Treasure chest? Ship rigging?

[rocny]

Ok, everyone,

I found this iron "thing" burried about a foot + under the sand at a local beach in San Luis Obispo. I know there are stories of treasures etc. around here. What I exposed is about 2 feet long, almost a foot across and on the side it's at last 6 or so inches showing. I did not have the time or tools to dig it fully. It is more covered than uncovered and has to weigh hundreds of pounds. There seem to be grooved slots over the top of it. Maybe for rope? Is this a piece of an old ship? The end of it is flat, the top has the rounded grooves. What the heck is it? Did I leave my retirement fund buried at the beach? It would be quite a job even moving it if it wasn't buried over a foot down. Its pretty much near the water so it was probably exposed years ago before it got covered by sand. UNLESS it was purposely buried. It is pretty much aiming at the towards the water but not perfectly. It's just massive.

Anyway, any guesses?
Thanks

 

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[rocny]

maybe it's military? n/m

it would take a team to move it once dug up I think.

 

[ARC]

I only have one question...

Why did you stop digging ?

 

[huntsman53]

Whatever it is, I believe that it would be a good idea to excavate and remove it to know what it is for sure. I am sure that others will chime in but on first thoughts, it appears to be a very large "Block and Tackle" possibly for a large sailing ship or was setup to move something large onto or off the beach.

You really should have the Moderators move this Thread or repost in the Treasure Hunting: "Shipwrecks" forum.


Frank

 

[rocny]

Quick replies, cool.
Well, I stopped digging because honestly I was a little overwhelmed with it. For one, I didn't know what would happen if people showed up during my excavation in terms of rules/laws/ or possession practices. I was alone at the time but people were sure to show up soon and like I said, I was unprepared for such a massive item. And if I was able to unearth it I would not really be able to do anything with it let alone be able to get it off the beach. I figure it isn't going anywhere anytime soon so if I decide that something should be done with it, I'll be able to find it easy enough. That is unless someone else gets it first but really, it's been there so long for some good reasons, I doubt it's going anywhere soon. It had to come off of a ship because I can't imagine it getting to where it is any other way. And it has to be old being that deep I would think.
I do like the idea of some type of rigging. The grooves on the top do seem that a rope might fit them. Serious piece of iron here.

 

[ARC]

Could be japan junk from quake...
Could be a lot of things...

Does not resemble a "chest" as far as "typical" chest design goes...
BUT...
That does not mean a thing... I see new things I have not seen before all the time.

Go back...
Set up an EZ up or umbrella... a big bed sheet or 2... and some towels...
Cooler... the works...

Set up camp around it...
Like you are just chilling at the beach...
And dig in a slow methodical manor with sheet or towel ready to be pulled over hole if someone approaches...
Do it at a slower time... maybe even later part of day afternoonish ...

Diig around each side... till you hit bottom of sides... and feel around on edges for seems etc...
If you can... dig it up...

IF... It is a chest of some sort...
Welp that's a hard one...
I suggest you cover with towel and act like its a cooler till you can make your next decision. heh
take pics ... then rebury till you can retrieve or make your decisions on how to handle such a thing.

 

[bigblockjohn454]

First, welcome to T-Net. Second, keep us informed please. I for one am very intrigued. And, good luck with it.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I hope you turned your GPS off on your celphone before you took the photos. Did you tap on it to see if it was hollow? I hope you keep us informed and dont reveal the exact location online.

 

[huntsman53]

Unless there are rules for the Beach against removal of items found below the surface, then the situation is a "Finders Keepers Losers Weepers" kind of item. Take two or three friends or family members back with you, excavate the item and carry to your' vehicle. If it is an old Block and Tackle, it may have intrinsic and collectible value above the value of the metal it contains but if not, then there is always a Recycler to be considered.


Frank

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I dont know the laws in Ca but here in Florida we are allowed to keep anything we find on the beach between high and low tides but no digging in the dunes.. Research the law in your area first.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Whatever it is, I believe that it would be a good idea to excavate and remove it to know what it is for sure. I am sure that others will chime in but on first thoughts, it appears to be a very large "Block and Tackle" possibly for a large sailing ship or was setup to move something large onto or off the beach.

You really should have the Moderators move this Thread or repost in the Treasure Hunting: "Shipwrecks" forum.


Frank

Leave it here and post a duplicate in the Shipwrecks Forum.

 

[DBANDGB]

dig it out. i want to see what it is.

 

[BosnMate]

Unless there are rules for the Beach against removal of items found below the surface, then the situation is a "Finders Keepers Losers Weepers" kind of item. Take two or three friends or family members back with you, excavate the item and carry to your' vehicle. If it is an old Block and Tackle, it may have intrinsic and collectible value above the value of the metal it contains but if not, then there is always a Recycler to be considered.


Frank

Not necessarily so. Several years ago a couple of cannons were discovered on a beach down near Santa Barbara, and the state took them away from the finder. That's about 100 miles
south of this find. Back a number of years ago, a private ranch owned the land which is now a state park called Montana de Oro. I helped gather cattle on that place a number of times,
and the private beach was loaded with Indian relics, and I found a couple of nice points there. Now it's a state park, and you can't pick up an arrow head, agate or even kill a rattler. I don't
know where he is searching, but Avila Beach and Pismo Beach are both the popular swimming beaches. Near Avila there is a nude beach called "Pirates Cove." Historically that was called
Cave Landing, and the Spanish shipped hides out of that landing as far back as the late 1700's, and during proabition booze was shipped from there. If near that beach you could be looking
for something to do with a crane for loading ships. At Avila Beach, if you go over toward Port San Luis, there was a railroad that ran along the beach there, and in that area it could be off a train.
So there are lots of possibilities, up to WWII when the Army fortified large parts of the coast in San Luis Obispo County, and they could have left something.

 

[huntsman53]

dig it out. i want to see what it is.

As the O.P. indicated, that is probably easier said than done! Many years ago and well before the metal detecting bans, I was searching for a possible Treasure Chest during low tide just East of the White's Street Pier in Key West. I hit an enormous signal and my friend Roy Ridgeway came down to help me dig it out. We dug out a section that was around 3 feet in width and nearly 6 feet long to expose the top of whatever it was, only to find that it was an entire Restaurant sized Cook Stove that was likely buried there by one of the devastating hurricanes that hit Key West. The Cook Stove was so large and buried so well, that it would have taken a crane to get it out of the sand and mud.


Frank

 

[fowledup]

P-L-E-A-S-E keep us in the loop on this, I can't wait to see how this turns out, hope its somethin good! If I were you I'd be telling the Mrs's "Hey hun guess what? We're going camping on the beach for a couple days!" Good luck!

 

[trikikiwi]

It certainly is an interesting find and I look forward to learning exactly what it is - but my guess is an old engine crank case.

 

[sutphin]

LOOK HERE ROC THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL KNOW IS GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND OPEN UP THAT HOLE. DIG MAN DIG THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

It certainly is an interesting find and I look forward to learning exactly what it is - but my guess is an old engine crank case.

Good guess. If its an engine oil pan, then there would be bolts around the perimeter.

 

[DBANDGB]

did you dig it up yet?

 

[fowledup]

What the hey lets get going on this it's been what 30+ hours? I'dve traded all the family heirlooms for a trackhoe rental by now!