newby,.. with a story.. input needed.

[EricH]

The rich and educated have looked down their noses at the uneducated poor since the beginning of time. I relate to the poor's mindset when it comes to corrupt governments who would allow wrecks to stay untouched for centuries, and sign UNESCO agreements that benefit no one. The poor see it as a way to be industrious and make a living. Survival is innate in us, and if we have to disregard the gov'ts silly rules to do so, then so be it. It would be better for the rich and political to use their resources to benefit the poor rather than make laws that turn their industrious spirit into criminal activity. Work with them. Don't work against them. I do wish they would pick up their garbage, though.

No offence intended with the video, I just thought it might be interesting to some, it is no secret here in Cabarete, in the past they were selling the stuff right out of their boats together with the fish they caught.

I work with them, lend them my tanks, my air...
Grew up, partied, drank, dominood with most of them, 32 years of very active Cabarete life

The boys have their secrets and "golden" dreams, and I understand that but my curiosity overruns common sense.
Anyway, to keep things low key I dive early, sunrise and enter and exit incognito, maybe 1 dive out of 10 somebody spots me.

E

 

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[Darren in NC]

No offence intended with the video, I just thought it might be interesting to some

None taken, Eric. To be clear, my remarks weren't directed at you, but rather at the gov't. Sorry for the rant. I assume if you live there among the locals, you "lime" with them, and appreciate the culture. I would enjoy it there, too...and do enjoy it here in Trinidad.

I second the remarks here. Be careful as you choose. Stay in touch with the right people to cover yourself. Me? I would never post anything anywhere. Do everything quietly. Never be the "talk of the town." Once you let the public know what you're doing, there's always someone who wants to stop you, steal from you, lie about your motives, take you to court, etc, etc. Stay under the radar as much as possible and learn from others via PMs and private conversations. You can have fun and do well - just go about it and let none be the wiser. My 2 pesos...

 

[EricH]

None taken, Eric. To be clear, my remarks weren't directed at you, but rather at the gov't. Sorry for the rant. I assume if you live there among the locals, you "lime" with them, and appreciate the culture. I would enjoy it there, too...and do enjoy it here in Trinidad.

I second the remarks here. Be careful as you choose. Stay in touch with the right people to cover yourself. Me? I would never post anything anywhere. Do everything quietly. Never be the "talk of the town." Once you let the public know what you're doing, there's always someone who wants to stop you, steal from you, lie about your motives, take you to court, etc, etc. Stay under the radar as much as possible and learn from others via PMs and private conversations. You can have fun and do well - just go about it and let none be the wiser. My 2 pesos...

I hear you...
Everything you mentioned has happened to us already... 20 years of business life here entails all that.
Lawsuits, gun battles, fights, extortion attempts, medical battles, flat tires and sand in the tank... you name it, been there done that.
I did report my finds as they happened to the authorities via email and to the town through our local FaceBook group.., I did this with the main purpose to protect myself.

Eric

 

[ECS]

Erich, please think about this..........it would cost them nothing to make you disappear! By all means enjoy your project but if you hear hammering go in the other direction.

It benefits no one for you to show any interest in their activity, I feel guilty saying this......

Recently, here, not far from you, someone was killed for witnessing something that someone else didn't like!,

Remember, when they show up with machetes, they are not offering a BURMA SHAVE!

 

[Bobadilla]

Well said, Darren!!!
The local fishermen are not these "simple persons, who just drink a beer and play domino", any more. Many years ago I found in a fisherman's cottage close to Montecristi a piece of old ceramic cup, they were drinking coffee from it..... I was told that the father found it in the ocean. Just seeing my interest they gave me this piece as a gift, without asking, just because they wanted to make me happy and they did it with such a pleasure! It looks like fairy-tale in comparison with the situation of today. These guys have internet at home, they go to eBay and know the price of most of the artifacts they can find on the shipwrecks. They ask for anything they find in the ocean huge amount of money. I was approached several times by a local fishermen or their "managers" saying that they know the spot where there are: In one case they were speaking about the bronze cannons, others told me about lot of artifacts, the third one about silver bars and discs, and so on. In all the cases they asked between US$5,000.00 to US$ 20,000.00 just to take me there. They brought bad quality underwater photos of the cannons, pieces of pottery, coins and in one case gold pocket watch and Spanish gold coin as a proof. Always, they asked for this money upfront, with their logical statement that once they show it to me, I can go there by myself without them. Even if I would have had this money and was willing to give them this amount, there was no way to pay them after I see it.

What I want to say is, that if these guys, who earn monthly with fishing, selling cocos, or giving occasional tours to the tourists, maximum15,000 - 20,000 pesos a month, which is about US$ 400-500, and generally they earn much less, and each of them has several kids with several women, they see this opportunity as a life time chance not to work any more from sunrise to sunset, have their own "jeepeta"and house with the swimming pool and having the opportunity to drink with girls every night. If they can just smell you around , on "their" shipwreck, they could do everything what you can and cannot imagine to stop you from smearing and damaging their business.

Erik, I do not want to be your mentor at all, you live here for 32 years, so you must know very well. I have been living here "just" 16 years, and I love the Dominicans, they are really great people who are willing to help you in the middle of the night for free, but I also know and I could see what a vision of a good life for them and their numerous families and a prospect of big money can do with them within one hour. And I am not speaking about the Dominican Marina de Guerra, which can arrest you for stealing underwater patrimony whenever they catch you with anything from the shipwreck in your pocket.
Just take care....

Lobo

 

[Roofis]

It is very curious to me as to why or how there are more than 14 anchors on site. And they are from different eras , what could this mean?

 

[SADS 669]

I think the indication is that it's a bay that Captains would fancy as a safe anchorage in bad weather and in those days if the anchor didn't come up they just cut it loose. So anchor on top of anchor etc etc.....

 

[EricH]

It is very curious to me as to why or how there are more than 14 anchors on site. And they are from different eras , what could this mean?

I have that same question you should see the amount off chain going across the reef...

the scenario is this, I spot a straight line is the landscape, investigate if it is a chain, set my compass, 99% of the time it runs roughly east to west, our wind direction, I follow the chain east I find an anchor (ocean side) , west (bay side) i run in to debris/wreck fields..
there are 4 such sites on the reef (1300M long)
then there are 2 older galeon looking wrecks outside the bay
E

 

[EricH]

For example this site sits against the reef wall bay side, it counts 3 anchors and a massive amount off chain

 

[EricH]

you find anchors with the winches attached to them

 

[EricH]

and this pair,

 

[EricH]

and these 3 babies all connected together, this must of been a big ship will have to find the rest of it...

there are 2 anchors in this image

and this encrusted one belongs here too

What I am saying is that the majority of the anchors are physically connected to large amounts of chain and other hardware, there are many others that are partially under the sand..

One of the saddest problems is that we got a new beach about 6 years ago and now that sand has eroded and migrated to the bay, lots of the stuff is now buried.. Also twice the barge had to dump its load in the bay to avoid hitting the reef..
The channel went from 12 to 9M...

 

[Darren in NC]

Nice pics, Eric. Beach replenishment has been a sore spot for many of us.

 

[EricH]

Nice pics, Eric. Beach replenishment has been a sore spot for many of us.

Daren,thanks, for more images check my gallery on this forum find it HERE

 

[EricH]

Here is the bay on a calm day, the outside reef 99% of the time has waves on it and 200+ days more then 20knots
you can see the reef and the channel well

it looks more like this most of the time :

 

[EricH]

looking for a good site source to put an age on those anchors, any idea where to start?

 

[SADS 669]

PM guys on this site, lots of great experience......ask for guidance who to
PM

 

[trsrseeker]

Fantastic video! Thanks for sharing and posting!

 

[Cash]

Is the dredge still in your waters?

 

[EricH]

This site is the most interesting, there are so many of these huge U braces laying around on top of wooden beams