Article: Primeval Underwater Forest Discovered in Gulf of Mexico

[pkpowerofone]

Has anyone dove here? I can't tell where it is exactly... they just say the "Gulf of Mexico". It would be cool to see before it disappears.

Primeval Underwater Forest Discovered in Gulf of Mexico | LiveScience

 

[Ray and Pam]

A long ways from Cozumel, off the coast of Alabama in about 60' of water, getting warmer.

 

[pkpowerofone]

That is far!

 

[DandyDon]

Hehe, it mentioned Alabama a couple times in your article. Here is one with more info & video: Ancient Underwater Forest: 50,000 Year-Old Swamp Discovered By Scuba Divers Off Alabama's Coast

The location is being kept secret to avoid damages from collectors, but wood worms will consume most of it in a few years. Not much to see unless you're just really into rotting trees.

 

[drbill]

On some of my dives years ago I discovered "ancient" Native American middens (garbage heaps) in about 40 ft of water... like this forest, they were probably inundated when the glaciers melted and sea level rose.

 

[DandyDon]

Well, they may let you dive the forest after all - from Alabama, not Cozumel. They are being protective, tho. see Ala. group steps up to protect underwater forest - TimesDaily: State

Excerpting...

"Some of the salvage companies even offered me money for the (GPS) numbers for the forest," Raines said. "Those stumps would rank among the rarest and most valuable pieces of wood on the planet. I can't imagine what the value of a Gibson guitar or even a coffee table made from a 50,000-year-old tree would be."

 

[shoredivr]

I'd love to dive there.