Thoughts on this find.

[Stifeout]

Hi Everyone

Yesterday afternoon I went to the beach after some weather and beach erosion.
Probably 3 feet of sand has been washed away, just a guess, and I found this.

This piece of wood is approximately 8 feet long, and 5 or 6 inches wide, immovable, and an unknown amount is buried in the sand beneath the rock.

There are 2 holes, only one is visible rust marks are visible.
What is striking is the depth that the wood is eroded / embedded into the rock!

Can anyone give a theory about this whole thing?

I thought a very old wreck, the wood washed ashore, and over a very long time ate / eroded the rock. Then became exposed a couple of days ago.
Was thinking about trying a little harder to remove it!

Thank for any advice

 

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[ARC]

Piling perhaps.

Looks squared... (rectangle anyway)... so could be RR related.

 

[gunsil]

I agree with ARC, most of the wood found along shorelines is from land structures that got washed away in hurricanes and storms. The wood definitely did not erode away rock, rock is harder than wood.

 

[Stifeout]

Thanks guys for the replies just curious…..
Railroad related, even at that length?

I also cant explain the perfect fit between the wood and the rock

 

[Emil W]

It looks like a type of carbonaceous sandstone has formed around the wood. These types of sandstones can form relatively fast when there's something like calcium carbonate present to act as a cement. This can happen within a hundred years, and sometimes much less, under the right conditions. This is the only scenario that would account for the wood being encased the way you found it.

 

[unclemac]

I agree with ARC, most of the wood found along shorelines is from land structures that got washed away in hurricanes and storms. The wood definitely did not erode away rock, rock is harder than wood.

true for underneath the big formation but it does seem to have worked what looks like an eroded notch. My guess is that the rock is very soft, perhaps even hardened clay with a sand matrix?

 

[Stifeout]

It looks like a type of carbonaceous sandstone has formed around the wood. These types of sandstones can form relatively fast when there's something like calcium carbonate present to act as a cement. This can happen within a hundred years, and sometimes much less, under the right conditions. This is the only scenario that would account for the wood being encased the way you found it.

Thanks a bunch. Even if its not much it was kind of exciting see that

 

[Stifeout]

true for underneath the big formation but it does seem to have worked what looks like an eroded notch. My guess is that the rock is very soft, perhaps even hardened clay with a sand matrix?

I looked at it carefully and its compressed seashells….almost can make out many layers of them. looks like what sometimes is referred to as coquina

true for underneath the big formation but it does seem to have worked what looks like an eroded notch. My guess is that the rock is very soft, perhaps even hardened clay with a sand matrix?

 

[Emil W]

I looked at it carefully and its compressed seashells….almost can make out many layers of them. looks like what sometimes is referred to as coquina

If it's compressed seashells you're correct, it's coquina and it solidified around the wood, explaining why the wood is embedded as shown. Like carbonaceous sandstone (concretion of sand vs concretion of shells) it doesn't take that many years to form in the right conditions.

 

[ARC]

Thanks guys for the replies just curious…..
Railroad related, even at that length?

I also cant explain the perfect fit between the wood and the rock

Well yes... if off a wooden RR bridge for example.... could even be "public pier" / "boardwalk" related.
Granted MOST RR tracks are not wood anymore and most often (next to never) over salt... but hey... i threw it out as a remote possibility due to shape and size.

I am thinking boardwalk.

IF it were REALLY OLD ship related its condition would be WAY more deteriorated / teredo wormed etc and have a look to it that doesn't really have... BUT... it could have been submerged under depth of sand to the point of next to or at zero oxygen... and then storm finally kicked it up... and layed out to dry and bleach... so IT COULD be something of "More".. .. ehhh substance

Only way to tell would be to carbon date it... i see rust so iron was used hence my first guesses.

 

[Stifeout]

If it's compressed seashells you're correct, it's coquina and it solidified around the wood, explaining why the wood is embedded as shown. Like carbonaceous sandstone (concretion of sand vs concretion of shells) it doesn't take that many years to form in the right conditions.

Thank you sir, love this forum.
I really look forward to learning from you all...
and finding stuff

 

[Stifeout]

Well yes... if off a wooden RR bridge for example.... could even be "public pier" / "boardwalk" related.
Granted MOST RR tracks are not wood anymore and most often (next to never) over salt... but hey... i threw it out as a remote possibility due to shape and size.

I am thinking boardwalk.

IF it were REALLY OLD ship related its condition would be WAY more deteriorated / teredo wormed etc and have a look to it that doesn't really have... BUT... it could have been submerged under depth of sand to the point of next to or at zero oxygen... and then storm finally kicked it up... and layed out to dry and bleach... so IT COULD be something of "More".. .. ehhh substance

Only way to tell would be to carbon date it... i see rust so iron was used hence my first guesses.

Thank you ARC and Emil I appreciate the info. I am sure if you were there you all would have an easier time figuring it out.
I believe you are right about being in an almost zero oxygen environment. I am new to this area, but the amount of beach that was washed out is impressive. There are huge slabs of what I assume to be coquina as well that are full of parallel deep gouges 1" wide by 1.5" deep gouges that are most definitely man made that have been completely brought up. By the look of the eroded dune I believe they were beneath 4 feet of sand. I was wondering if this was a quarry of some type.

Will keep posting as I see things...Thanks to all again!

 

[ARC]

Thank you ARC and Emil I appreciate the info. I am sure if you were there you all would have an easier time figuring it out.
I believe you are right about being in an almost zero oxygen environment. I am new to this area, but the amount of beach that was washed out is impressive. There are huge slabs of what I assume to be coquina as well that are full of parallel deep gouges 1" wide by 1.5" deep gouges that are most definitely man made that have been completely brought up. By the look of the eroded dune I believe they were beneath 4 feet of sand. I was wondering if this was a quarry of some type.

Will keep posting as I see things...Thanks to all again!

Would really like to see close-up picture(s) of "gouges". this MAY change / sway opinion(s).

 

[Stifeout]

Hey ARC, I'm going to go this afternoon and take some pics. I really want you all to see it.
It's interesting to me . I'm going to look up some history around the St Augustine area to see if I can find some reference about the material used for the fort and where it came from.

 

[ARC]

Hey ARC, I'm going to go this afternoon and take some pics. I really want you all to see it.
It's interesting to me . I'm going to look up some history around the St Augustine area to see if I can find some reference about the material used for the fort and where it came from.

Um... you never mentioned that this was in St Augustine... now you definitely have peaked my interest.

AND... you have now got my mind re-thinking your "log". heh

 

[Stifeout]

Um... you never mentioned that this was in St Augustine... now you definitely have peaked my interest.

AND... you have now got my mind re-thinking your "log". heh

Hey ARC I am sorry for that. To be totally transparent, since I don't even know if its ok to do any metal detecting etc I didn't mention it. I have no clue of etiquette, laws etc yet. I didn't mention it. I truly don't even know if it's ok to dig around that piece of wood. I just use some common sense...lol don't know if that's enough..lol

So here is the rest.
About me. 57 years old, just retired, born and raised in S. Florida. I've been on the water my whole life, totally recreational.
Just relocated to slow the pace and get a little more out of life than work. I have always dreamed of finding stuff while diving, fishing etc. Found small things, and thought to salvage a small vessel once but was too young, (40 years ago) and inexperienced to do anything with it.

Now that i have some time and a couple of dollars I have begun just to explore around my home beaches.
I am just a few minutes south of St Augustine now.
A buddy of mine who was a successful salvage guy piqued my interest, ( see my other post about a naval bell) and now I am really loving this. I came upon your forum, and it has alot of great info, and things to learn.

OK the piece of wood on the beach.
We had a ton of beach erosion from New Smyrna Beach to St Augustine 3 weeks ago. This was uncovered after 2 days.

Titanic Erosion in Flagler Beach Uncovers an Anchor from Another Century, and Mottle of Secrets | FlaglerLive

The anchor was discovered just north of the Flagler Beach pier, site of drastic erosion over the past few weeks. A team from the St. Augustine Lighthouse Archeological Maritime Program was alerted and has been analyzing the find for its historical value and age since.

flaglerlive.com

I went north about a mile from the location of this anchor, ( less people) and walked the beach and just looked around. That's when I stumbled across the embedded piece in the picture. The next day is when I found the huge slabs of coquina , with the deep gouges in it. I will post pictures tonight. I am certain that that must have been a makeshift quarry of some sort back in the day. What does it all mean? I don't know of a wreck of any worth, or anything of value washing up on those beaches. It sure is cool though to piece something together such as these recent events.

Again my apologies for not having been forthcoming, but I do know that sometimes things go sideways with little or no effort. I have been reading and have personally seen some of these abuses on all parties that seem to be hurting the ability to just go looking for something cool on a beach. Never mind diving on an interesting reef with a strange shape! Probably I'm a little paranoid..LOL!

Sorry for the long post but I guess I needed to introduce myself as well

 

[Sandog]

Hi Everyone

Yesterday afternoon I went to the beach after some weather and beach erosion.
Probably 3 feet of sand has been washed away, just a guess, and I found this.

This piece of wood is approximately 8 feet long, and 5 or 6 inches wide, immovable, and an unknown amount is buried in the sand beneath the rock.

There are 2 holes, only one is visible rust marks are visible.
What is striking is the depth that the wood is eroded / embedded into the rock!

Can anyone give a theory about this whole thing?

I thought a very old wreck, the wood washed ashore, and over a very long time ate / eroded the rock. Then became exposed a couple of days ago.
Was thinking about trying a little harder to remove it! View attachment 2043869 View attachment 2043870 View attachment 2043871 View attachment 2043873

Thank for any advice

Very interesting find there. A couple of questions: 1. Could that stone have somehow moved to that point from another location? Could not tell if it was a really big block, or part of the general location. 2. Can the portion of the wood in the groove move, or flex any at all? It looks somewhat worn as well in that space. If yes, could water and sand and wood have worked like a grinder to produce the groove?

 

[Stifeout]

Very interesting find there. A couple of questions: 1. Could that stone have somehow moved to that point from another location? Could not tell if it was a really big block, or part of the general location. 2. Can the portion of the wood in the groove move, or flex any at all? It looks somewhat worn as well in that space. If yes, could water and sand and wood have worked like a grinder to produce the groove?

Hi Sandog
The rock is enormous, unlikely it came from someplace else and there are so many just like it all around.
The wood is completely immovable, and zero flex. The exposed piece is about 12 feet long. The end that is buried extends downward into the sand and the more sand I moved the more of the wood I would expose until I was down another foot and a half I gave up at that point . It may go another couple of inches or a couple feet. Without really getting in there with tools it won't be possible.

 

[Sandog]

Hi Sandog
The rock is enormous, unlikely it came from someplace else and there are so many just like it all around.
The wood is completely immovable, and zero flex. The exposed piece is about 12 feet long. The end that is buried extends downward into the sand and the more sand I moved the more of the wood I would expose until I was down another foot and a half I gave up at that point . It may go another couple of inches or a couple feet. Without really getting in there with tools it won't be possible.

Well, you are narrowing it down I suppose. Was thinking possibly it was part of a man made structure and the post inserted into a man made hole, big chunk of a fort or fortress wall.

 

[Stifeout]

Well, you are narrowing it down I suppose. Was thinking possibly it was part of a man made structure and the post inserted into a man made hole, big chunk of a fort or fortress wall,

I'm trying to figure it out..


Right now I would say. A large piece of wood (unknown origin), floated onto that rocky shore, and embedded itself. I believe it may be older than it appears because it may have been beneath the sand for so long. The erosion or growth? A couple of seasoned guys on the forum gave good explanations for that. The anchor found is way interesting and makes one wonder if they could be related. Beach erosion and they pop up at approximately the same distance from the shore is definitely interesting to my untrained self.