Bass Assassin 21

[unclemac]

Well, I was back to the beach and the weather was great. Did some work on the house, planted my tomatoes, and got in a couple of good long walks. Last time I was there if you remember I came back with that message in a bottle, a bunch of other stuff and about 15 crab pot floats. I figured I seriously didn’t need anymore of those so I determined that if I saw more I would leave ‘em where they lay and let others find them when they float off to some more frequented place. Very hard for me to do, mind you, it goes against my nature to let treasure lay undisturbed when it is calling my name. But last time I was so loaded down that after about 5 miles of walking my pants slid off my skinny butt and tripped me up around the knees into the mud. (No belt…had one but my middle son borrowed it once and never gave it back…he says he didn’t take it but I remember it different). Anyways, I got a new belt that works (but I WANT my old belt BACK), and hit the beach once again. The first thing I spot is a pair of crab pot floats but I resisted the temptation. I head on out to my bottle spot…nothing…

But I should mention that before I started this “Bass Assassin” line of threads, I posted a “ginger beer” thread. That ceramic bottle was actually my LATEST find at my bottle spot and sort of inspired me to write the others. It was a huge thrill to dig that out of the clay, and as I am sure you know, the whole time you are easing something like that out, you are saying in your head.."I'll bet it's broke, I'll bet it's broke, please god don't let it be another broke"...well this time the bottle gods were with me! I will post the picture again in this thread just because I like it so much. (thanks Surf, by the way, for the info on it).

Well I keep traipsing on, after all last time I was here I found that 1871 half dollar and BINGO! This time I find a really nice blue trade bead from the early 1800’s. Now just so you know, for some reason the blue beads along this coast were highly prized, and the Indians greatly preferred them so their value as such was inflated as a trade item. It is pretty easy to positively identify by the hole that is small on one side and larger on the other, this was caused by the hot pin that made the hole and is indicative of this sort and age of bead. By the way this exact bead was excavated from Fort Clatsop of Lewis and Clark fame...which is actually not that far away...not that I am claiming ANYTHING mind you.....

Next I come across a series of Japanese and Korean floats, not the glass ones (I wish) but the modern small ones. Oddly enough I forgot to take a picture of them down at the beach so when I got home I found this picture off the internet…odd thing is these are EXACTLY what I found…together just like this random picture! So anyway, I figure “aha!” I am starting to see some tsunami debris again, which may mean some choice bottles. And I did find another Paolyta from China, but that is not really all that wonderful, just interesting as it made a long journey. In researching it I found out what is in it…sounds horrible.
Paolyta B Review: Energy liquor | OzSoapbox
Since this is a bottle forum I am sad to say the rest of my Japanese bottles were all plastic. However. to cheer you up after my dismal bottle hunt…here is a great picture of…a Japanese dock that happened to float over and come to rest on my beach. Pretty odd indeed to find that in the middle of no where.

 

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[unclemac]

oops...THESE floats that is....

 

[gord]

He prob'ly kept the belt so you couldn't use it on him again.

 

[Bass]

Hey unclemac, thanks for the pictures and for showing the ginger beer again. I know that is one of your prized possessions. Those pictures of the beach/dock are great. Can you give a rough estimate on the measurements of the dock? One last thing, those beads are fantastic and how many do you have in your collection? Thanks again for the story, as i always look forward to reading them.

 

[unclemac]

I woulda done that!

He prob'ly kept the belt so you couldn't use it on him again.

 

[unclemac]

that dock is about 40 feet long and maybe 10 feet or so wide. It came complete with a rusty anchor shackle and some other metal bits but what was really interesting was that it had remnants of linoleum covering it. It was already an old dock when it washed away, half rotted, and you can see that it came to rest over a beach log which sort of locks it in place. It appears to be very flexible which is why it didn't break up and sink or float away in a million pieces.

I have three of these blue beads now and a couple other kinds as well. I am told by the locals that they all find beads on the beach from time to time and that they most likely wash out of eroded grave sites after bigger storms. I actually have a friend that excavates native grave sites for tribes as the need arises and he says, beads, coins and artifacts are quite common but what they don't often find are bones...the actual human remains are discolorations...stains if you will...in the soil and that it is carefully collected and returned to the tribes.

Hey unclemac, thanks for the pictures and for showing the ginger beer again. I know that is one of your prized possessions. Those pictures of the beach/dock are great. Can you give a rough estimate on the measurements of the dock? One last thing, those beads are fantastic and how many do you have in your collection? Thanks again for the story, as i always look forward to reading them.