Carribean Shipwreck and Other Research

[1liquigirl]

As posted on the shipwreck poll, I hunt for shipwrecks, from the comforts of my own home. From two pirate maps I derived the locations, then searched the web to see if anything turned up in those spots. One was Big Duck Island, Maine the other off of Atlantic Beach North Carolina with an X marking the spot. The first was discovered through Captain Kidd's Key or Skeleton Island Map, of which two pirate treasures have turned up there in the 1950's. More info on this can be seen at http://users.adelphia.net/~spainhe/ellen/gdi.htm. Oh, if I had been born earlier and old enough to find it first. The second I will list below, this was discovered the year I graduated high school, I just solved this one about a month ago, it's Blackbeard's Queen Anne's Revenge. So, I'm getting closer to nabbing one of my own. I have had great help from James Ruddach, Kevin Kidd, and Howard Frey. But research is my game, and I owe alot of my finds to such simple things as a Rand McNally Atlas and Google Earth, to help me scope things out. I'll enclose a picture of a galleon, which I have found, it is in very shallow water, so much can be seen. It is located off an unpopulated island in the Carribean, and I believe is the answer to the "Galleon Wrecks" portion of Captain Kidd's Mar Del Map. If I knew about investors and finding all the people I would need to bring it together, I'd be there right now, there's no info on this area anywhere on the web! But how to get there before someone beats me to it? If anyone wants info from my archives on these two treasures found, but already found you can e-mail me at [email protected] I'm saving them to write a book on the adventures I've had from behind a computer. Besides a book, how can I make all this research profit me? I want to search this shipwreck site. Can anyone help me here, or send me info to lead me in the right direction?

 

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[Cablava]

Well done nice bit of research, I have not seen that particular map before. The image I recall someone posting a similar one here last year. But it sure looks like a ship to me, there are two shadows in the image but I cannot make out the relevance at that resolution.

As for making a living at research, I am afraid there is not much money to be made in it, but it is great fun, you would need to learn Spanish both old and new, possibly Dutch both old and new (VOC ships). And not to forget the Portugese,

Getting people to finance things is not easy nor is picking a good recovery team (plenty of pirates around today) On this forum there are occasionally calls for help with research and sometimes help on project. If you can make yourself available and are willing to rough it a bit then you could probably get yourself on a team. Read and learn from the posts of the guys actually working wrecks right now. (makaydon, salvor 6 just 2 that come to mind) I am sure they would give you some advise if you ask nicely.

I look forward to more posts, pick a target and go for it.

Good luck

Mike

 

[1liquigirl]

Thanks Mike , I will look into what you've mentioned. I hope it's not the same image as one posted last year, like I said, I haven't seen anything on the web about this particular location. I really am happy to hunt, even if in the end I find someone else got the treasure, but it would be nice to score one! I'm really looking forward to learning a few things from this forum, as well as show off a bit of what I'm up to. It's so nice sharing such a wonderful hobby, research, treasure hunting, metal detecting with good people who enjoy it just as much as I do. I never get bored. Anyone else know the best way to start off this Carribean quest? I like a variety of opinions, and then I shoot for the best. Break it down for me, starting with first thing to do first. Thanks!

 

[1liquigirl]

Had trouble sending the private message to you Blue_Eyes so here is the info as requested, hope this helps you:
I do not have a name or date of the wreck, it's not in the British Virgin Islands, so you as well as I would have to do some traveling to get there, I've looked in many shipwreck records, finding nothing at its coordinates. And nothing about the wreck from any website about the island this wreck is near. I'm hoping to make this a project, so I do not want to give out the island or its coordinates, unless I find out it's a no go for some reason. I don't know how many uninhabited islands there are left in the Carribean, so I hope I haven't given too much away already. OOPs. The maps are listed on a few websites, I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes in copywrighting by sending it to you. These are two variants, with solving Great Duck Island there were 4. I'm also up for opinions of anyone else, or if they have other variants of the map to share.

 

[99*]

I think I know where the island is - I have aerial photographs of it, who is Blue_Eyes?
My name is 99, I dive most days, let me know what you want to do? I may be able to help, I may not....good luck *

 

[99*]

Come back 1Liquigirl - I am sure I have the spot whether its a wreck or not? as for uninhabitat the fishermen from Vieques sure get around, 99*

 

[1liquigirl]

99, sorry I had been out for the weekend. Is Vieques an island? If so, it is not the island I speak of, I have a few messages to sort through and will touch base with all of you when I have looked through all of them. Tomorrow I will have a full report. ~Michelle

 

[99*]

I never said it was Vieques I merely said the fisherman get around, the Caribbean is a small place, good luck 99*

 

[1liquigirl]

Ok all, just letting you know that I have been contacted by many about this wrecksite. There is alot of interest in turning this into an actual project to be salvaged. Since this is a first for me, the process may be slower than most on here who have been doing this sort of thing for a while. I have been told to get a lawyer, write up an Agreement of Confidentiality, Research into getting permits (since some places you can't explore or salvage), obtain them, obtain investors, personnel, capital and equiptment. It appears overwhelming from the get go, but I'm going to run with it. I'll keep you posted with progress.

 

[99*]

Good Luck,99*

 

[Cablava]

Sadly all the paperwork can take longer than the research, but do not rush it as a mistake now will cost you dearly later on. Listen the guys on the board who can help you in the US , there are some very bright guys and girls on here. Remember finding the ship on paper is usually the hard part, but in your case the ships visible so it should not be to difficult as you have the cordinates for it. Keeping a share of whatever is found is more difficult in the US these days if they will let you work on it at all.

Keep us posted, (after the event is better for you) follow 99 he has been working a wreck for some time now, teasing us with info and finds. But wisely keeping the location a secret until he decides to (if ever) For me it does not matter if we ever get to know where the wreck is, but keep us in the loop so we can be envious of any finds you make.

Mike

 

[1liquigirl]

Mike, I will let you all know how things are going. For the Commonwealth of Nations, how easy is it to work up permits? Do you know or anyone else? This is not a U.S. project.

 

[Cablava]

Hi

The Comonwealth of Nations, now there is a big title. However I think each country will have its own procedure for this if thay have a procedure at all. But anyway we have narrowed down the possibilities for the location of the ship to just 53 countries, so we are getting closer. Sorry can't be of more help it is to wide. When you are ready then maybe I or others better positioned may be able to help. Just depends where it is.

Good luck

Mike

 

[mariner]

This has been a very interesting thread to follow. Congratulations on your find. Sounds like it is in the waters of one of the ex-British colonies like the Bahamas. I suspect that anybody very familiar with the Caribbean will already have been able to identify the location from the map you posted earlier. I think it was *99 who said he could do so, and not everybody will be as fair as him in respecting your own diligent research. I think that you will need the help of somebody who is knowledgeable about both the laws and the practice in the country involved, so my advice would be to name the Government involved and ask for help from somebody who has previously dealt with them. I say this because some time ago, I tried to get permission to recover a wreck in one of these British Commonwealth places, and got the run-around for several months. In the course of that, I came to realise that, as usual, it is not just what you know that counts, but who you know.

Best of luck with this project, and I look forward to hearing about your success.

Mariner

 

[1liquigirl]

Mariner, thanks for the help. I have been in contact with a few people who would be interested in doing the reasearch on this, but considering that I've gotten this far on my own research, I'm going to keep going this way. I have been able to pull its government's website, so I'll let you know when I get informed on whether they will allow for the permits to salvage. It has been interesting, and the research has been fun too. Thanks to everyone so far for reading this thread.

 

[99*]

Commonwealth issues are dealt with by Legisaltive Council especially in the Caribbean, I suggest making friends with a politician, locally, a large gamble though in getting screwed and running around, there is no easy route, except a "Charter yacht" which we dont all condone. I really have contacts in most of these islands so can help, you would owe me some beers though! Be careful, trust few and go find your treasure.99*

 

[treaser hunta]

I am just curious to find out what makes you think that that object in that picture is really a wreck. Don't you think it might just be a reef or something. If you think about it the pixels that make up the picture are small squares and those little pixels cant show curves when you zoom in. Don't get me wrong it might very well be a wreck. I am just curious to know if you have seen the wreck in person.

Treasure Hunta

 

[1liquigirl]

Treasure Hunta, No, I haven't seen the wreck in person, but I know what I am looking for when searching. It's not the curves you look for, it is the squared shapes that make the difference. They are manmade, nothing natural occurs with straight lines at 90 degree angles. I have been offered a chance to work with a research company, and meet some really well known treasure hunters working right now on wrecks, because they had been impressed by this thread. I may take it, due to the fact that it will give me my first experience in the salvage field and then I will be more knowledgeable on issues when working my project. Also, this puts me closer to the area, and I will be able to leave there after, or go there before starting work with them and take a look at it personally before starting the quest for myself. While hoping it will still be unclaimed by another hunter by the time I get there. If it is claimed, I will hope for at least doing some work on the project, Scuba, etc.

Cornelius, I have been impressed with all the knowledge you have brought to this website. And you are right, treasure hunters do pursue their thoughts, when it keeps you excited, but I am also backing this up with research and historic facts from that area. The X on the 1700's map was placed there, as on many other maps in nautical history to signify the area of a wreck, so that others sailing would be warned of its location and not run into it and meet the same fate. The X signifies the location of the Queen Anne's Revenge, Blackbeard's Ship, which had began salvage in 1996. The Mar Del Map shows a different area listed as Galleon Wrecks, for the same reason. The Mar Del Map, and the island that the Galleon pictured sits off of are too similar in shape to be coincidence, plus the Galleon and an unidentified object next to it are in the right position as referred to on the Mar Del Map. I did not tell anyone who has posted or sent me messages about it's specific location (nor will I), but there is also historical information that can confirm the possibility of pirates at one time being on this island. In that case, this Galleon may have loot, it may not, but it's about finding out history, and salvaging what you can. I appreciate your feedback, I hope my information supplied in this post helps clear a bit up for you.

 

[99*]

Liquigirl your post is getting boring, I am starting to miss what your intentions were. The maps are great, the work? The Google to be prooved otherwise.
I sincerly hope you hit it big and are right but the thread seems to be thinning?
Cheers 99*

 

[travel73]

Liquigirl, I may be able to help with the permits to dive this wreck. I have very good friends in the goverment in this place and would be willing to help.