Padre Island, Treasure Capital

[cptbil]

I am going to be home in South Texas, near Padre Island for awhile!
So!
I Thought that I'd head over to Padre Island, during this time and to do some LOOKING !
Anyone care to come along
I usually, camp on the island for a few days to a week!
If I get my boat back into the water, I have several spots on Matagorda and St. Joe Islands that need to be checked out!
I might even dive on THAT NAZI "U BOT" ...
It's within range of my boat and diving gear!
Lots of ship wrecks, treasure, just laying around !!!!

 

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[Amona]

cptbill

Some day I would like to hunt with you, but I need to know if you agree.

Amona

 

[cptbil]

Are you referring to the above or out west ?

 

[daydreamer]

I am in the gulf right now, and It seems that Padre island would be a great place to find a lot of false targets as the gulf currents wash every pallet, and oil can and piece of flotsam from the oil industry towards that area. Happy hunting -- it will be work!

 

[Salvor6]

Hey Cptbil,
I wouldn't call Padre Is. the treasure capital. There is only 3 wrecks out there from the 1554 fleet. What would you call Vero Beach with 11 wrecks? The "treasure galaxy?" Or how about the Florida Keys with 22 wrecks from just one fleet (1733), the "treasure universe?" Get real.

 

[ScubaFinder]

Also don't forget that it is a FELONY to recover anything over 50 years old from submerged lands in Texas. They are serious down there, especially around the 3 known wrecks, but it is illegal everywhere off theTexas Coast....why do you think i moved to Florida?

Jason

 

[chris233]

there are more than 3 shipwrecks on padre island. if you count them all there might be around maybe more than 10 or 8 there are several.

 

[txkickergirl]

I know of 4 out of the Brownsville area from the 1500's-1800's There are atleast 3 more closer to the Corpus area.
It is very illegal to recover items from them, even if they wash up on shore. There are also not a lot of places anywhere around here where you can legally detect on the beach. Its either a national seashore or a state park and several of these place are not marked as such when you enter the beach, but that doesn't stop them from slapping you with a nice fine and yep.....they take your detector.

I would think the best luck you would have would be around the areas where the nueces river meets the gulf, but then again it depends on what exactly you are after.

 

[wreckdiver1715]

Also don't forget that it is a FELONY to recover anything over 50 years old from submerged lands in Texas. They are serious down there, especially around the 3 known wrecks, but it is illegal everywhere off theTexas Coast....why do you think i moved to Florida?

Jason

So Scubafinder, are you officially a resident of Cocoa Beach now?
That 50 year rule also applies in Florida as well, just tell them ya found it on the beach.
Getting ready to launch the shuttle in about 5 hours, you should see my choppers heading north up the beach to the Cape in a few minutes to clear the launch box.

PS I left Austin for Florida as well

Tom

 

[Peg Leg]

Tom,
I must say that this is closer than I have evey been to a Launch. I was about 1.5 miles from Pad 39.
When they put a match to this Rocket the light was so bright it actually blinded me for a few seconds and the sound was so loud and the ground shook even harder that I expected. I had ny wife and 4 year old Grandson. My Brother In Law had Special Tickets that put us about .5 miles in front of the News Media.
I saw the Choppers flying around and wondered if you were in one of them. I also saw the Machine Guns sticking out the side.
I believe that one of the choopers was a Gunship.
HAZMET was sitting just in front of me along with a SWAT TEAM.
I really enjoyed it BUT sitting in a wheelchair for 4 hours is a bit to much.
Peg Leg

 

[ScubaFinder]

Yep Tom, I'm in Canavrel actually, but close enough. I had a 6 mile view of Pad 39, we got some great rumbling and a really cool view from Cape Marina. Wish i was as close as Don, but it was really cool.

 

[sandman67]

Welcome to Cocoa Beach Tom or should I say Cape Canaveral. I live in Avon by the Sea which is between Cape Canaveral and the city of Cocoa Beach. I moved here from Atlanta ten years ago wanting to work on a treasure boat but I just dented seem to meet the write people, and now being married with two small kids I have less time. I have a house so maybe I should quit farting around and buy a boat, throw it in my yard,tell my wife to kiss my butt and start building a treasure boat.
Phil,

 

[diverlynn]

We also watched the launch, not as close as some of you but we found a good reason to tip a few.
Below is one of our "weekend warriors", on the top deck of the Polly L. Really a Kodak moment if I do say so myself.

Diverlynn

 

[S.TexasKevin]

Seems it sorta got a little off topic.
I for one would like to get with you one day cptbil.
I found out through my lil sis, your just up the bend from me.

 

[cptbil]

Actually!, There are TEN! (10) Ships associated with the "1554 Silver Fleet !
They are roughly, in a line, and, about one mile apart !
The "first" of the Ten ! starts at the Jetty at Mansfield Pass, at about a 45* angle (north)and 1/4 mile off the end of the jetty!
In about 30 foot of water!
From there, "The Fleet", runs north, for about, 10 miles !
How do I know ?
I have a copy of the State Arch. Survey Map !
"It", Shows all of the locations (1o) and the "wash" area, where the coins/silver discs and bars, wash up on shore!
It also, identifies, what is on each of the ten ships,
IE: silver coins...silver bars, silver disc, etc !
The reason the Number Three is being brought up.....
IS!
Because that was the number of Ships that the "Treasure Salvors" (Co) found and dove on!
And!
Got into trouble with the State!
Some !
Of...
Their "Finds" are on displayed at the Museum in Corpus Christi !

 

[rowdybug]

To answer your initail question, my brother in law would love to go hunt that area with you. he is ready...scuba gear and all...

 

[cptbil]

Well!
OK!
Here's the deal !
1...I expect, that since he already has "SCUBA" equipment, that he is, or! Has experience, as an "Open Water Diver" ?
AND!
Not "spooked" by an occasional curious shark ?
Of! Which, along the shoreline, there are "Schools" of them!
2...That as a "partner", he is willing to share any of the operating expenses involved ?
AND!
3...
THREE! That he is available, having what ever time is needed/required!
I do not operate during the weekends!
That's when all of the world is out there!
I'll be operating during the week, usually, tues/wed/thurs, etc!

 

[ecastro111]

Hi CptBill,

You are completely right in regards to the 1554 wrecks. There are even more wreck sites than that. Why else do you think they brought the feds in to make that area a national park and what is not a national park they have established a state park. The state Antiquity laws have been so strict and so good at their job that they have managed to keep most of treasure hunting community ignorant of this. EDITED by Moderator wreckdiver1715 - Personal attacks not tolerated
surveys maybe?

 

[chris233]

well for you guys that don't know when you are on the beach where to go. just go to matamoros and go to the beach. the beach there is called bagdad and i used to live there just moved to mcallen texas about 3 yrs ago but still have my house in matamoros where my mom lives at. once you reach the beach on the matamoros side just go all the way north till you hit the mouth of the river and i'm pretty sure there could be alot of caches down there.

 

[ecastro111]

Hey Chris233,

There would be good areas on both sides of the river's mouth. The river changed course in the late 1800's and split what was once the town of Bagdad. The only thing that would worry me on the Mexican side are the soldiers patroling the area. On the American side is a state park which would make it a little risky. I've spotted the game warden on occasion when fishing. Go on your own risk...

Good Luck,
Ernie