Smuttynose
Tenderfoot
- #1
Thread Owner
Greetings, Treasure Lovers! The quest for 'lost treasure', in its innumerable forms, has fascinated and allured innumerable 'seakers' to this quest!! Very true for the group of 9 islands off the Maine/NH coast, that many you are very familiar with. My association with the Shoals, emanated from my time as mate of the passenger vessel Kiboko, in the 1950's, transporting summer guests from Portsmouth to the Oceanic Hotel on Star. Fast forward several decades, I was instrumental in bring a renowned Maine archaeologist to Smuttynose Island, where I ran a stewart's program. The astonishing results revealed human occupancy of the island, and all the Shoals...6,000 years ago! So, it's not much wonder there are 'treasures' everywhere around the islands. Whether they are spear points, rhyolite flakes, chards, and other tool-making implements, or a piece of eight or gold doubloon, they are all truly 'treasures'. Now we've all heard about pirate treasure on the Shoals, shipwrecks carrying bullion, pots of gold, Blackbeard's treasure, etc, but the fact that dozens, hundreds or even thousands of vessels have descended to the bottom around the Shoals, make them prime targets for marine archaeological investigations, with which we are engaged. Sure, if we come across a coin or two, you'll be the second to know! To elaborate slightly on the seriousness of our research, we are in constant search of archives, wherever they can be acquired. We have a 35' research vessel, DeepTrekker camera gear, a JW Fisher's magnetometer, and have a full compliment of dive gear. We know that several million years ago, sea levels in this area were such that these were not 'islands', but hills 8 miles away that you could walk to. In that context we know there were native American encampments around the islands, and we're hoping to identify such a site. As a side note, the ship 'James', from England, carrying just over 100 new settlers heading for the Plymouth Colony, was caught at the Shoals in the August 15th 1635 Great Colonial Hurricane. The account is chronicled nearly hour-by-hour, by preacher Richard Mather. He reports that the ship, nearly upon the Shoals rocks, put out three huge anchors, losing all them...but the tail of the hurricane shifted the winds, and they safely arrived in Boston the following day. Those three massive anchors are still on the bottom of Gosport Harbor, and that is another prime search and recovery objective. They may be 20' under the substrate, but we'll locate them, uncover them, conserve them, and erect one on Star Island, one on Smuttynose Island, one on Appledore Island, with historic plaques on each. So, now you know what we're up to. Want to help?? Thx ~ Buzz
