washed up

[viv poly]

 

[viv poly]

Hi all. I've just joined Treasurenet after spending much time looking at all your finds. The long bit of very rusted, heavy metal (weight, 6 kilos/13 pounds) was found on the shores of Botany Bay, Sydney. It used to be a thriving fishing industry and I'm wondering if this piece could have come from a boat. Any ideas?

 

[Ia.FurTrade]

Hard to tell..........but welcome aboard!!

 

[viv poly]

Thank you. So much to see here. I'm a bit overwhelmed, in a good way.

 

[g-olden years]

Welcome to t-net! Though there's lots of old iron under the beaches that I detect here in central California, I'm not good at identifying it. Maybe yours is from a boat, maybe part of a dock or a fish cannery if there were any canneries there in the past like there used to be on our coast. Have Fun! Andi

 

[viv poly]

Thanks, Andi. The beach I found this on/under used to be a fishing village from the early part of Australia's settlement. Captain Cook first came into Botany Bay in 1770, the First Fleet arrived 1788 and a few decades after that the area was known as Booralee Fishing Village. Tanneries and wool wash industries thrived in the area, so perhaps my metal finds were something to do with these industries. I just like the look, shape and feel of them and I'm dead curious about what they are. I've tried cleaning the metal to see if I could get a shine but the colour in the picture above is how it was found and how it will stay.

 

[Ahab8]

Welcome Viv. Sounds like your in a great place with some history. I can't comment on the pieces but they're interesting for sure. This site can be a bit overwhelming at first seeing all of the incredible finds that people make but it's a great group for the most part. Happy to have you

 

[treblehunter]

Hi Viv, I can tell your hooked, maybe try this. Take your piece and submerged it in white vinegar, keep wire brushing it and changing the vinegar until you get the desired "doneness"
Good luck in future finds!

 

[slowwevo]

but it's a great group for the most part.

I Agree wholeheartedly

 

[viv poly]

I tried vinegar and steel wool, scrubbed for about half an hour on the long concave side and all that did was take away some of the white you can see in the photo. Next I tried some rust converter with the same result as the vinegar. I think I'll do what you suggest and keep it submerged, change vinegar, etc. I tried scratching the metal to see if the colour changed but it's dark all the way through. Does that mean it's iron? I like to imagine it's off an old boat from way back in the early part of settlement, but it's most likely something from the expansion of Sydney Airport in the 1950s.

 

[Scrappy]

I'm a ship captain in the Merchant Marines here in the US.

The one long thin and round piece looks like a shackle pin for sure. Not sure of the date but it looks old. Modern shackle pins are made a bit different.

The large piece could be a fairing for line or chain. That piece could be off a wooden ship if that is in fact, what it is. It's difficult to tell really.

As far as age it's again tough. Salt water sometimes chews through metal fast, and sometimes slow. A personal guess would be no earlier than the 1880's, which puts you into the wooden ship era of steamers and the hayday of sailing ships.

-Lady Liberty is hot stuff...especially on a coin

 

[viv poly]

Thank you. I've recently become fascinated with the area I've been living in for the past 12 years. When I moved here I found lots of seashells in my backyard and was quite mystified until my next door neighbour told me our street used to be waterfront land on Botany Bay. Her grandfather and uncles had a fishing business on the shores and other family members ran ferries across the bay. Unfortunately for me, the land was reclaimed and instead of a beach at my back gate I have a golf course (7th tee at the back gate - husband loves it). I take my dog swimming just near Sydney Airport's third runway (two minute drive) where there's a tiny stretch of sand, and that's where I found the bits above. Great place to collect driftwood, too. Here's a picture of my first interesting "find" that got me hooked. I've been told it's a bowsprit from a clinker but I haven't been able to find out anything else about the boat size, etc. I think it'll make a nice side table.

 

[viv poly]

Thank you for your help. The shackle pin was in the other piece when I first picked it up but as I was carrying it the shackle fell out. The piece it fell out of is crusty with seashells and the metal inside is so rusty that it falls apart when I try to get the shells off. Not touching it any more. The shackle also has a seal with a sequence of numbers on it. Have to clean it up a bit more before I can read them all.

 

[Ia.FurTrade]

You're definately finding interesting stuff! That bowsprit will make a nice table, too!

 

[wwwtimmcp]

that one piece looks like the ends are at 90 degrees, it may have been a deck support or corner support.

 

[viv poly]

Thanks, wwwtimmcp. While looking that up I stumbled upon "strake". I'll keep searching.