Shipwreck As Uncovered by Hurricane Ike in 2008. Guy Busby, Staff Reporter of the Press Register.
I was talking the other day about how finds can emerge suddenly when the conditions are right. This entire wreck emerged after Hurricane Ike.
It is a really great looking wreck.
If an entire wreck can be suddenly uncovered, how quickly can smaller objects like coins and artifacts appear and disappear.
Here is the link to the entire story of this wreck's emergence.
http://blog.al.com/live/2008/09/wooden_shipwreck_uncovered_on.html
And here is an interesting study of another wreck that was found on a beach after erosion suddenly uncovered some timbers. There are a lot of interesting clues in this study.
http://www.teesarchaeology.com/projects/seaton_wreck/scw96_ijna_article.pdf
Did you notice that the timbers were uncovered by a man that had walked the same beach for fifty years and had never seen evidence of the wreck until one day there it was.
The wreck disappeared below the sand again as quickly as it appeared.
The same thing can happen on the Treasure Coast or any other beach. I'll bet that there is a lot buried under the sand that has been covered for fifty years or more an then one day will just be there.
I know of some things along the Treasure Coast that were uncovered for a short while once and then disappeared again.
For example, I know of a concrete foundation that was once uncovered very close to the water line. That was about twenty years ago. It was uncovered for a few days and then disappeared again and I haven't seen it again.
I know it is still there though. Every once in a while, some guy with a pulse detector will tell me his detector goes wild at that spot. They don't know why. Its the foundation with the rebar there.
I received an email a couple of days ago from the Mel Fisher organization reporting that this week 13 silver coins, a cannon ball, a large olive jar neck and shoulder, two silver spoons, a silver lid (possibly to a jewelry box), multiple silver encrusted objects, and dozens of iron spikes and pottery shards were found on the trail of the Atocha.
I have a request for information. I would like to hear from anyone having any information relating to the existence or source of a scapular bearing the image of a ship or galleon. If you don't know, a scapular is a cloth or metal item worn by Catholics, in most cases to indicate confraternity. They are often small and worn under clothing. (I hope that abbreviated description does justice.)
Treasure Coast Beach Forecast and Conditions.
One thing you can count on today and for a few more days is a lot of sparkler wires and fireworks trash on the beach.
The wind is still from the south, and I think you know what that means - continuing accretion. The seas are still calm, however later today and for the next few days the sea will be a little rougher with swells up to two or three feet.
Low tide is between four and five o'clock.
Again, that isn't enough to change conditions significantly, but it might refreshen a few spots that have been revealing a few targets.
Nothing to speak of in the tropics right now.
Happy Fourth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiAJI9o5H3M
Treasureguide@comcast.net
