I know what I would like to find

[100days-a-year]

Walter,I pass by on my way to the Keys in aug every year.We dive the St. Marys on the FL-GA border.I have friends who dive about a mile out in VB sometimes. He found some choice teeth last fall.Try the peace river north of you(mega megs)

 

[joewr]

I have always wanted to find an artifact from WWII--either side of the conflict and any country, but most desireable would be something from the USA forces. At Truk we saw things that were off limits to collection--and rightly so--but the bullets around a Zero were very tempting!

We are planning a trip to Micronesia again and we wondered if there were places where "collecting" was allowed and would not do irrepairable damage to future historical studies. The irony in all this is that I had some stuff like that when I was a kid--stuff my relatives who fought in the war brought back--and it is all lost, save a shoulder patch from the 8th Army Air Corps that my Uncle Eddy gave to me and I managed to keep for 53+ years!

Joewr

 

[scubadweeb]

You guys are fascinating! I must admit, I have never heard of the megalodon Shark until today! After looking it up I found this shark was the largest predator to ever swim the ocean. Reaching an overall maximum length of approximately 60-70 feet, this shark was three times the size of the modern Great White shark! I read that the shark lived approximately 24.5 million to 1.5 million years ago! Thanks for the history lesson.

 

[Walter]

..........largest predator ever to live on Earth. Most agree the Sperm Whale is larger than megalodon was.

Tony, where exactly in the Peace River?

DSSW,

WWW™

 

[100days-a-year]

Walter,the Peace river runs thru Hardee,DeSoto,and Charlotte counties.Try the books(Fossil Diving by Robert w. Sinibaldi,Fossiling in Florida by Mark Renz,and Floridas Fossils by Robin C. Brown)There is a large community on-line of fossil and artifact divers.We are usually and understandably rather tight-lipped about exact locations as a number of them do it professionally.I'm in Jax Where do you hale from?

 

[Walter]

.........the river, that's not a problem. I live in Fort Myers and I've read the books you've referenced. Rentz says fossils are in every river and stream in Florida. I'd rather not spend weeks looking along the Peace River's entire length if it's not necessary.

WWW™

 

[scubanole]

Walter, check Ned Deloach's Diving Guide to Underwater Florida. It talks about Peace River diving around Nocatee. I know this is not the only place or prob. not the best place in the Peace River ,but it may be a start. Having grown up in Polk County (Bartow), I would have never thought to dive in Peace River. I don't think I would now. too many gator's. The book did mention winter was the best time, low water and fewer gators. anyway good luck and let us know how you do if you go

 

[Walter]

.........I'll check it out. Thanks.

WWW™

 

[ScubaBaby]

I would love to be the first to discover a wreck that has been missing for decades!!!!!

Not that that will happen to me.....I can dream!!!!

 

[Rooster]

Originally posted by joewr
I have always wanted to find an artifact from WWII--either side of the conflict and any country, but most desireable would be something from the USA forces. At Truk we saw things that were off limits to collection--and rightly so--but the bullets around a Zero were very tempting!

We are planning a trip to Micronesia again and we wondered if there were places where "collecting" was allowed and would not do irrepairable damage to future historical studies. The irony in all this is that I had some stuff like that when I was a kid--stuff my relatives who fought in the war brought back--and it is all lost, save a shoulder patch from the 8th Army Air Corps that my Uncle Eddy gave to me and I managed to keep for 53+ years!

Joewr

If you ever get to dive Guam there are still all kinds of WWII stuff to be found. The most common is WWII Coke bottles. In fact there is a dive site called Coke bottle reef. During the war the sailors would throw the bottles off of the ships, and they are scattered all over Apra Harbor. I have a six-pack. To bad I don't have an original carton to put them in. I also have a couple of bullets and bullet shells. Not sure what the shells are from, they look like 30mm and 50mm. Truk has to protect their resources, understandably so. There was so much stuff sank, thrown, dumped, or otherwise lost in the ocean out here, that it's not hard to find "stuff" if you look hard enough. I do not advocate stripping, stealing or otherwise plundering historical artifacts. I love seeing them where they were found. I have never understood the east cost attitude of stripping everything you can get your hand on, so you can display it in the dive shops. I'm not a big collector of "stuff", and the few pieces I have were not taken from any wreck but were found in the sand.
Dive Safe,
Rooster