BillA
Bronze Member
hey Danny, here is what I recall after 45 yrs . . . .
A Dr. (no name) doing volunteer work during WWII attended an old "indian" (where ?) who told him of an underwater cave where the silver from Mission _______ was hidden. On the rock face above the cave was a whitewashed cross. After the war the Dr. moved to Santa Cruz and bought a 1/2 dozen ab diving boats, big business for a time; the Capt.s and divers were told to look for a white cross on the rocks "where the abs were good". One hardcase diver found the cross and did not tell the Dr., but did tell my uncle who was also a diver. Shortly later the diver died on a riverboat on the Miss ('50s ?). My uncle and I were living in the Santa Cruz mtns in the 60s so we drove down hwy 1, parked and walked 30' to the edge of a rock face perhaps 25-30' above the 'beach' and I scrabbled down 10' and on 2 small areas whitewash (?) could be seen, and on the 8" ledge where I was standing was a substantial amt of white crumbly matl - I saved some but it is long gone. The surface of the rock was also crumbling (a grey rock, don't recall more).
That was the good part, more difficult is the site which has a very narrow steep beach of large cobbles well rounded. At mid-tide on a nice day the surf is heavy. Underwater there are numerous caves - filled with 10" and smaller cobbles, swimming (free diving) in the surf among the rocks is a challenge. I cannot imagine trying to empty even one of those caves. Perhaps beyond the surfline there are clear caves, I did not return with diving gear but one can enter from the beach.
If other details come to mind I'll post 'em.
Bill
A Dr. (no name) doing volunteer work during WWII attended an old "indian" (where ?) who told him of an underwater cave where the silver from Mission _______ was hidden. On the rock face above the cave was a whitewashed cross. After the war the Dr. moved to Santa Cruz and bought a 1/2 dozen ab diving boats, big business for a time; the Capt.s and divers were told to look for a white cross on the rocks "where the abs were good". One hardcase diver found the cross and did not tell the Dr., but did tell my uncle who was also a diver. Shortly later the diver died on a riverboat on the Miss ('50s ?). My uncle and I were living in the Santa Cruz mtns in the 60s so we drove down hwy 1, parked and walked 30' to the edge of a rock face perhaps 25-30' above the 'beach' and I scrabbled down 10' and on 2 small areas whitewash (?) could be seen, and on the 8" ledge where I was standing was a substantial amt of white crumbly matl - I saved some but it is long gone. The surface of the rock was also crumbling (a grey rock, don't recall more).
That was the good part, more difficult is the site which has a very narrow steep beach of large cobbles well rounded. At mid-tide on a nice day the surf is heavy. Underwater there are numerous caves - filled with 10" and smaller cobbles, swimming (free diving) in the surf among the rocks is a challenge. I cannot imagine trying to empty even one of those caves. Perhaps beyond the surfline there are clear caves, I did not return with diving gear but one can enter from the beach.
If other details come to mind I'll post 'em.
Bill
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