What to look for?

[Joe Lee]

I got a hint of an old wreck from a fisherman. He only can tell me the area but not an exact location. What would you look exactly for to narrow the search area? I know you can look for ballast stones and black "rocks" can contain silver coins. But what else would you look for?
If you have any advice please post with picture (if possible). This could become a very helpful data base for every newbie!

Thanks,

Joe Lee

 

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[Au_Dreamers]

There will probably be a few people that post this ...

Often times shipwreck material can be over looked by those not familiar with it.

With that said one big thing to look for besides ballast would be cannon and/or anchors.

There are some very good pictures here of these as they lay in the water so that might help in being able to recognize them.

Honestly the best idea would be to get a reputable mag surveyor.

How/why the ship wrecked will determine “concentration” of the wreckage. Without knowing how big of an area he has provided it could be half a lifetime to manually dive search it.

 

[stevemc]

Most of the wreckage gets covered with coralline and coral growth. Look for obvious indentations in the reef (coral or coralline wont grow on lead and not real good on copper, which the boats were sheathed in), any strange straight things, like a cannon, or anything that might be out of the ordinary. Sometimes it is very hard to see. Sometimes it is impossible to see. If it is in shallow water it would be very broken up. Check with the metal detector as you swim around looking, down in the cracks, on the reef, everywhere. Try to imagine the obvious places a boat with 12' to 18' feet of draft, or could hit because of waves, would hit the reef. Like if everything is less than that, go out where it would hit first. Get a good chart of the area, and study it well, try to put yourself in the boats place, and see the good routes, and where you could hit. Those places often do have wrecks..

 

[Joe Lee]

The area is an old anchorage/port. You find lots of anchors there.

 

[stevemc]

Most good anchorages, are sheltered. So maybe the wreckage is somewhat there. Not so tiny and spread out. Cruise slowly around with a fish finder is one way, and look for humps, and dive on anything. Drag behind a boat with a long rope, with snorkle gear on. Or just snorkle around on a nice calm day. If it is shallow enough to see. Look around the entrances to the harbor, or even on the outside. Or just inside.

 

[cornelis 816]

What to look for ? We may all have our opinions about that , but there are so many books that will tell you ,, What to look for ,, that it is silly to ask us . Cornelius

 

[Joe Lee]

Thank you very much Cornelius. This is exactly the answer I was looking for!

 

[Joe Lee]

stevemc
This anchorage is not sheltered at all. The boats anchored at the open sea in about 30'/10m of water because most of the year it was to rough closer to land.

 

[Darren in NC]

Joe Lee,

If you're simply "looking," then Steve's advice is spot on. Look for straight edges, clumps and anything out of the ordinary to an ocean bottom. If there are anchors known to be around, then a magnetometer survey would be the way to go. You can grid off your search area, make the passes, and don't dive anything until you complete the entire survey. Then you can go back and verify your hits. Of course, many use fish finders as side scans these days (like the Hummingbird), but if you're dealing with a wooden vessel, then it's likely to be eaten away with any remains below the sand or coral.

As with anything, you have to weigh the costs versus the determination to find the wreck. Nice wrecks are continually found with no research, but I prefer the research-first method. Good luck with your hunt!

Darren

...it is silly to ask us.

If you could only remember when you first started out, you might not think this way. Strange when you complain we don't share enough on this forum.

 

[sphillips]

What to look for ? We may all have our opinions about that , but there are so many books that will tell you ,, What to look for ,, that it is silly to ask us . Cornelius

Not "silly" Cornelius, this site gives just what he is looking for-good advice! As previously stated, remember when you first started and the questions you asked of the more experienced.

 

[IWillFindTheGold]

Thank you very much Cornelius. This is exactly the answer I was looking for!

lol. Good answer.

Cornelius needs to understand that the purpose of internet forums such as treasurenet is to ask questions and share ideas.

In re to your question, I recently found out about the TV show Treasure Quest. It's on Discovery and I believe it's also on reruns. I've found it a fascinating watch, and after just a few shows I've already learned a lot about identifying items located among shipwrecks. Hopefully you can check it out.

Good luck.

 

[FISHEYE]

The site could be all sanded in with 1-10 foot of sand over the wreck area.Then you will need blowers to dust it all off.

 

[cornelis 816]

Shawmen . You are trying to start an argument with me as you have tried before . All I wrote is that so many of us have different ideas about that subject , Better to get a good book ON that subject . So your answer is insulting to me . What is wrong with you ? Why are you always looking for a fight ? Is it me personally you don,t like , or what ? Cornelius

 

[Joe Lee]

Cornelius, I follow this forum since quite a while. Even if I did not post a lot I read and I always found you a helpful and knowledgeable member. Turns out you are not.
Before Shawmen was "trying to start an argument" you were insulting ME by calling me silly to post a question like this. So who is the initiator of all that? It is by far not that you though everybody has different ideas about the subject and that it is better to get a good book. It is a simple insult! So don't hijack this thread and start a personal battle against other members. This is not helpful for the forum!
Please don't call me disrespectful like you did it with other people in other threads in this forum if I step up against a "hot shot" of the scene like you. All the points I mentioned here are FACTS so they can't be disrespectful.
If you want to post on this thread please stay on topic. I am very sure that you can give a lot of helpful information with all the books you read! If you just want to write insulting posts - STAY AWAY!

With all that said can we please com back to the topic. Just a little reminder, I asked what to look for to find a wreck site :-)

 

[cornelis 816]

Joe Lee . There is a muddy bottom , there is a sandy bottom , there is a coral bottom and there is a combination of all these . So my remark of getting a good book describing these features is my advice to you . The word silly was not directed to you if you read my message . But .....you take it for what it is and come to your own conclusion what to look for . I will not post on this thread anymore . I have in this business for over 45 years but hey ......who am I to dare to suggest something to an seasoned diver and salvager like you . Cornelius

 

[Joe Lee]

Hey Cornelius, I simply read what's written there. Unfortunately I don't have 45 years of experience because I am just 43! And yes, you are right I am a seasoned diver. I am diving since I am 16 and work in the business for 20 years as a dive instructor, manager and owner of several dive shops. I am still in the water every day. I am new to treasure hunting and that's why I am asking questions here. Thank you for not posting here anymore.

For everybody else, the bottom is sandy with lots of coraline rocks and the bedrock is about a foot under the sand. But as this was intended as general information for everyone it would be great if you all can post your knowledge on all kinds of bottom composition (if possible with picture)

Thank you,

Joe Lee

 

[Au_Dreamers]

Please understand I am not stirring up trouble with reference to this thread but this thread has some great pictures of what shipwreck material still underwater looks like.

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,264270.msg1885658.html#msg1885658

or just come to FL and we'll show you some! but ours have been molested more than those in the pictures!

 

[Bill]

Here ya' go.

 

[Joe Lee]

Wow guys, this is exactly what I mean, thank you so much for the pictures and the link. I hope there is a lot more to come!
I think a database of what to look for would help everybody. And as Cornelius already said there are a lot of different opinions. It might be interesting to discuss them all.

 

[wwwtimmcp]

my basic indoctrination into wreck diving has served me well. look for anything perfectly round,square,
rectangular,or triangular. nature rarely produces these forms. ships fittings: I dont care when it was made all ships had fittings, they did make sewn boats many centuries ago but even these had fittings.

look for spikes,nails,anchors,chain,backing plates,through hull fittings,chocks,cleats,ballast stones,copper sheathing,brass objects,iron objects. see if you can make the pieces add up. if it is a more modern wreck there will be engine parts, weather it was steam,gas,or diesel.

I hope you reconsider cornelius, he may be brief and sometime gruff but he knows his shit and is free in sharing it. 99.9999% of the time he is correct, and I dont recall any time he wasn't but none of us are perfect and that includes me as well.

best of luck to you.