Mound of bolders from a 16th centry spanish ship.

OP
OP
hmmm

hmmm

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yes
 

ropesfish

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Depending on the period, design and size of the ship and the amount of her cargo and the way the ballast was deposited, somewhere between non-existent and (the length x the beam) of the ship or stones scattered for hundreds of feet or yards..or a few miles.
A heavily loaded ship would offload ballast and load cargo deep in the hold. The ballast master would be in charge of this activity, weighed everything that was loaded and everything that was unloaded. Weight, balance and trim are important. Lots of heavy cargo = not much ballast.
If the ship struck a reef that tore her worm-eaten bottom out under a light breeze and stopped her forward progress, she might go down in a heap with a beautiful oval ballast pile, or she might have struck a submerged object 14 miles off the Pacific Coast of Panama and spilled her ballast and cargo for a dozen miles.
Western-Ledge-Fig_6.jpg


Diver-and-Ballast-Pile.jpg

Mainballastpilecannons.jpg
 

OP
OP
hmmm

hmmm

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The pile is identical to this picture you posted.
Western-Ledge-Fig_6.jpg
 

OP
OP
hmmm

hmmm

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I have divers with cameras at the end of june, pictures to come.
 

Au_Dreamers

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From The Treasure Diver's Guide

The 1733 El Capitan's ballast pile is 100 by 40 feet in area, and rises 5 feet or more in height.
 

OP
OP
hmmm

hmmm

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Good luck, sir! We hope you find a big pile of treasures!

I wish , in Canada if you find a ship with treasure you have to leave it for the pirates to loot and sell on the black market.
 

ropesfish

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I wish , in Canada if you find a ship with treasure you have to leave it for the pirates to loot and sell on the black market.

While I would never, ever advocate pirating in the US, I hold no allegiance and owe no obeyance to the government of Canada. Therefore, might I suggest this?
Pirate_Flag_of_Jack_Rackham.svg.png

and this

pirate kreighoff.jpg
 

ivan salis

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the size of the ship and what all it was carrying as cargo had a lot to do with how much ballast stone was carried ---there of course average / typical amounts --but a ships Capt wanted to move as much paying cargo as possible --so if possible -- stones would be dumped over the side when paying cargo was aroundto replace it ---thus the old sea Capt's saying if he thought little of your sea going skiils or usefulness -- "well we'll carry em for ballast"
 

huntsman53

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the size of the ship and what all it was carrying as cargo had a lot to do with how much ballast stone was carried ---there of course average / typical amounts --but a ships Capt wanted to move as much paying cargo as possible --so if possible -- stones would be dumped over the side when paying cargo was aroundto replace it ---thus the old sea Capt's saying if he thought little of your sea going skiils or usefulness -- "well we'll carry em for ballast"

Hard to determine the size of a ship that shipwrecked from a pile of ballast bones!!:icon_scratch:
 

ivan salis

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if its a big pile of ballast stones likely its a larger type vessel -- bigger vessels needed "more ballast" to prevent their large sides from catching the wind and rolling them over
 

ivan salis

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bigger ship typically equals bigger ballast pile ..
 

OP
OP
hmmm

hmmm

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Any body know how long a anchor will last in salt water.
 

OP
OP
hmmm

hmmm

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there was a huge anchor found near the ballast rocks but it was taken 40 years ago.
 

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