5/21/19 Report - Buried Treasure, Pirate and Otherwise. Bernard Romans and Bleach Yard. Lost Payroll.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Source: Trial of the Twelve Spanish Pirates of the Schooner Panda, a Guinea Slaver (link below).

Yes Virginia, pirates did bury coins on the beach - at least that is what the book shows.  The book I'm talking about is Trial of the Twelve Spanish Pirates of the Schooner Panda, published by Lemuel Gulliver in Boston in 1834. You can read a free preview online by using the following link.

https://books.google.com/books?id=IQQWAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

In case you didn't recognize the "Yes Virginia" part, in 1897 a young girl wrote a letter to a newspaper asking if there is a Santa Clause, and that led to a very famous editorial response that included the much repeated, "Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."

You will find the testimony describing the burying of treasure as illustrated above on page 16 of the ebook.  Testimony concerning distribution of the treasure along with other interesting events is also included. It is not easy to follow the testimony, but if you manage, I think you'll find it entertaining.

Here is a link if you want to read a very brief summary of the criminal acts leading to the trial of Don Pedro Gilbert and the other pirates of the Panda. The robbery and destruction of the Brig Mexican occurred off Stuart, Florida.  The web site presents a variety of additional information on pirates.

http://self.gutenberg.org/articles/eng/Pedro_Gilbert?View=embedded's,%20newfoundland%20and%20labrador

If Lemuel Gulliver rings a bell, it is also the name of the fictional character and narrator in Gulliver's Travels, which was written about a century earlier.  For a minute it made me wonder if the author's name on the pirate's trial book might be a pseudonym, but the same Lemuel also published a book on another trial that took place in Boston in 1834 as well as a number of other non-fiction titles, some being almanacs.

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Yesterday I referred to a Frank Hudson book entitled Lost Treasure's of Florida's East Coast and mentioned Hudson's poor reputation for accuracy.  I happened to find that book  (which turned out to be surprisingly easy) and inside found the following map of what is labeled as the St. Lucie Inlet area.  After opening the book and briefly scanning it, I was less than impressed by the contents.  Nonetheless, here is the map of what is presented as the St. Lucie Inlet, the same general area that I discussed yesterday.

Illustration Found in Frank Hudson's book,

Lost Treasures of Florida's East Coast.

I'm really not confident of much of anything shown on the map, but would not find it surprising if treasures were buried around the St. Lucie Inlet (which was located at a different locations at different times) or any other Florida East Coast inlet, for that matter.

Treasures 1 through 5 are described as (1) gold bars, (2) iron bound chest, (3) buried cannons, (4) iron bound chest, and (5) iron bound chest.

Number 6 is the most interesting as a possible lead.  Hudson says, in 1834 an army paymaster was moving $8000 in a dugout canoe up the river when it was lost in the river.  Hudson additionally wrote that if you send him a stamped envelope seeking additional details, his source, who did not want to named in the book, would provide additional details.

While I doubt the accuracy of much in that book, it could nevertheless lead to some real facts if anyone is moved to do some research.  I often start looking into one thing and find something else that was totally unexpected.

The Hudson book on buried treasures of the Florida East Coast was published in 1983.  

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Yesterday I also mentioned the "Bleach Yards" down by Gilbert's Bar and couldn't remember the map where I originally saw it.  Ron J. came to the rescue and pointed to my 9/6/15 report that discusses  Bernard Romans and provides a link to the Romans book, which contains the map.  Below is the link to that post.

https://treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com/2015/09/9615-report-bernard-romans-and-1715.html

You might enjoy looking at both the post and book.

Thanks Ron!

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I have a lot more to talk about, but that is about it for today.

The surf is still one to two feet but Thursday will start increasing, reaching three to four feet on Friday.

We are still getting some nice low tides.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

12/26/2018 Report - 2000-Year-Old-Ring Found. Cool Images. Thailand Coin. Winning Lottery Ticket Found. Increase in Surf Coming.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Source: IsraelNationalNews.com.  (Link below)

A two-thousand-year-old ring with a solitaire gem stone was uncovered in archaeological excavations in the City of David National Park in Jerusalem.

The ring was found by archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority in what appears to be an ancient mikveh (ritual bath) on the Pilgrimage Road which dates back to the time of the second Temple period. The ancient paved road runs up from the Shiloach (Siloam) pool to the Temple Mount and is thought to have been the main thoroughfare taken by pilgrims to the Temple.

According to archaeologists Nachshon Zenton, Moran Hajabi, Ari Levy, and Dr. Joe Uziel: "Just like today, it would appear that in the past, rings and jewellery were removed before bathing, and sometimes forgotten...

Here is the link for more.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256581

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I received some cool images.  I received this Metal Detecting Santa from Dale J,

The Pirate Santa came from Brian B.

Thanks to all for the greetings.

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Thailand Coin Found in Florida
Find and photo by Steve M,.

Here is another coin I can add to the foreign coins found in Florida list.

Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, Cuba, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Haiti, European Union, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela, Virgin Islands. 

Here is the updated list of countries from which coins have been reported found in Florida.

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A British man hit one of the largest lotto jackpots in the country’s history — but left the golden ticket unchecked for weeks in a pile of papers in his van, according to local reports.

Andrew Clark, 51, only checked the ticket because his partner and her niece badgered him after they heard about a local unclaimed prize, he told Sky News. “Trisha kept telling me to check the tickets, and her niece Louise, who I was building an extension for, was also in on it once she’d heard about the unclaimed prize in the news,” he said...

Here is the link.

https://spiritdaily.org/blog/news/british-man-finds-86-million-lottery-ticket-in-his-van

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It looks like Thursday we'll get the increased post-Christmas surf that has been predicted for several days now.

Source: MagicSeaWeed.com

It also looks like we'll be having some decent tides to go along with it.

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Thanks for all the Christmas wishes and greetings.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

4/4/18 Report - Small Out-Of-The-Way Beaches. Pirate Sam Bellamy's Bones Discovered? Ballast Turned To Stone Tools.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Photo source: FloridaStateParks.org

Besides the ocean beaches, there are other swimming areas that you can find.  They can be small and hidden and much less busy than the ocean beaches.  Those types of beaches were always good to me.

I was reminded of that by some of my old records.  I noticed one entry for Oleta River that recorded three finds for one visit, including one small 14K women's band, 1 small 14K St. Christopher metal, and 18 K post earring.  That was quite a few years ago and I don't think it was then a state park, and if it was, it wasn't developed.  There were no pavilions or anything that I recall, just one small sandy beach and one weedy beach area, and a small fishing pier.  There was a rumored pirate ship sunk not far from there though I never saw any evidence of it.

There was no one there when I detected that beach.  Not a single person.

I was using the modified Nautilus 527 (I think those are the right numbers), which was a super detector.  I think the best I ever had for detecting gold jewelry.

One of the things that you will often find at small beaches like that is a nice sandy beach area, and then not too far away, usually just around the bend, a weedy overgrown beach that looks like it was never used much, if at all.  Those weedy areas have never failed me.  They will usually have some junk, but that always produced at least one piece of gold.

I can think of several small out-of-the-way beaches like that which I detected, and all with good results.

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Human bones were found in the Cape Code peninsula in Massachusetts where the Whyday Gally ship went down in stormy seas in 1717  Researchers are working to determine if they belong to infamous pirate Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5407933/Has-body-Captain-Black-Sam-Bellamy-found.html

Thanks to Dean R. for the link.

I seriously doubt that it is Bellamy's body, but interesting story anyhow.

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... But recent research has also given more insight into how Aboriginal groups used some colonial technology to their advantage, heritage experts say.

Archaeologists believe that indigenous tribes crafted traditional tools from flint cobbles that had been used as ballast on British ships, following the arrival of the convict vessels during the late 18th and early 19th Centuries...

Here is the link or more about that.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-43551015

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I recommend that you read the special post with links to articles about Florida allowing beaches to be controlled by beachfront property owners.  That could mean that the property owners could prevent access to the public.  I posted that yesterday.

That is something that would hurt Florida and the public in general.  Become informed and make your voice heard.  You probably paid for beach renourishment and other erosion control efforts to protect that same property.

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Today and tomorrow the surf will be only about two feet.  On Friday it will increase to 3 -5 feet, then decrease again.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

9/22/16 Report - Pigeon Island. How To Metal Detect a Steep Hillside. Spys In The American Revolution.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Photo by Dale Lutchman
Source: Pinterest

Obstacles are often opportunities in disguise.  That is particularly true when it comes to metal detecting.

Pigeon Island was detected many years ago when it was overgrown and in disrepair. (See photo of old building above.). It is now a national park, has a restaurant and is a tourist spot, and of course, should not be detected.

Pigeon Island.
Source: pinterest
Photo by Sally R.

You can't see it well in this photo but the peak on the left has a cannon emplacement.  Another canon emplacement was located at the base of the taller peak, now hidden by the trees.

The building shown in the first photo is located by the trees in the flat area under the tallest peak.

The peak was used by the British to observe the French fleet at Martinique.

Here is a little of the history of Pigeon Island.

Pigeon Island was first occupied by the Amerindians, mainly Caribs. The island was later occupied by pirates whose leader was a Norman Captain called Francois Le Clerc. He had a wooden leg and was known to the French as Jambe de Bois. The French who owned the island in 1778 declared war on the British, who retaliated by attacking them in Saint Lucia and capturing the island. The British then built a Naval Base at Gros-Islet Bay, heavily fortifying Pigeon Island. From there they were able to monitor the French fleet in Martinique which resulted in the defeat of the French at the Battle of the Saints in 1782. Pigeon Island was therefore a key factor in the Battles between the British and the French. In 1909 a whaling station was established at Pigeon Island.

Sorry, I can't find the link to that anymore.

Steep cliffs such as some of those on Pigeon Island can be difficult to detect.  Notice the steep cliff on the right side of the tallest peak leading down to the water.  Some of it is very steep and virtually impossible, but some of it could be detected using the technique I'll now describe.

If you are on a steep hillside, use a shortened rod as shown below.  You might choose a dive rod.  I have used a short length (just over a foot) of furring as a short rod or handle.  All you need is a bit of a handle for the coil.

You can hold onto a tree with one hand while detecting with the other.  You can also use a rope around the tree.

Another advantage of using a small length of wood instead of your standard detector rod is that it can be easily stowed in a backpack with your control box and coil.

Any hillside like that can hide nice finds.  It won't be easy though, at least until you get the technique down.

Good boots are also helpful in keeping your feet dug in and steady.

I should mention that recovery can also be tricky.  After pinpointing, you'll want to be able to attach your coil to your belt and use the free hand to dig.  Be careful to not let items roll down the hill.

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The summer 2016 issue of the SAR magazine has an article written by Liam O'Connor about spying in the American revolution.

One American spy that we all know is Nathan Hale who uttered the famous line, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country," before he was hanged.

The Culper Ring was an American military spy organization operating in New York City during the British occupation.

Spys were referred to by coded numbers.  Robert Townsend, a very productive spy for the Americans, was 723, for example.

Robert Townsend uncovered a British plot to flood the American economy with counterfeit dollars and warned the Americans of Benedict Arnold.

Code names, ciphers, dead drops and invisible ink were all used by the Americans during the revolution.

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The storm situation remanins unchanged.  Karl is a tropical depression, and Lisa is still a tropical storm.  I don't believe either will affect our beaches.

The surf will be picking up a little.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

2/3/14 Report - Beach Renourishment Projects. NDBC Buoy Data. Pirate Superstitions. Six Foot Surf Predicted Friday.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.

Beautiful Day On The Treasure Coast

This is what it looks like.  If you are a snowbird you have to love this.  The weather couldn't be any nicer.   It isn't like summer with 90 degree heat and 90 percent humidity.  Its really nice.

If you want to find something old on a beach, that is a different matter.  In that case you might like stormy weather with strong winds and a high surf.

If you are from up north and want to find treasure on a Treasure Coast beach, you have to have some luck.  You have to be lucky enough to be here at the right time.  And frankly, we haven't been having many good treasure hunting days on the Treasure Coast.  Sooner or later we will get some good  conditions - hopefully soon.  If you are one of the many who make an occasional visit and haven't hit it right yet, that doesn't mean you are doing anything wrong.  You have to be here at the right time.

I actually did find one long cut yesterday that ran for about a hundred yards and was over three feet high much of the way.  Unfortunately and unsurprisingly, it was in recent renourishment sand, which is disappearing at a rapid rate.

I think they'll be dumping sand just south of the Fort Pierce inlet soon.  As I mentioned a couple of days ago, the Wabasso Beach access and the Turtle Trail accesses were closed.  I guess they'll be bringing new sand in there too.  I expect to see a lot of renourishment projects over the next few weeks along the Treasure Coast.

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If you remember the tie clasp that Dan B. found showing tigers on it, it is a boy scout neckerchief slide.  Bill G. sent me a link showing one of those.  Thanks Bill!

I added a new link to the blog.  It will take you to the NDBC buoy data.  You can select a buoy anywhere around the world.  We have one just off of Fort Pierce and one off of Sebastian, which are the ones that will be most used by readers of this blog.  The buoy records a lot of data including wave heights.  Take a look.  You might like it. 

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Did you know

Witches would sell the wind to sailors in the British Isles and Europe. These wind-sellers sold magic hawsers tied with three knots, said to bring the wind.  By the end of the sixteenth century wind selling had grown into an international trade.

It was customary for shipwrights to put a gold coin somewhere in the keel and a silver coin was put somewhere below the mast. The gold coin was for good luck and the silver coin protected the ship and the crew from storms.

Whistling aboard ship was supposed to invoke an adverse wind, which could harm the ship and crew.  


Those are some of the tidbits found on the following linked web site about pirate superstitions.

http://www.steppingintobooks.com/JRogers%20Pirate%20School/N3-Superstitions.htm

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The surf on the Treasure Coast is small today and will be tomorrow too.  Unfortunately I was right.  The 7 - 10 foot surf that was predicted for this weekend is now to 4 to 6 feet for this Friday.  C'est la vie. 

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net

9/26/13 Report - Clifford's Pirate Ship Salvage, St. Lucie County History Museum, Old Bricks & More

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

On The Site of the WhyDah
Clipped rom Foxnews video
See FoxNews link below.

Yesterday I commented on the local salvage season coming to an end.  The same thing has already happened up north.

Yesterday Fox News did a piece on Brandon and Barry Clifford who have been salvaging the Whydah.  They said they won't be back out on the Whydah this year but will be moving from Cape Cod to Africa to hunt the wreck of one of Billy the Kidd's ships.

One reason I wanted to comment on that is that I've been talking about treasure museums a little.

The Clifford's said they don't sell anything they find.  So what do they do with it all?   They have traveling shows.  The public gets to see what they've found.  And as I've been pointing out, the public is interested in such things.

Here is the link to the FoxNews video on the Cliffords treasure search story.\

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/25/yellow-brick-road-leads-to-massachusetts-pirate-booty-explorer-says/

Cannons From the Whydah.
From FoxNews video.

There are some interesting trends in the responses to the blog poll.  It is too early for me to comment on those, but I think we'll see something interesting.

Of course, other groups do something similar.  Odyssey Marine Explorations Inc. also has traveling treasure shows or displays.

Whyday Anchor
From Foxnews Video.

I still remember many years ago when I stopped at Art KcKees treasure museum down in the keys and the museum was closed but Art came out to talk.  He was known for that sort of thing and personally gave many private tours to delighted tourists.



Back to the poll blog on treasure museums.  Dennis S. wrote to let me know about an omission.  I actually thought about this at the time but didn't include it.   I can't do it now with the poll already running.

Here is what Dennis said.

I saw your poll on museums.  You might want to add one. The county museum in Fort Pierce,  \ http://www.stlucieco.gov/history/ , west bound side of the causeway, is interesting. It has a small section on the 1715 fleet,  It has two charts of the 1715 lease areas on the wall.. The picture of the bullet [in the blog] reminded me of the WWII section of the museum. I was surprised at the size of the amphibious base on the south side of the inlet.  It took up the entire north end of the island. I knew about the SEAL training on the north side of the inlet but nothing about the amphibious training base on the south side of the inlet.


Thanks Dennis.  There are still a lot of left overs from the WW II exercises that pop up on the beaches from time to time.


Things besides silver and gold change in price.

KovelsKomments says,

An annual "World Wealth Report" study of the most profitable luxury-item investments for 2013 says classic cars have gone up 28 percent since the end of 2012. Coins are up 9 percent; stamps, 7 percent; watches, 4 percent; Chinese ceramics, 3 percent; and jewelry, 2 percent. But antique furniture is down 3 percent and fine art is down 6 percent.

That should help your argument if you've been trying to get your wife to agree to your purchase of a collectible car.


Did you know that some people collect old bricks, especially the ones with the names or initials on them?  Not only are old bricks collected by collectors, they are used to add that extra touch to new homes and buildings.

I like the old bricks with the names or initials on them. 

Sometimes you can find a brick on a beach that actually came form an old shipwreck.  Keep your eyes open for those.  They were often used in a ship's galley.  To me, they make an interesting find.  The galley bricks will generally be of different dimensions than modern building bricks.

Reclaimed bricks are popular for building modern homes because of the attractive and distinctive look of the aged clay.


On the Treasure Coast the surf will only be about one foot Thursday but the low tide will not be very low.

The surf will pick up to about 3 - 4 feet by Saturday.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

8/3/13 Report - Pirate Ship Discovered, Encrusted Objects & Storm Forming

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Shipwreck Site Shown in Circle
From Wink News Now video.  See link.

Yesterday I presented the blog poll results showing the large percent of people who travel to the Treasure Coast to treasure hunt and metal detect.  Yesterday I got a report of a pirate ship wreck that some are calling a potential "treasure trove" for tourism.

Here is one link with the story and a nice video.  Among other things, the video shows the shallow water wreck site as seen from air.

http://www.winknews.com/Local-Florida/2013-07-30/Sunken-pirate-ship-discovery-a-treasure-for-Cape-Coral#.UfybQCDD-Bs

The wreck is thought to be a pirate ship from the Civil War era - possibly a schooner skow.

It lies in shallow water, and can be seen from air at times.  

This is another great example of how the pubic makes important historic and archaeological discoveries that will help to save our history before it is lost.  Amateurs have made many important discoveries in the past and will continue to do so.  They are the eyes in the field, it is their history, and they provide the tax dollars that fund our state's efforts. 

Gary alerted me to the story of this wreck along with the following link.  Thanks Gary!

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=nbc%202%20sunken%20ship%20cape%20harbor&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCoQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbc-2.com%2Fstory%2F22419675%2Fcape-man-finds-sunken-treasure&ei=vcP7UY__Ao--9QTFooG4DQ&usg=AFQjCNEjdRYm06IOmaHwjRoxoMM0bnP0xw&bvm=bv.50165853,d.eWU

And here is another link.

http://www.davidpcarr.com/news/sunken_pirate_ship_a_treasure_for_cape_coral

Besides sending me the link, Gary also said, The guy that discovered it says it wasn’t there 3 months ago. Other stories say it wasn’t discovered before because of brown water coming down from Lake O. I have passed within in 50 feet of area many times taking short cut out of harbor (shallow water allows only at high tide). I read later the sinking was recorded that a pirate ship (Navy) seized and stripped another Pirate ship and sank it at present location. The name of the ship was identified. White plastic pipes have been stuck around the area to keep boats from causing damage.

Gary continues,   ...its been there 150 years. I was able to see wreckage on some Google aerial maps using the history tool to cover years past.  I can also see the ship on Bing maps. I have looked at maps before in search of wrecks, I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED IN MY BACKYARD FIRST Anyway it shows what a wreck looks like in birdseye view.

This is a wreck that can be visited and seen as well as searched and identified on internet maps.  As Gary and the news story points out, it has been marked with PVC markers. 

Notice that it is a protected site.

Gary gives a good hint when he talks about using internet map sites for looking for shipwrecks.  Also a reminder to not forget to check out your own back yard.  

There are several advantages to looking close to home, especially when other known areas are not producing.   You never know what might be right under your nose.

Two Ferrous Objects Freed From Encrustation.

You probably know something of what are often called EOs (encrusted objects).  A metal detector can detect them, but they look like stone and you will often have no idea of what, if anything, might be in the hardened clump.

I've talked about EOs some in the past.  EOs can be confusing to new detectorists.  The metal detector says there is metal, but it looks like stone.

The picture to the left shows two objects (bottom two) that were removed from hand-sized conglomerates that looked something like small cow pies.   If you are a city person you might not know what a cow pie is, but I'll leave it at that.

The third object (at top) is a conglomerate, but the object that it formed around is no longer present.

It can be difficult to free objects from clumps of conglomerate.   The first thing I recommend is using a metal detector to identify what type of metal might be inside.  That is not destructive, and that is one case when a discriminating detector will come in handy.

Encrusted objects usually contain iron, but they can also contain other objects - even coins.

You will often see signs of rust on the surface of the conglomerate even if the object has completely rusted away.

Notice the round hole in the top object in the picture.  That is where there was once an iron rod that is now completely gone.   Even when an iron object has completely dissolved, it will leave a hole the shape of the object.  That allows archaeologists to create a replica of the object by filling the vacancy with plaster or some other modeling material.

One way to find out what is in an EO is to X-ray the clump.  (You might recall the EO that William M. thought might be a hand guard from a sword.  He made an appointment with a museum to get it inspected.  No  news on that one yet.)   Of course most of us don't have access to X-ray or other types of imaging that will reveal the contents.

If you think that an EO might contain something historic or important, have it inspected by the proper people like William arranged to do.

Some people try to break open EOs to find out what is inside. That is difficult to do without damaging the object, and therefore I would discourage that.  Usually the object will be in fragile condition and break along with the crust.

Sometimes archaeologists carefully grind the crust away.

Recently I saw a man at the beach who had a lawn chair and was picking up EOs and then sitting down and using a hammer and chisel to open them.  I don't know why he was doing that, but he would move along, pick up one or more, sit down and chisel.  That is dangerous.  If there is something important inside the conglomerate, there is a good chance it will be broken in the process.

 A vice allows more carefully measured pressure and therefore works better than a hammer and a chisel when an EO is to be opened.

Archaeologists sometimes use a wet saw to open a conglomerate.  Then the inside of the conglomerate can be inspected, and a mould made to produce a replica of the original object.



On the Treasure Coast we had some heavy rain yesterday.  The low pressure area centered just off our coast now has a 60% chance of developing into a cyclone in the next 48 hours.  Nonetheless, our surf will remain relatively small (1 - 2 feet).

I would expect more rain but no real improvement in beach detecting conditions for at least a few days.  When the cyclone forms it will probably be well north of us.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

4/21/13 Report - Pirate Henry Jennings & Coprous Shipwreck Beach Finds

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

A Sample of Treasure Coast Cuprous
Shipwreck Beach Finds.

People who hunt the Treasure Coast most often think of Spanish galleons.  That's mostly what the Treasure Coast is known for, especially the 1715 Fleet.  But sometimes old shipwreck items are found on Treasure Coast beaches that do not seem to be Spanish, and that sometimes makes people wonder where they came from.

There are a number of  reasons you will find old items from other countries along the Treasure Coast.  Two very obvious reasons include the fact that Florida was not always a Spanish possession  (everybody knows that), and ships of other nations traveled the Florida Coast even while Florida was a Spanish possession (everybody knows that as well).  There are other reasons that I will mention in a little more detail today and in the near future.


The one that I'll address most directly today is piracy.  Of course piracy is not the greatest source of Treasure Coast finds that are not Spanish, but it is one source, and a very interesting one at that.

A couple of days ago I posted a link to a TV program about Ben Franklin's privateers.  There was a very famous privateer that worked some on the Treasure Coast.
 
First I should explain that there is a difference between a privateer and a pirate (sometimes).  Basically, privateers act as an agent of a nation, while pirates act under no national authority. 

The distinction can get blurred.  Privateers can easily become pirates when they see the opportunity or when their privateering work is done, and pirates might claim to be good friends of one specific nation or might claim patriotic motives for their actions.

Henry Jennings was an 18th century British privateer, who later did a little work as a pirate, including some work right here on our Treasure Coast. 

Jennings was a privateer during the Spanish War of Succession, but his first act of piracy is said to be a raid on a 1715 Fleet salvage camp that occurred in 1716.  The Spanish salvage effort of the 1715 Fleet was mostly complete by early 1716, but Jennings made several attacks on the Spanish salvage camps, including the main camp located near the McClarty museum and stole something like 350,000 pesos, eventually retiring as a wealthy plantation owner in Bermuda.

Jennings teamed up with Black Sam Bellamy for a while, but that relationship ended poorly, like many relationships between pirates.

If you want to read more about Jennings, here is a place to start.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Jennings

The battles between Jennings and the Spanish salvagers undoubtedly resulted in some items of British and other origins being lost on the Treasure Coast, as did the actions of other pirates (some of whom I've mentioned before in this blog).  I'm sure there are musket balls and other items that were lost.

It was not uncommon for well-traveled opportunist of other nationalities to fish the Spanish wrecks along the Treasure Coast over the years. 

We also need to remember that the Spanish galleons were built and supplied with many products made in other countries.  Cannons used by the Spanish were sometimes made in other countries, as one of many examples.  Many items were imported, even back in those days.

The intermingling of goods from various sources had to become even greater the longer a vessel was in service.  So don't be surprised if you dig a British, French or Dutch item on a beach associated with a Spanish shipwreck.  It is always possible that such an item came from a Spanish shipwreck, so don't be too quick to think that an item is not from a Spanish galleon just because you think it doesn't look Spanish.

Also remember that there are colonial period wrecks from other nations intermingled with the Spanish shipwrecks along the Treasure Coast.


The photo above shows some miscellaneous cuprous shipwreck beach finds.  By cuprous, I mean to include copper, bronze and brass.  It can be hard to tell the difference. 

Among the more common shipwreck finds are connectors, such as spikes, nails, tacks and pins. Many connectors are made of iron, which often corrode worse than copper items, and might be more difficult to clean and preserve.

There are two copper pieces at the bottom left in the photo that are obviously not connectors.


With thousands of law enforcement personnel surrounding the area, it looked like the 19 year old terrorist slipped them all until a citizen reported his location.  There is no substitute for making use of the eyes of the population no matter if you are talking law enforcement of archaeology.   Too bad there isn't greater cooperation between archaeology and the population.  We'd see a boom-age revival of archaeology instead hard times.


I'll be posting a new poll in this blog soon.


After today the surf will increase a little on the Treasure Coast.  Today we are expecting around a 2 foot surf.  For the next few days it will be more like a 2 - 4 foot surf.  That isn't much increase, but it is enough to possibly freshen up some spots on the front of the beach.

The wind will be mostly from the east and east/northeast.

Low tide this morning is going to be after between 11 and 11:30.


Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/13/13 Report - Treasure Coast Pirate

Written by the Treasure Guide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Illustration of Don Pedro Gibert's Pirate Ship Panda
From free ebook.  Link found below.

A few days ago I provided a link to an old out-of-copyright collection of anthropology papers, which among other thing,s, presented articles on Indian mounds around Florida and other states.  Some included maps of those mounds.  Some very good maps of mounds around West Florida were included.  And a few of those mounds were the source of Spanish artifacts.

If you took the time to read those through those papers you would found the following.

Mention of Mount Pisgah Found in Smithsonian Collection of Anthropology Papers

While the Treasure Coast does not have the amount of pirate lore that is associated with much of the West Coast of Florida, it does have some.

Mount Pisgah, not far from Sewall's point, is a mound that is said to have been a haunt of our local pirate Don Pedro Gibert (or sometimes Gilbert), after whom Gilbert's Bar is said to be named.

1830 Map Showing Indian River Inlet

If you want to read more about pirate Gibert, his crew and exploits, you can read a free ebook reporting on his trial that took place in the 1830s.  Unfortunately his trial to not focus on Florida or the Treasure Coast but rather the evidence against him and the circumstances of his capture.  I still think you will find it interesting reading.  See link below.

At the right is an 1830 map showing the Treasure Coast and the Indian River Inlet.  Notice that the inlet is north of present day Fort Pierce.  The old inlet was nearly opposite Fort Capron and was north of present day Pepper Park.

I've mentioned that before, but that can be something that causes a lot of confusion so I mention it again.  The inlets have changed since 1830, and of course 1715 etc.  Remember that when you read old documents.

You'll also read of the area opposite Fort Capron in the Smithsonian collection of anthropology papers.  It mentions a midden near the old inlet.

Here is the link to the ebook about Gibert's trail.

http://books.google.com/books/about/Trial_of_the_twelve_Spanish_pirates_of_t.html?id=IQQWAAAAYAAJ



In the Roman baths of long ago people lost things just like they do in the water today.  Here is a link to an article about what archaeologists found in the Roman drains.

http://www.livescience.com/26202-drain-lost-items-roman-baths.html


The surf along the Treasure Coast today is expected to be calm, 1 - 2 foot surf, with continued southeast wind.  Tomorrow it will be a little rougher, but nothing that will improved detecting conditions.  I'd say the best bet is still the wet sand near low tide.

Low tide today will be around 3 PM.

They are getting some cold out west.  Maybe we'll get a cold front in the near future to stir things up a little.


Happy hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net

7/29/12 Report - Captain Henry Morgan's Fleet & More

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Here is the same spot that I showed about two weeks ago ( See July 14 post.).  Anyhow, I visited the same spot Saturday morning and once again found it productive.  Once again, there were encrusted modern coins and a few other things down a few inches - not quite as deep as those that I found at the same place on my last visit.

I mentioned last time that coins and other things can get stuck under bushes.  Rocks, bushes, fallen trees and other things can create traps for small objects.   The photo below shows where one target was dug under a bush.

I once dug five mercury dimes in one scoop at the end of a fallen palm tree that was laying on the beach. 

I met a nice fellow on the beach this morning, who told me where I should go detecting.  That was nice of him.  He wasn't detecting, though.

In September 2010 six iron cannons believed to have belonged to one of the most famous privateers of all, Henry Morgan, were discovered off the coast of Panama near the Chagres River.  Last summer, a 17th century wooden shipwreck was found that could be one of the five ships Morgan lost  in 1671 on the shallow Lajas Reef.  Additional excavations are being conducted at the site this summer in the hope of identifying the wreck.                        

Here is a link for more on that story.

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/07/26/4662701/underwater-archaeologists-dig.html


And here is one of those stories of a lost wedding ring being found and returned years after being lost.  This one was found by a kayaker on the beach of a  lake without the aid of a metal detector.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/26/idaho-womans-wedding-ring_n_1707303.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl8%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D185118

Keep your eyes open.


Treasure Coast Treasure Beach Detecting Forecast and Conditions

The wind is from the South and the seas flat.   The seas will remain flat for a few more days at least.

There has been no change in conditions and none expected real soon.

Low tide will be around 11:30 and midnight.


Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/9/2011 Report - Spike Found and Miscellaneous Odyssey Marine & Pirate Stuff

Treasure Coast Metal Detector Find.

It looks to me like this is probably a shipwreck spike. Notice the barb on the end. I've seen shipwreck spikes with a similar shape, but slightly different.

I've shown at least one other barbed spike in this blog from a wreck south of the Treasure Coast.

This spike was found by Al C., who submitted the photo. Thanks Al.


You've probably heard of Wikileaks. And no it doesn't refer to Wicans at the urinal.
(Must be near a full-moon out there.)

You might think that Wikileaks has nothing to do with treasure hunting. Well, that's what a reasonable person would think, but it appears that the US government is siding with Spain and against Odyssey Marine. That was revealed by a document on Wikileaks.

I haven't investigated the matter thoroughly, but it sounds to me like a friend of somebody's friend in the present US administration is wanting to keep some valuable paintings, and having no skin in the game, as they say, the administration is willing to trade Odyssey's finds so their buddies can keep the paintings.

Maybe I'm all wrong on that, but that is my guess from the little that I've seen.

Here is the link if you want to look into it.

http://www.coinnews.net/2010/12/17/wikileaks-cables-state-department-against-odyssey-in-black-swan-shipwreck-case/


Talking about Odyssey Marine, their stock price is now $3.20 per share. That is not bad. Really fooled me. If I had it, at that price I would probably be watching for a signal to sell. It has done very well over the past few months.

Don Pedro Gibert (or Gilbert) was a pirate that operated along the Treasure Coast and is said to provide the name for Gilbert's Bar where the House of Refuge is located. I've mentioned him before and provided a link to an old book telling about his trial.

Here is some general information about him if you haven't heard of him before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Gilbert



Forecast and Conditions.

The wind is out of the north/northwest. Seas will be about two feet today, increasing to about four feet tomorrow.

That is not enough to do much to most of the beaches, but if it hits just right could create some small cuts or refresh some of the places that have been eroded in the recent past.

Nothing much new here.


Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net