scuttle a ship with cargo. 2. is possible. 3. is out because the nearest port around the turn of the century was over 50 miles away. 4. is out (see #1). I think it got caught out in the Gulf during a storm and sank.
Barney, how did you manage to get a dredge permit?

Oh ok cool. There wasnt any information in the post about cargo being onboard. That certainly does rule out most of mine. Oh well.

Pcola

 

[barney]

Thanks for the responses. I was simply posting the video to entertain other list members. I have a pretty good grasp on how to research and date shipwrecks. FWIW, the best hypothesis that this vessel was lost during a storm as she is upside down and due to the fact she has equipment and items onboard that indicate she was not stripped and sunk.
This wreck has been a curiousity for 5-6 years since we have been diving her. Steamboat historians we have talked to love it, as its a rare chance to see a wreck of a period sternwheeler, as most examples of these vessels rest in rivers with rather crappy visibility, so you only see a couple feet at a time (if that).
Cheers,
Mike