Underwater Scrap

**huntsman** · 06-26-2012, 02:00 PM

Has anyone done anything with underwater/marine scrap? In many areas where there is a long history of marine use, there must be a great deal of steel lying on the bottom. The recent TV shows on underwater logging got me thinking . . .

**Dunemaul** · 06-26-2012, 02:30 PM

Depends on the area Alot of coastal waters are protected and removing debris is illegal.

**gustavus** · 06-26-2012, 02:32 PM

Under water logging got my attention, found a nice lake on Vancouver Island that had enough cedar sinkers to keep me going for the rest of my life.

In the early 1900's there was a sawmill as common with most mills running on steam it burned to the ground and never got rebuilt. On the lake the may log booms waiting to be sawn eventually become so water logged they sank to the bottom.

All of these logs were first growth cedar with a very tight grain and would have sold as music wood which is worth a small fortune even in todays money.

Cedar - Tone Wood Western Red Cedar Guitar Tops, Tonewood, Soundboards

Ok, I'm very excited about this find and do my homework to obtain salvage rights, as it turned out the lake is situated on a zone of land on the Island referred to as the E & N Land Grab. Read it an weep, the green area on the Map indicate which land is still to this day controlled by the Railway, the untouchables.

Vancouver Island's Great E & N Railway Land Grab

Let this find go from memory, then moved along with a new path, the outside coast of Vancouver Island is littered with logs a beachcombers wet dream come true. Most of the logs are riddled with teredo holes, if the log is not to badly gone you can mill some of the most gorgeous lumber from it.

I had found a really cool log salvage boat, powered with a cat engine with a Berkly pump for jet propulsion which would allow this boat entry into the shallows. Someone who knew the outer coast better than I advised me against my folly. The sea is so unpredictable on the outside coast and when she turns on you, quit often you do not have a cove to weather out the storm in safety, but become part of the floats-om soon to be washed up on the beaches.

Yea I'm up for it, underwater salvage, find any good sinkers give me a shout.

**huntsman** · 06-26-2012, 02:38 PM

I am on inland waters with a long history of industrial use. Depending on legalities, I was thinking of building a barrel raft to tow behind my aluminum skiff, with a square cut out in the middle and an A frame with a winch over the hole. Pull stuff up the hole, slid some boards under it, move it out of the way, and repeat!

**Bear** · 06-26-2012, 04:40 PM

I was down at the river a couple days ago, and passed a fence where they hang all their big fish heads. I couldn't help but chuckle when I realized why the old waterlogged tire was hanging there too

**BurlyGuys** · 06-26-2012, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Bear

I was down at the river a couple days ago, and passed a fence where they hang all their big fish heads. I couldn't help but chuckle when I realized why the old waterlogged tire was hanging there too

Um, okay, WHY was the tire hanging there?

**duece2000** · 06-26-2012, 07:12 PM

A big catch.

**Bear** · 06-26-2012, 07:29 PM

Catch of the day ; )

**ScrapYaHerd** · 06-26-2012, 08:47 PM

Oceans are huge dumping grounds. I used to follow a stock of a company Odyssey Marine Explorations out of St. Pete FL that did underwater treasure hunting and it was always some sort of litigation happening over every move they made.

Scrap isn't exactly treasure to anyone but us, maybe they would see this in a more positive light and leave you alone

**miked** · 06-27-2012, 10:23 AM

I did underwater metal detecting in Hawaii and it was a great way to make money. Here in the mainland it is not as profitable but still worth doing if you have the desire. It takes lots of practice and expensive detectors to make it work. Far more jewelry in the water than in the dry sand. If anyone is interested you can look on the the finds forums and check out the beach and water section. Mike.

**huntsman** · 06-27-2012, 10:30 AM

I read an older book about treasure hunting type salvage, and they noted that in some areas the bottoms were covered with steel scrap. At that time, it was obviously not economical to recover, other than a few special instances such as the German fleet at Scapa Flow. Scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

I have to imagine that today, you would be better off piling up steel than chasing dreams of gold and jewels.

**Hypoman** · 06-27-2012, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by BurlyGuys

Um, okay, WHY was the tire hanging there?

City folk.....

lol! just messing with you.

“When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it whether they want to or not.”
Georgia O'Keeffe quotes