Shipwreck Hunting in the 1980s

[Marcel Bubbles]

Hi -- I'm writing a novel that takes place in 1985. Part of the story is about a group of men hunting for a shipwreck off the Maine coast. I know next to nothing about shipwreck hunting (but I'm doing my best to learn). The research is somewhat challenging because I haven't found a lot of information online that specifically pertains to hunting for wrecks in the 1980s. For example, I want to have my characters using a magnetometer, but I'm not sure how to describe the vintage magnetometer technology. Additionally, my characters are only doing night dives while searching for their wreck. I'm wondering if they would've had any infrared technology, etc. If anyone had any specific details that would help to make my story more accurate and believable, I would much appreciate it! (Please note: my shipwreck hunters are not professionals, and don't have a lot of funding for their undertaking, and so they probably won't have a ton of fancy or expensive technology at their disposal.) Thank you!

 

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[Magoopeter]

TVH PRE 2000

The beginning of Maritime Archaeology

www.maarer.com

 

[Magoopeter]

Rex Cowan devloped land magnetometers to search for shipwrecks,

 

[Red_desert]

Ask lukdiver

 

[diveplam]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.aquascan.co.uk/MC3_USER_Issue1.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi9v4D9-q7-AhWoXvEDHcHhAFgQFnoECAwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1oGEgK_n5LvBbM2UF5kYdM

This proton magnetometer model is from those years.

 

[diveplam]

I don't recall there being infrared goggles for underwater use in those years, but I would recommend using a red light filter for the spotlights. Red light is weakest visible from a distance.

 

[EKG]

Spend a week with Mel Fisher's crew down there in Florida and your novel will be a best seller

 

[marconi beach]

Spend a week with Mel Fisher's crew down there in Florida and your novel will be a best seller

We used a mag to find the Whydah and also found all kinds of other stuff including parts of Marconi's towers. The section of the Cape Cod National Seashore where she sank is known as Marconi Beach.

 

[Marcel Bubbles]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.aquascan.co.uk/MC3_USER_Issue1.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi9v4D9-q7-AhWoXvEDHcHhAFgQFnoECAwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1oGEgK_n5LvBbM2UF5kYdM

This proton magnetometer model is from those years.

Thank you!

 

[ARC]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.aquascan.co.uk/MC3_USER_Issue1.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi9v4D9-q7-AhWoXvEDHcHhAFgQFnoECAwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1oGEgK_n5LvBbM2UF5kYdM

This proton magnetometer model is from those years.

I thought OP said from 85 ? ? ?

This wasnt even around in 85.... let alone even that company.

That unit is from 2004

 

[diveplam]

I thought OP said from 85 ? ? ?

This wasnt even around in 85.... let alone even that company.

That unit is from 2004

I own such a magnetometer. MC-3 is exactly from those years. And as for Aquascan, he did not create this magnetometer, but bought the manufacturing company after some time and from there he maintains the Wreckfinder magnetometers to this day.

 

[diveplam]

Thank you!

I just want to help. The principle of operation of the towed probe of proton magnetometers has not changed to this day.

 

[Colombiapictures]

I found my first treasure wreck in 1970. Found treasure in Brazil, the Bahamas, Florida in 1981, Caribbean, South America Florida, Bahamas, Europe, Africa in 1982 to 1990. If you want shipwreck treasure tales, I have enough of them.

 

[diveplam]

I found my first treasure wreck in 1970. Found treasure in Brazil, the Bahamas, Florida in 1981, Caribbean, South America Florida, Bahamas, Europe, Africa in 1982 to 1990. If you want shipwreck treasure tales, I have enough of them

I nobly envy you for having the opportunity to search for shipwrecks fifty years ago. Without the technology we have today, it would be really hard to search for shipwrecks. Will you reveal to us how you located an underwater object.

 

[Colombiapictures]

It was hard for William Phips.
It was hard 65 Years ago when I decided to go look for treasure wrecks.
It is still hard today.
Things have always changed.
The difficulties are different now than then.
Today you have technology, but I find it hard to find adventurous people who have the drive to try the impossible.
Because it was always impossible.
Only a crazy person would even try.
Yes, we were all nuts the ones who did it and succeeded.

 

[Marcel Bubbles]

Hi -- I'm writing a novel that takes place in 1985. Part of the story is about a group of men hunting for a shipwreck off the Maine coast. I know next to nothing about shipwreck hunting (but I'm doing my best to learn). The research is somewhat challenging because I haven't found a lot of information online that specifically pertains to hunting for wrecks in the 1980s. For example, I want to have my characters using a magnetometer, but I'm not sure how to describe the vintage magnetometer technology. Additionally, my characters are only doing night dives while searching for their wreck. I'm wondering if they would've had any infrared technology, etc. If anyone had any specific details that would help to make my story more accurate and believable, I would much appreciate it! (Please note: my shipwreck hunters are not professionals, and don't have a lot of funding for their undertaking, and so they probably won't have a ton of fancy or expensive technology at their disposal.) Thank you!

Thanks to everyone who responded to this question. I have a follow-up question regarding the actual discovery of the shipwreck. The story, as I currently have it, is as follows:
- A small team of non-professional divers are searching for the wreck of a 19th century ship that they believe sank in a bay in Maine. (They are searching only at night, to avoid drawing attention to their project.)
- They have no luck until a local fisherman tells them that there's an area of the bay that the locals know to avoid, because fishing lines get tangled up there.
- They visit that area and discover the wreck. One of the divers gets caught in a mess of fishing lines and other junk that has collected around the wreck. (Maybe his tank somehow gets damaged when he's tangled, and so he's also losing air?) The second diver tries to cut him out using diving shears.
- For the purposes of the story, I need to have the second diver somehow get knocked unconscious while she's trying to help the first diver. (Maybe the shipwreck is structurally unstable, and it collapses on her while she's trying to help the first diver?)
I'm curious if anyone has any advice regarding this part of the story. Does it seem to be generally believable? Basically, I need the first diver to get tangled up in the wreck somehow, and I need the second diver to get knocked out while trying to help him. I'm having a little trouble figuring out how this scenario would play out in a believable way. Any thoughts or technical details would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[ARC]

Thanks to everyone who responded to this question. I have a follow-up question regarding the actual discovery of the shipwreck. The story, as I currently have it, is as follows:
- A small team of non-professional divers are searching for the wreck of a 19th century ship that they believe sank in a bay in Maine. (They are searching only at night, to avoid drawing attention to their project.)
- They have no luck until a local fisherman tells them that there's an area of the bay that the locals know to avoid, because fishing lines get tangled up there.
- They visit that area and discover the wreck. One of the divers gets caught in a mess of fishing lines and other junk that has collected around the wreck. (Maybe his tank somehow gets damaged when he's tangled, and so he's also losing air?) The second diver tries to cut him out using diving shears.
- For the purposes of the story, I need to have the second diver somehow get knocked unconscious while she's trying to help the first diver. (Maybe the shipwreck is structurally unstable, and it collapses on her while she's trying to help the first diver?)
I'm curious if anyone has any advice regarding this part of the story. Does it seem to be generally believable? Basically, I need the first diver to get tangled up in the wreck somehow, and I need the second diver to get knocked out while trying to help him. I'm having a little trouble figuring out how this scenario would play out in a believable way. Any thoughts or technical details would be greatly appreciated!!

So whats the writers help pay rate / cut these days ?

 

[diveplam]

Thanks to everyone who responded to this question. I have a follow-up question regarding the actual discovery of the shipwreck. The story, as I currently have it, is as follows:
- A small team of non-professional divers are searching for the wreck of a 19th century ship that they believe sank in a bay in Maine. (They are searching only at night, to avoid drawing attention to their project.)
- They have no luck until a local fisherman tells them that there's an area of the bay that the locals know to avoid, because fishing lines get tangled up there.
- They visit that area and discover the wreck. One of the divers gets caught in a mess of fishing lines and other junk that has collected around the wreck. (Maybe his tank somehow gets damaged when he's tangled, and so he's also losing air?) The second diver tries to cut him out using diving shears.
- For the purposes of the story, I need to have the second diver somehow get knocked unconscious while she's trying to help the first diver. (Maybe the shipwreck is structurally unstable, and it collapses on her while she's trying to help the first diver?)
I'm curious if anyone has any advice regarding this part of the story. Does it seem to be generally believable? Basically, I need the first diver to get tangled up in the wreck somehow, and I need the second diver to get knocked out while trying to help him. I'm having a little trouble figuring out how this scenario would play out in a believable way. Any thoughts or technical details would be greatly appreciated!!

Is the shipwreck of a wooden sailing ship?

 

[diveplam]

If the hull of the sunken ship is wooden, then the remains will be scarce. Only the anchor, ballast stones, nails and cannons (if there are any on board) will remain. If the bottom of the bay is sandy, almost everything will be buried and only the anchor will remain visible and ballast stones. I mean, there's no place for the fishermen to hang their fishing gear. But if the ship is also steam, it will have more steel. It will have paddle wheels, copper pipes and steam boiler.

 

[Marcel Bubbles]

If the hull of the sunken ship is wooden, then the remains will be scarce. Only the anchor, ballast stones, nails and cannons (if there are any on board) will remain. If the bottom of the bay is sandy, almost everything will be buried and only the anchor will remain visible and ballast stones. I mean, there's no place for the fishermen to hang their fishing gear. But if the ship is also steam, it will have more steel. It will have paddle wheels, copper pipes and steam boiler.

That's a great point. I originally had it as a being steamship, then changed it to a wooden ship. But It sounds like a steamship would make more sense. Thank you!