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bobconnie · 03-12-2012, 19:25

We Sorta saw many bales of GOLD off Humboldt Bay Nor Cal, in the 70s, came from a sunk fishing boat that hit the jetty there! Hundreds of bales washed up all up and down the coast around Hum Bay!! Of course we never touched them !! AHem Being the upstanding citizens we are of course !!

**minaret** · 03-12-2012, 20:04

Once when sailing on a blustery day in San Francisco bay, I came across a brand new looking fender floating in the bay. I decided to pick it up, mostly because there was a heavy chop in the bay and I thought it a convenient opportunity to do a MOB drill with my crew. I nabbed the fender, but of course immediately realized it was attached to a line. Curiosity struck, and I began heaving away. After some slack line, I realized there was a huge load on the other end of the line. The mystery had deepened, and I had to know. Three guys together couldn't haul it up, though we got it part way. The choppy waves were just to much, and we were plunging up and down on the stern trying manfully to haul in the mystery item. Then we got smart and ran the line to a winch (I was young and dumb so it took some wasted effort to get there). When we finally heaved in the line, what broke the surface was a masthead. From what looked like a modern but truly massive rig. It was bristling with antennae and gear, and we joked about trying to salvage it, but it was bigger than our boat! Some poor souls 100k rig had been marked in extremis with a fender.

Celestialsailor · 03-12-2012, 21:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhapsody-NS27

I've been around a body that was bloated like that from being in the water... The WORST smell I have ever been around.

Yup...I didn't want to mention it...From 100 ft. away, you would easily gag. We called the Rangers and when they came, I told them about the smell. They assured me they do this all the time. He lost his cookies.

xymotic · 03-12-2012, 21:31

This thread is worthless without pictures.

xymotic · 03-12-2012, 21:35

I found a fairly large round fender floating in-between Catalina and Redondo Beach. It looked like a number had been written on it once upon a time to mark a commercial crab trap, but I couldn't really make it out, and we were in 1400' of water so I decided to see what it was attached to. It was not very heavy. at first.

after about 200' I was now committed to see what was at the other end.

After about 1/2 hour of hard work I got me a totally pristine like new cinder block. And I kept the $80 fender

Cormorant · 04-12-2012, 05:33

Not quite floating gold, but whenever I or my kids find a lobster buoy washed up on shore, we collect it. This buoy tree in our yard goes a long way toward keeping me happy when I'm not out sailing.

**GordMay** · 04-12-2012, 06:13

Interesting article about ambergris & it's trade
➥ http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...-01122012.html

mbianka · 04-12-2012, 06:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by GordMay

Interesting article about ambergris & it's trade
➥ Ambergris, Treasure of the Deep - Businessweek

Gord May

Interesting business. I'd certainly keep an eye out for the stuff though it's kind nuts that the government won't allow you to collect it even if it a natural waste product of the whale. All those towns cleaning their beaches may be violating Federal Laws without knowing it when they skim the beaches.

tropicalescape · 04-12-2012, 08:59

I found one of those big glass floats that they used on fishing nets way back when and then I sold it to the owner of Maloremo in Baja Sur for $50.00 (US)...Once found a figure of a horses head that weighed a few ounces,It was silver and the antique dealer that I sold it to said it was part of a chess set ,it had a swivel and about two feet of fishing line attached to it,I think someone was using it for a fishing weight!...

Cheechako · 04-12-2012, 09:19

*Snorkeling in the Bahamas I found a large gold money clip... with $112 dollars in it!
*Deep cleaning out my 44 footer I found a wood box stuffed in behind the curved settee back. Way back there and wedged in. It was a Brass sextant box with the sextant in it!

Oh and one of my favorites, this fishing float found inthe Sea of Cortez. It reminds me to bottom paint at least occassionally! the bigger barnacles are about 1.5" diamter at the base!

Tripod · 04-12-2012, 10:19

Between Jamaica and Panama we passed a container-sized bundle of what looked like large mahogany planks. Too dangerous to get close in the 6-foot seas. At night or in flatter water we wouldn't have seen it. Glad we didn't hit it.

nagrom snoyl · 05-12-2012, 10:26

when i was fishing of the east coast of oz about a mile of the shore came across a kangaroo swimming on his own. I thought this was very strange but the rest of the crew said they had seen this happen before , for me it was very weird as in ireland we have very little wild life let alone swimming kangaroos...........