Bahamas

[Blue Water]

What about exploratory regulations/permits?? It sounds like you can look all you want in the Bahamas without a permit, as long as you dont have anything in your posession or bring anything ashore.

 

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[wreckdiver1715]

As I understand it, you only need to have a permit to salvage any wreck in the Bahamas you may find. Most of the search for a specific wreck will be done on dry land in old libraries and cemeteries.
Today is one of those library kinda days. The wind is howling out of the south with the occasional squall line moving through with lots of rain. I guess once TD16 has moved on we will be able to get back onto the water and the beaches.
Made the trek out to "Preachers Cave" yesterday, and hunted the beaches on the north shore of Eleuthera adjacent to the Devils Backbone reefs. We took lots of pictures, but we forgot the cable for the camera to computer hookup, so no pictures until I get back to Florida next week.
lets hope the weather clears soon...

UPDATE: It's now Tropical Storm Nicole...

 

[captbonnie]

Sounds good! Hope the weather clears for you.

Used to go on picnics to Preachers Cave - thought I had it one day - started pulling up small coins out of a hole - then noticed a perfect place for someone to hang their pants up just above the hits - all modern US pocket change - just a tourist and not the Eleutheran Adventures skinny dipping

Have you heard about the cave with the "be-headed" skeletons - I am still trying to find it.
Hatchet Bay cave is my favorite - beautiful cave -
Get in touch sometime - we are in Vero Beach hope to take the boat to Eleuthera Dec. trouble is winter diving like here those Atlantic swells

here's a link - http://www.discover-eleuthera-bahamas.com/eleuthera-island.html

Bonnie

 

[wreckdiver1715]

Bonnie, I was just talking to Theresa about how cool it would be to be raised in a place like this. It's hard to describe in words how life on this island is to someone who has never been here. This time we decided to rent a house down in Palmetto Point for this our fourth trip to the Bahamas in the last two years.
The weather from the tropical depression looks like its going to mess up yet another day for us on this trip. Oh well! my web developers have put my new treasure hunting website on the testing server, so I can at least be semi productive today while we wait for the weather to clear.

Tom

 

[Dell Winders]

There are thousands of shipwrecks of every description and vintage in Bahamian waters. Now, with the lifting of the Shipwreck moratorium the focus is on Shipwrecks that were transporting Treasure. These types of shipwrecks are not going to be easy to find, and sort out from the thousands of other shipwrecks using conventional methods.

Magnetometers are a great tool, but Salvors are aware that a mag survey is time and fuel consuming, and much more expensive to conduct in the Bahamas. Side scan Sonar is a very useful tool, but unless you know where to search, and there are distinct anomalies on or above the sea floor it too is an ineffective tool.

It's not often you find cannon or anchor to identify a wreck site in the Bahamas, as these were recovered and sold as scrap metal for the war effort. It's rare to find large ballast piles, and those which are there are often camouflaged with algae and dead coral making it difficult to recognize even when swimming directly over.

Shifting Sand is a big factor searching for Treasure in the Bahamas. It often conceals all evidence of a shipwreck. I know, I've spent weeks magging a remote area in the Bahamas searching for a suspected wreck, found it, put a marker bouy on the anchor, and had to hightail it out of there because of a hurricane heading my way. No GPS in those days, loran was totally inaccurate, and no visible landmarks for compass coordinates.

A storm uncovered cannons on a reef at Spanish Wells, that had not been seen for 25 years. 3 days later they had completely covered by sand again. The "Baltic" found nearly intact at Spanish Wells by Nick Malis, had sank and totally covered by sand. Only a pole sticking out of the sand gave imagination to the possibility of an intact shipwreck below.

There will be strong currents, thunderstorms, water spouts, and some big predators to contend with in some areas of the Bahamas. Bob Marx, was bitten by a big Mako at Great Issac. I had several encounters with Drug Smugglers. Where there is Treasure, there will be well armed Pirates. So be prepared.

The photo below is an example of a shipwrecks below the sand. I found this wreck a Mores Island using a simple non-conventional tool. I had no metal detector, and the Iron anomalies I am digging were completely covered by sand with no visible evidence of anything below the sand.

I hope to see you in the Bahamas. Dell

 

[cornelis 816]

Tom , I am convinced that the stern castle is still there . It is not simply a question of scanning with a sidescan or magnetometer . By now the rests of the sterncastle is well under a layer of sand . It is more like a detective investigation . Using the conditions of the time of sinking . The current , the wind direction and the profile of the bottom . Taking all this in consideration it should put the sterncastle within your reach . Cornelius

 

[Shawmen]

There are thousands of shipwrecks of every description and vintage in Bahamian waters. Now, with the lifting of the Shipwreck moratorium the focus is on Shipwrecks that were transporting Treasure. These types of shipwrecks are not going to be easy to find, and sort out from the thousands of other shipwrecks using conventional methods.

Magnetometers are a great tool, but Salvors are aware that a mag survey is time and fuel consuming, and much more expensive to conduct in the Bahamas. Side scan Sonar is a very useful tool, but unless you know where to search, and there are distinct anomalies on or above the sea floor it too is an ineffective tool.

It's not often you find cannon or anchor to identify a wreck site in the Bahamas, as these were recovered and sold as scrap metal for the war effort. It's rare to find large ballast piles, and those which are there are often camouflaged with algae and dead coral making it difficult to recognize even when swimming directly over.

Shifting Sand is a big factor searching for Treasure in the Bahamas. It often conceals all evidence of a shipwreck. I know, I've spent weeks magging a remote area in the Bahamas searching for a suspected wreck, found it, put a marker bouy on the anchor, and had to hightail it out of there because of a hurricane heading my way. No GPS in those days, loran was totally inaccurate, and no visible landmarks for compass coordinates.

A storm uncovered cannons on a reef at Spanish Wells, that had not been seen for 25 years. 3 days later they had completely covered by sand again. The "Baltic" found nearly intact at Spanish Wells by Nick Malis, had sank and totally covered by sand. Only a pole sticking out of the sand gave imagination to the possibility of an intact shipwreck below.

There will be strong currents, thunderstorms, water spouts, and some big predators to contend with in some areas of the Bahamas. Bob Marx, was bitten by a big Mako at Great Issac. I had several encounters with Drug Smugglers. Where there is Treasure, there will be well armed Pirates. So be prepared.

The photo below is an example of a shipwrecks below the sand. I found this wreck a Mores Island using a simple non-conventional tool. I had no metal detector, and the Iron anomalies I am digging were completely covered by sand with no visible evidence of anything below the sand.

I hope to see you in the Bahamas. Dell

GREAT post Dell and thanks for the pic!! That's why I was trying to get you to get your pics back out here again from "back in da day" a few months back...You've probably got more mask time down there then anyone here...PLEASE consider getting another thread going here with your pics and insight from back in the 60's and 70's...Very interesting AND informative to say the least!!

 

[divewrecks]

PLEASE consider getting another thread going here with your pics and insight from back in the 60's and 70's...

Consider this another vote in favor of a Bahamas classic diving thread. Hope you are doing well Dell.

Stan

 

[Dell Winders]

Cannon balls at North Rock, Bimini. Dell

 

[Dell Winders]

BLOCKADE RUNNER at LOWER SAMPHIRES, BAHAMAS:

The story is that it was being chased by a Federal ship during the darkness of night and the Captain misjudged the channel to safety to get behind the reef and ended up plowing into the reef. It was reported to be carrying $50,000 in Gold.

It appears to me that the Bow broke off and the ship drifted back into deep water 60-70 feet, before it sank. Dell

 

[Alexandre]

Nice photographs. We have some like them, here in Portugal, of bronze cannons being salvaged in the 60´s and being scrapped for metal. Now, without them to mark shipwreck sites, we will be hard pressed to find them.

Also, all that old divers have to show are rusty old bits of iron, greenish bronze ship fittings, blackened silver coins and piles or iron rust.

 

[Red_desert]

As I understand it, you only need to have a permit to salvage any wreck in the Bahamas you may find. Most of the search for a specific wreck will be done on dry land in old libraries and cemeteries.
Today is one of those library kinda days. The wind is howling out of the south with the occasional squall line moving through with lots of rain. I guess once TD16 has moved on we will be able to get back onto the water and the beaches.
Made the trek out to "Preachers Cave" yesterday, and hunted the beaches on the north shore of Eleuthera adjacent to the Devils Backbone reefs. We took lots of pictures, but we forgot the cable for the camera to computer hookup, so no pictures until I get back to Florida next week.
lets hope the weather clears soon...

UPDATE: It's now Tropical Storm Nicole...

That's sounding more like a get-away dream vacation, good luck Wreckdiver!

 

[cornelis 816]

How about :
Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza . 12 miles North of Memory rock . There were survivors so the wreck must be there .
Barcelona .2-3 miles North of West end ( Woods Cay area ).
La Juneta . Same area as the Barcelona .
El Capitan . one and a half miles Southeastof Southern cay.
Santa Clara . Los Mimbres North of Memory rock
Santa Catalina . New Channel.
Jesus Maria . New Channel .
Santisima Trinidad . New Channel .
El Espititu Santo . Mimbres Shoals .
Nuestra Senora de la Maravilla . 10 miles North of Memory rock .
Argonauta . Mantanilla Reef .
Etc . Etc. Etc .

 

[Dell Winders]

Nice photographs. We have some like them, here in Portugal, of bronze cannons being salvaged in the 60´s and being scrapped for metal. Now, without them to mark shipwreck sites, we will be hard pressed to find them.

Also, all that old divers have to show are rusty old bits of iron, greenish bronze ship fittings, blackened silver coins and piles or iron rust.

Most of the Bahamas shallow water shipwrecks are also devoid of cannon & anchor because they were salvaged for scrap metal used in the war effort.

It is not often that I even bothered removing an Iron anomaly from the water unless some historic significance could be placed on it. I did collect, and place a few hundred Iron, copper, lead, & bronze artifacts, and a cannon for an underwater movie set and left them there when we were finished filming. Years afterward I would hear reports of this shipwreck being found at the location. I would love to see the expressions on an academic Ivory tower archaeologist face, trying to figure that one out.

I recovered this Iron 1803 British Carronade from South West Reef, 7 miles from New Providence Bahamas, by my self, with an 18 ft outboard motor boat. I spent 8 months leaching it in a mild acid bath, and another 5 months filling the pores, and coating it with Mossy Zinc. Then donated it to the Bahamas.

So tell me Alexandre, how many cannon have you brought up, and preserved all by yourself, without any help or financial assistance?? Don't knock American Treasure Hunters before you get to know them. Dell

 

[Alexandre]

So tell me Alexandre, how many cannon have you brought up, and preserved all by yourself, without any help or financial assistance?? Don't knock American Treasure Hunters before you get to know them. Dell

Well, Dell, I would have to say only one - a French culverin from the reign of Francis I (1515-1547):

http://museu-angra.azores.gov.pt/museu-aberto/003_museu-aberto.pdf

We took it from 131 feet deep and I personally conserved it with 50 kg of citric acid that I borrowed from the local soda plant.

I also lifted two guns from the HMS Pallas (1782), but took then into the water again - I see no need to bring iron guns to the surface:


http://nautarch.tamu.edu/shiplab/01monteiro/SJorge-Pallas04.htm

http://pg.azores.gov.pt/drac/cca/caa/ver.aspx?id=17

http://repository.tamu.edu/handle/1969.1/3765

 

[VOC]

What were you doing stealing from and desecrating the wreck of H.M.S. Pallas ?, don’t you know that is a Sovereign Vessel of the UK Government. !

Nice French gun though !

 

[ScubaFinder]

Now Dell, you know good and well that us rowdy treasure hunter types know NOTHING of Best Practice artifact conservation...... (and how about the haircut in this pic?)

 

[Red_desert]

It seems shipwrecks are getting more attention in recent years, from both treasure hunters and archaeologists.

 

[Alexandre]

What were you doing stealing from and desecrating the wreck of H.M.S. Pallas ?, don’t you know that is a Sovereign Vessel of the UK Government. !

Nice French gun though !

It was either excavate it and remove the cannons out of the way or have a fishing boat pier on top of it...

 

[VOC]

"It was either excavate it and remove the cannons out of the way or have a fishing boat pier on top of it... "

That’s ok then, so you wrote to the British Admiralty as owners and English Heritage as the governments advisors as to ask permission etc ?


Your above statement for OMEX could also read:

"It was either excavate it and remove the coins out of the way or have a fishing boat trawling it gear on top of it... "