Kayak Diving

Kayak diving is a great way to visit the site. Also, it's good on gas, and good exercise.


This is the launch point. Our destination is about 3/4 mile away. That's Dick Trodick working on his red kayak. I'm working on my yellow one in the background. The third kayak is going to being used by Dr. Kira Kaufmann, Marine Archaeologist. We are giving her a tour of the Sunrise Wreck debris field this day.

We are checking our gear to be sure that everything is tied down well, and that tether lines are fastened to the SCUBA tank, the buoyancy compensator, gear bag, paddle, etc. We don't want to loose anything in a role over.

Here Dick Trodick is about to change position. The yellow line here acts both as an anchor and a tow line for the kayak. The kayak tows easy. You almost don't notice any drag. It's nice to have your boat with you all through the dive.

The British Connections

There seems to be enough evidence present to consider that the Fort Lauderdale Sunrise Shipwreck to be of British origin. Some of the artifacts point in that direction. As far as it is known at this time none of the artifacts point to any other origin.

These artifacts, and others, were recovered in 1956/57 from the primary cultural deposit located about 1/2 mile off shore from the beach at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.



First, there is the sextant with the maker's name and city, "W. Hogg, London".



Then there is the silver or pewter spoon with the name of the maker and city, "P. Barnes & Co., London"



Next, is the pottery shard with a maker's mark, identified as used by John Davenport, Great Britain, 1793 - 1882.

From THE EUROPEAN CONNECTION?

Also, there is this partial saucer or plate of edged pearlware, refined eathernware, England, 1785 - 184o. Note the small piece in the upper right that may have come from another edged pearlware saucer or plate because the edged pattern is curved slightly, in contrast to that of the larger ceramic.






Finally, there are the coins. Of the 40 or so legible Spanish coins recovered, only one was minted in the New World, from the Mexico mint. Note the mint mark on the reverse at about 8 o'clock on this 1788 coin. The rest of the legible coins were minted in Spain.

When we recovered Spanish coins we thought that they must have come from a Spanish ship. It was only a year or two ago that I learned that such an assumption was incorrect. Actually, Spanish coins were the primary medium of exchange in the American colonies, and continued to be so until just before the the American Civil War. There were a number Spanish Mints in the Americas.

So if the ship was a trader plying the waters of the American Atlantic and Gulf coasts, it seems that there should be a large percentage of Spanish coins found with New World mint marks. But, in this case only one of about 40 legible Spanish coins is New World minted.

Of course these artifacts do not prove British origin. It's only that there is likely a connection.

What is it?

There are some unidentified artifacts in the Ft. Lauderdale Sunrise Wreck collection. Do you know what these two items are. (there are two views of each item.)




Note the threads in the narrow area.



The objects are made of brass or bronze; weight of both pieces together is 1/2 pound; overall length is 5 inches; diameter of bowls are 2 3/4 inches. Also, notice the evidence of threads in the narrow area.

The meaning of the over-stamps.

(This post is being prepared by Matthew de Felice, , County Archaeologist, Broward County Historical Commission.)

Matthew has been very busy and hasn't been able to report his findings. In fact he has not finished his research on these counter stamped coins. Matt has provided me with a copy of his correspondence with Rafael Valentine, a numismatist with some knowledge about the counter stamped Spanish coins found at the Sunrise wreck cultural deposit in 1956.

Rafael says that the counter stamps were made for the island of Cuba. On May 22, 1841 the Cuban authorities recalled the 2 and 4 silver reales minted at Madrid, Seville, Catalonia, Cadiz, and Valencia mints in peninsular Spain. These coins were then struck with the counter stamp and released at a devalued rate.

If this information is correct, then Sunrise wreck could not have wrecked before May 22, 1841, and probably somewhat later to allow for the counter stamping process to be completed. (j.c.n. 11/28/2008).