Spanish shipwrecks off of Oregon coast

[wildmandan]

my brother and I stumbled upon multiple hand carved river rocks that had been relocated at some time to Falcon Cove among other means of identifying a trail of which we could follow no further than where a few homes are built and we have never been able to pick up any markings on the other side of the homes, based on the terrain my thoughts are that the trail does continue higher but as said we have not been able to locate any further markings, either trees have died or were removed, erosion may have covered other rock markings, etc...but based on what we have found there someone clearly was trying to mark something. there is multiple little streams in the immediate area but the rocks would have been moved a considerable distance in my opinion.

In addition I have spent literally hundreds of hours physically searching the Neakanie Mountain area and have done extensive research and I have no reason to believe that any treasure is still in that location (this is not a cryptic message like many i have read leading someone to think I may have found it), i have searched from the shoreline to the highway prior to the housing development being built and above the highway (most of my searching has been above the highway)

 

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[mariner]

Jeffro,

Do you have any details about gold coins found near Coos Bay. There are lots of anecdotes about coins found along the Oregon coast, but very few have any proper basis.

The 76 on the beeswax piece is not part of the number 1769. I have examined this piece several times and a number 9 would not fit into the space. Also, although the date of the wood block found on Manzanita Beach was cited by the laboratory was 1620, examination of their detailed analysis shows that there is four times the chance that it is from the latter half of the 16th century. Due to an anomaly in the accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere at that time, carbon dates around 350BP actually have two possible AD dates associated with them. Lots of the carbon dating results of the beeswax have also placed it in the 16th century, and that may be why no cannons have ever been found around the wreck. Spanish ships in the Pacific were not armed until after Cavendish captured the Santa Ana in 1587. The team that I described in an earlier posting have now started their search at Nehalem. They report finding five offshore targets, which may be parts of the wreck, or might include other ships. There was a brief report in the Oregonian about a week ago, but as I am away from home at the moment, I do not have details of it.

Will provide more info when I get home.

Mariner

 

[Jeffro]

The information I have on the coins off Coos bay would fall in the anecdotal category, too. I have no first hand information, unfortunately. A friend at work was born and raised there (he's 50 or so) and when I brought up the subject one time, he confirmed seeing a coin that came from there.


What do the two of you think about the theory that the markings are actually part of an old-world survey, rather than a treasure hoard?

 

[Jeffro]

Here's a couple links you all might be interested in-

http://www.dightonrock.com/gavinsfantalyland.htm

Scroll halfway down the page to "Oregon junk"


and this one-

http://www.captainrick.com/Beeswaxwreck.htm

 

[wildmandan]

[


What do the two of you think about the theory that the markings are actually part of an old-world survey, rather than a treasure hoard?
[/quote]

definitely possible, I have had this discussion even with the Falcon Cove markings that I found..but there is too many reasons for me to believe that the Falcon Cove markings are of another nature.

 

[Jeffro]

Can you elaborate without giving away too much?

 

[elkman13]

There is a fellow in Depot Bay area. A founder of the Drake Society. Do a goggle and his story comes up. He knows more about Oregon coast than any one I ever met. Most coins he guessed are trade items. I’m sure the natives told all the stories the white men wanted to hear (just add fire water.) ALSO you better think twice maybe four ore five time before you think about diving off the Oregon Washington coast. Your ideas maybe short lived.

 

[imafishingnutt]

There is a fellow in Depot Bay area. A founder of the Drake Society. Do a goggle and his story comes up. He knows more about Oregon coast than any one I ever met. Most coins he guessed are trade items. I’m sure the natives told all the stories the white men wanted to hear (just add fire water.) ALSO you better think twice maybe four ore five time before you think about diving off the Oregon Washington coast. Your ideas maybe short lived.

I Live in depoe bay and people dive here all the time
its the inexperienced who get killed

 

[imafishingnutt]

Does anyone have any information about the either of the alleged Spanish shipwrecks off of the Oregon coast. One is nicknamed the Beeswax wreck. The other one, I cannot find much information on either. Anything would be helpful. Thanks.

Why do you want to know.
I know of the bees wax one and the elleged other wreck as well that is in fact not elleged it is true
I know of a cave found on the oregon coast not long ago with two human remains in it and some
King george artifacts.
the cave cannot be accessed by foot.
But i was just wondering and not to be rude but why do you think we would be willing to volentier this info.
it would be nice if we knew why you wanted to know this info.
the cave has not yet been revieled to the public,

 

[Highwater]

Until recently I lived on the Oregon coast, just south of the Nehalem, Manzanita area. My brother and I came across an old gentleman a few years ago that had a first hand story of a Spanish ship buried in the sand in that area. The ship was uncovered during a storm in apx 1908. The only thing is, the coastline has changed a lot and the ship is now nowhere near the water, but about 1/3 mile (or more) inland. The fellow we came across had some info and a photo of a "witness" tree that was used to mark the location of the ship.
My brother and I got copies of all the info and made a search for this ship and we believe we came very close to the location. We had even arranged to have a friend of mine bring in his ground penetrating radar to help with the search. I scanned the area with one of my 'fluxgate' magnetometers but didn't get any hits in the area. If I would have had a proton mag I think I may have had a better chance. Once we found the apx location we determined the property to belong to the state. Had it been found on private land we would have continued the search, but trying to deal with the state on such a venture would have been to much hassle so we called it off.
I can tell you though, this story is supposed to be documented in the Portland newspaper and if I remember correctly it was printed sometime around 1908. The guy that found the ship and his son tried to dig into the ship. As the son decended down into it the sand caved in and he was killed. The old man never went back, but did mark the spot, using the witness tree and measurments. He had passed this info on to the old gentleman we had met, that told us the story and provided us with some copies of all the info he had on it, as well as a photo of the tree and a description. He has since passed away. My brother passed a couple months ago and the "info package" that he was holding is no longer available. I do know of one other fellow that may possibly still have some of this printed information.?
If someone is willing to do some research in the Portland newspaper archives for around 1908 you should be able to locate the article that was written about the discovery of this vessel.
Ever since I was a kid I was aware of many of the stories and legends of the treasure hunt for the Neakanie treasure, the beeswax, ect. There are still pieces of furniture and other items in that area that were crafted from some of the wood that came from one of the wrecks mentioned earlier in this thread. There has also been tons of wax salvaged from the beach over the years, whenever the sand is cut from the beach. They didn't just find a few pieces like the one pictured, but actually tons of the stuff have been removed from the beach.
I also know of a guy that used to search around old indian camps in the area. He has told me about many Spanish items he had found in his search. One that stands out in my mind is an old spanish pistol that had barnacles on it. The camp he was searching is up on a hill, some distance from the beach, only much further south than the above mentioned area.
If anyone comes across the old newpaper article, please let me know. I have always been and will continue to be interested in any information about this area.

 

[hmmm]

imafishingnutt , can you tell me more about the cave with king george stuff in it?

 

[Old Bookaroo]

I just learned about Bill Merritt's 2006 book A Fool's Gold; A Story of Ancient Spanish Treasure, Two Pounds of Pot, and the Young Lawyer Almost Left Holding the Bag. It is the story of Grady Jackson and his Quixotic quest to find the Neahkanmie treasure.

I have acquired a copy and will post a review after I've made the time to read it.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo