Beachcomber stumbles upon historical shipwreck

[Dennis Donovan]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/06/05/oldest.shipwreck/index.html?hpt=T2

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qMJCGeRTeco/S7fD5Ew4M_I/AAAAAAAABFg/bZq7dhQ7fkU/s1600/swift+for+eodare.jpg

<snip>
Midgett drives his pickup truck right onto the beach using the access road near the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. With a metal detector and shovel in tow, he's uncovered everything from antique coins to wedding rings.

Yet his biggest discovery came in December when he located the remains of a historical shipwreck.

The wreckage, hidden under the sand for centuries, became fully exposed after a winter of brutal Nor'easters, making it the oldest shipwreck found off the coast of North Carolina.

But historians had to act fast to recover the ship, according to Meghan Agresto, site manager of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse.

"This winter, it just got smacked. After awhile the ocean was going to take it back," Agresto said. "The fact that we got it off the beach makes us excited because we got to save it."

Midgett and other beachcombers had discovered a number of relics near the shipwreck's beach grave site, including coins believed to be from the reign of Louis XIII in France and Charles I in England, lead bale seals used for identification, and spoons dating to the mid-1600s.
</snip>

Remarkably intact given its age!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. How very cool!

I'm so glad they were able to save it!

We need to save our historical artifacts...they are so fragile and precious.

Especially now that the oil is coming.

[xchrom]

2. That is just amazing. Amazing.

Thanks Midget!

[Dennis Donovan]

8. I'm actually rather tall...

:D

[xchrom]

9. ...

:spray:

[Vinnie From Indy]

3. I know some of the Midgett family from the Outer Banks

To think that those beautiful areas of the Outer Banks might be lost to the oil spill as well as the Gulf beaches is such a mind boggling tragedy that it is hard to get your head around it.

The Midgetts and a few other families have lived there for many generations. The families have a very unique and intersting history.

[Rhiannon12866]

6. K&R and I agree.

Aside from the terrible loss of wildlife, the livelihoods of so many and the environmental damage that can never be repaired, our history is a victim in this tragedy, as well. I can't imagine the scope of this, either, and we are just beginning to learn the horrific scope of it all, with no end in sight. ;(

[taterguy]

17. Wreck was found at Currituck, that area is safe

Sure hope Ocracoke doesn't get hit too bad though.

[Octafish]

4. The quality of the ship's timbers is amazing.

The quality of construction, design, execution...amazing.

Thank you, Mr. Midgitt and thank you, Dennis Donovan!

[Dennis Donovan]

5. Buried in sand for almost 400 years!

You're welcome, and also MY thanks to Mr Midgett!:hi:

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. interesting story.

[canetoad]

10. Beautiful keel

The ship may have looked like this.

[Uncle Joe]

11. Fascinating.

Thanks for the thread, Dennis Donovan.:thumbsup:

[taterguy]

12. Cool story, thanks

[applegrove]

13. Neato!

[tekisui]

14. This is a great story!

If (when!) I live on a beach, I will be a metal-detector beach-comber.

[lfairban]

15. 'Round and Around

Archaeologists originally thought the wreck could be the HMS Swift, a British Navy ship from the late 17th century that originally ran around in the southern Chesapeake Bay off Virginia's coast.
The HMS Swift drifted to the Outer Banks, where it was looted once it hit shore, then disabled by the looters so it wouldn't resurface.

Gee, do you think they meant, "aground"?

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. Maybe it got caught in a loop current and went 'round n 'round n......

:shrug: