Wrecking history of the Bahamas

[whydahdiver]

Yes, it was in 1982 with Donny, a great guy. Port Royal is an amazing site!


WD

 

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[WRECKING]

"Salvage" dates back eons.

salvage (n.)
1640s, "payment for saving a ship from wreck or capture," from French salvage (15c.), from Old French salver "to save" (see save (v.)). The general sense of "the saving of property from danger" is attested from 1878. Meaning "recycling of waste material" is from 1918, from the British effort in World War I.

Thank you for the valuable contribution. I like this last description best. "recycling of waste material". It fits well into our modern time where more and more people become aware of the harm all the plastics and heavy metals cause to the environment. Although, we see little of what is hidden beneath the waves, the history is there, with all its good and evil remnants.

 

[WRECKING]

I conducted a full year of research for Clifford before we started digging, it is a fascinating story and better than any fiction. I have copies of Southhack's journal which I will try to post here if anyone is interested. I then became the principal archaeologist after returning from Port Royal as a grad student at Texas A&M, I'm the guy who gave the thumbs up as certifying we had found her, that was in 1984, next year we found the bell which shut up most doubters.

The Southhack journal is very interesting. I would love to read it again. Please post it.
With your research, did you come across any information of where the salvors or wreckers sold the recovered goods?

 

[WRECKING]

I have an interesting book titled "Lore of the wreckers". i can't remember if it goes into details of salvage in the Bahamas. I am not interested in selling my copy, but it is available on Amazon. At the very least, it might provide good background. https://www.amazon.com/Lore-wreckers-Birse-Shepard/dp/B0007E5ZA4

Thank you for the link. Such books often have an appendix that gives information about the sources of the information mentioned. Very useful.

 

[ARC]

I conducted a full year of research for Clifford before we started digging, it is a fascinating story and better than any fiction. I have copies of Southhack's journal which I will try to post here if anyone is interested. I then became the principal archaeologist after returning from Port Royal as a grad student at Texas A&M, I'm the guy who gave the thumbs up as certifying we had found her, that was in 1984, next year we found the bell which shut up most doubters.

I for one am interested.

 

[WRECKING]

Black Bart would be a resource on this... IMO.

I don't know who Black Bart is. How and where can I find him?

 

[WRECKING]

I found one year of the "Bahama Gazette" newspaper on the INTERNET ARCHIVE. A printout of the microfilms. Does anybody know where to find the other microfilms or printouts of all the old Bahamas newspapers?

 

[ARC]

I don't know who Black Bart is. How and where can I find him?

Currently he is out fishing... but i am sure will be along shortly... perhaps today... or soon.

once docked

 

[whydahdiver]

Those who removed goods from the beach did so under the radar so there is no real written record of what happened. I'll give the Southhack journal a shot soon. Where in Switzerland are you located?

WD

 

[WRECKING]

Those who removed goods from the beach did so under the radar so there is no real written record of what happened. I'll give the Southhack journal a shot soon. Where in Switzerland are you located?

WD

View attachment 1925841

I am right here, about 4000ft altitude. View attachment 1925841

 

[WRECKING]

Those who removed goods from the beach did so under the radar so there is no real written record of what happened. I'll give the Southhack journal a shot soon. Where in Switzerland are you located?

WD

There is a lot of talk about wrecking, but there seems to be little written direct evidence. I am trying to find newspaper notices about auction of salvaged goods or court decisions about quarrel between salvors or wreckers and ship owners.
Probably the wreckers were not writing a lot.
Do you have any advice about where on the internet I should look for this kind of stuff? As you see from my location, with travel seriously restricted because of covid, the net is the only way.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

"xaos" posted below (4/16/2021) a link to a newspaper archive on the Internets.

From that source:

Enquirer [Richmond, Virginia] 7 January 1813 (Vol. 9 #76)


​

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[WRECKING]

"xaos" posted below (4/16/2021) a link to a newspaper archive on the Internets.

From that source:

View attachment 1925848

Enquirer [Richmond, Virginia] 7 January 1813 (Vol. 9 #76)


​

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

Thanks, Old Bookaroo
This brings me to another problem to be solved. How many Cat Keys are there in the Bahamas? I know there is one near Bimini, and another larger one on the Atlantic side. Is there any record of names changing over the centuries?

 

[TRG]

Surely on the west side, Florida Straits:

The Bahama Banks and Gulf of Florida - Touchton Map Library

 

[FISHEYE]

Wrecking Florida keys wrecking history.

 

[Oceanscience]

Wrecking Florida keys wrecking history.

Excellent article.

 

[Rmeav8r]

The inhabitants of Green Turtle Cay in the Abaco islands of the Bahamas have a rich history of “wrecking” around their waters. There is a great history of first hand information that has passed down through the generations to the local population. I’ve been a regular visitor there for over 25 years and have heard many stories about the wrecking that was one of the main forms of income for the island’s inhabitants. The “wrecking tree” is a still famous location on the island where the goods from ships were brought after salvage. Like today the government would take possession and divide the proceeds with tax applied to the profits. Today “The wrecking tree” is a small cafe where I enjoy Cracked Conch and cold Kalik beer! The residents of Green Turtle Cay are friendly, honest and hard working folks. It’s my favorite place to spend a week or two each year. Hurricane Dorian destroyed many of the structures throughout the Abacos in September 2019 and 2020 was the Covid outbreak. They will again rise from the destruction as they have for centuries. Makes me wonder what treasures were uncovered after centuries of being trapped in the reefs.

 

[whydahdiver]

The British national archives are online now and you can find some great stuff there, the same is true now for many countries so if you have in mind a specific country or vessel give those a shot.


WD

 

[WRECKING]

https://ia800803.us.archive.org/15/items/wreckhunters00rolt/wreckhunters00rolt.pdf

 

[WRECKING]

The inhabitants of Green Turtle Cay in the Abaco islands of the Bahamas have a rich history of “wrecking” around their waters. There is a great history of first hand information that has passed down through the generations to the local population. I’ve been a regular visitor there for over 25 years and have heard many stories about the wrecking that was one of the main forms of income for the island’s inhabitants. The “wrecking tree” is a still famous location on the island where the goods from ships were brought after salvage. Like today the government would take possession and divide the proceeds with tax applied to the profits. Today “The wrecking tree” is a small cafe where I enjoy Cracked Conch and cold Kalik beer! The residents of Green Turtle Cay are friendly, honest and hard working folks. It’s my favorite place to spend a week or two each year. Hurricane Dorian destroyed many of the structures throughout the Abacos in September 2019 and 2020 was the Covid outbreak. They will again rise from the destruction as they have for centuries. Makes me wonder what treasures were uncovered after centuries of being trapped in the reefs.

Tank you for the great contribution.
Has anybody ever thought to collect and write down these stories? The wreckers memories are an important part of the patrimony of the country. A valuable treasure.