New to shipwrecks

TintedSnow

Full Member
Sep 25, 2016
143
147
Anchorage, Alaska
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800, White's Goldmaster
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All Treasure Hunting
I'm new to hunting shipwrecks. I am searching for a vessel called the Hitsap. It was captained by George or Gregory Dwargstof and was somewhere off the coast of Alaska in the early 1890's. I don't know if the names are correct, if the spelling is correct, what nationality it is, anything. Pretty vague. I can't find anything on the interwebs. I don't think it actually wrecked, but I still can't find any record of it. Help me, shipwreck gurus!
 

ropesfish

Bronze Member
Jun 3, 2007
1,190
1,997
Sebastian, Florida
Detector(s) used
A sharp eye, an AquaPulse and a finely tuned shrimp fork.
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
The Internet seems to agree with the spellings and that it was a theft and not a shipwreck:
https://www.cachecreektreasure.com/projects
Adak Island Project
It has been estimated that over one million dollars was buried on Adak Island by the captain of the Hitsap, a ship engaged in killing seals. Captain Gregory Dwargstof, of the Hitsap, had stolen this gold from the Sealing Association, of which he was a member, then buried it somewhere on Red Bluff Hill on Adak Island in 1892. Several coins have been found, but the $1,000,000 still waits to be uncovered.

https://dailyoddsandends.wordpress.com/tag/miners/

It has been estimated that over one million dollars was buried on Adak Island by the captain of the Hitsap, a ship engaged in killing seals. Captain Gregory Dwargstof, of the Hitsap, had stolen this gold from the Sealing Association, of which he was a member, then buried it somewhere on Red Bluff Hill on Adak Island in 1892. Several coins have been found, but the $1,000,000 still waits for some lucky treasure hunter.
 

OP
OP
TintedSnow

TintedSnow

Full Member
Sep 25, 2016
143
147
Anchorage, Alaska
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800, White's Goldmaster
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The Internet seems to agree with the spellings and that it was a theft and not a shipwreck:
https://www.cachecreektreasure.com/projects
Adak Island Project
It has been estimated that over one million dollars was buried on Adak Island by the captain of the Hitsap, a ship engaged in killing seals. Captain Gregory Dwargstof, of the Hitsap, had stolen this gold from the Sealing Association, of which he was a member, then buried it somewhere on Red Bluff Hill on Adak Island in 1892. Several coins have been found, but the $1,000,000 still waits to be uncovered.

https://dailyoddsandends.wordpress.com/tag/miners/

It has been estimated that over one million dollars was buried on Adak Island by the captain of the Hitsap, a ship engaged in killing seals. Captain Gregory Dwargstof, of the Hitsap, had stolen this gold from the Sealing Association, of which he was a member, then buried it somewhere on Red Bluff Hill on Adak Island in 1892. Several coins have been found, but the $1,000,000 still waits for some lucky treasure hunter.

Lol look at the website then look at my picture. I am the Cache Creek. It’s a project I’m working on.
 

Salvor6

Silver Member
Feb 5, 2005
3,755
2,169
Port Richey, Florida
Detector(s) used
Aquapulse, J.W. Fisher Proton 3, Pulse Star II, Detector Pro Headhunter, AK-47
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
Good luck finding it. Do you need any help?
 

Darren in NC

Silver Member
Apr 1, 2004
2,780
1,574
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Sand Shark, Homebuilt pulse loop
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
Is there any archival source on this? I find no mention of it before 2012.
 

OP
OP
TintedSnow

TintedSnow

Full Member
Sep 25, 2016
143
147
Anchorage, Alaska
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800, White's Goldmaster
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Is there any archival source on this? I find no mention of it before 2012.

Yeah, looks like it was a theft and not a wreck. I can't even find the ship anywhere online. It's stumping me. I'm not sure what country it belongs to, when it was in Alaska, nothing!
 

xaos

Bronze Member
Jul 3, 2018
1,063
2,302
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a $ million in gold from a sealing association?? Why on Earth would they have that much gold on hand??
 

CaptEsteban

Bronze Member
Jul 26, 2011
1,272
1,200
a $ million in gold from a sealing association?? Why on Earth would they have that much gold on hand??


Gold is a " speculative business ! " Many people hoard it while waiting for prices to increase. In the last 30 years, the price for a troy ounce of gold has fluctuated from approximately $250- $2000 !!
 

xaos

Bronze Member
Jul 3, 2018
1,063
2,302
Primary Interest:
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that is a lot of seals...

and a lot of sealers that did not get paid.
 

xaos

Bronze Member
Jul 3, 2018
1,063
2,302
Primary Interest:
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this treasure legend is found on many Alaska websites...

In 1892, $1 million face value of gold coins were buried on the island of Adak by illegal seal pirates. The coins were placed in small food tin cans cached in numerous shallow deposits near the shoreline of the island. Nearly all of the cans have yet to be recovered.
 

OP
OP
TintedSnow

TintedSnow

Full Member
Sep 25, 2016
143
147
Anchorage, Alaska
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800, White's Goldmaster
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yep. We tore into it a bit more. Had some breakthroughs.
 

Darren in NC

Silver Member
Apr 1, 2004
2,780
1,574
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Sand Shark, Homebuilt pulse loop
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
The coins were placed in small food tin cans cached in numerous shallow deposits near the shoreline of the island. Nearly all of the cans have yet to be recovered.

Tin cans? Shallow deposits? $1 million dollars?

This would be a detectorist's dream...an easy, lucrative target. And no one has bothered to find it yet? I smell a publisher who's better at selling stories than truth.
 

huntsman53

Gold Member
Jun 11, 2013
6,955
6,769
East Tennessee
Primary Interest:
Other
It reasons to imagine and understand that the shoreline where the cans of Gold were buried, is likely not where it was in the 1890's. It could now be under a little or a lot of water especially considering the massive snow and glacier melt that has occurred with rises in sea levels. Locating any possible markers or Lat/Long. readings of the original shoreline will likely be crucial in any adventure to locate the cans of Gold. The big problem with this other than having to snorkel or scuba dive to locate the treasure would be the high possibility that along with the rise in sea levels, that currents and wave action may have washed the cans of Gold out long ago. One might have to deploy Magnetometers from boats to possibly locate any of the treasure.
 

OP
OP
TintedSnow

TintedSnow

Full Member
Sep 25, 2016
143
147
Anchorage, Alaska
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800, White's Goldmaster
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Tin cans? Shallow deposits? $1 million dollars?

This would be a detectorist's dream...an easy, lucrative target. And no one has bothered to find it yet? I smell a publisher who's better at selling stories than truth.

Well here’s the kicker: they built a military base on top of where some of the coins have been found.
 

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