USS Shark carronades on display this weekend

in Nehalem Bay Park near Manzanita, Oregon.
Here’s an excerpt from the Cannon Blog at Oregon State Park website:

“Posted June 20
Been a while between updates, so here’s a catch-you-up.

The next public viewing is July 5, from 1-2 p.m.
Carpool or find some other way to reach the park … this is a holiday weekend and parking will be tight.
The viewing is in the Nehalem Bay State Park maintenance yard (there will be signs … it’s just inside the entrance to the park).

We had an exciting time in May. Oregon Public Broadcasting produces TV episodes for the nationally-broadcast show History Detectives. They’re producing a show on the cannon with the question: Are these from the USS Shark? To help gather more information on their origin, the show arranged for some x-rays of the cannon. Fuji Corportation donated time on one of their portable x-ray machines, and a company called PSI from Portland volunteered their time as industrial radiographers. It was a challenge to get some good, clear images, but they did produce a couple. It was cool to watch them in action, and the x-rays give us a peek beneath the heavy, crusty shell (made of sand and iron, sort of a natural concrete).”

Check out this photo from their photo gallery (click for larger).
Links:
Dead Reckoning Shipwreck Chart (includes the USS Shark among hundreds of other shipwrecks of the Pacific Graveyard)
Cannon Blog at Oregon Parks
Cannon Photo Gallery
Columbia River Maritime Museum
PBS History Detectives

History comes alive

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will welcome the public to a living-history event to celebrate the North Head Light House 110th anniversary at Cape Disappointment State Park near Ilwaco from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 17 and 18.
Historians will portray people who figured prominently in the lighthouse’s early years.
North Head light began operation May 16, 1898.
Its construction was necessitated by the high number of shipwrecks still occurring in the area, despite the existence of other lights marking the entrance to the Columbia River Bar:

Enlargement of the Columbia River Bar area from NW Limited’s Dead Reckoning of the Pacific Graveyard, depicting just the shipwrecks at the river’s mouth
The mouth of the river was treacherous, with deadly currents and tricky channels as well as the weather, which was prone to change. It claimed its toll in human lives as well as lost cargo.
In contrast to the countless lives saved since its inception, North Head light itself has a dark secret: In 1923, the keeper’s wife leapt from the cliff, falling 130 feet to hear death.
The lighthouse fell into disrepair in the years following the keeper’s obsolescence (the light was automated in 1961).
Luckily, the United States Coast Guard came to the rescue in 1984, and restored it, allowing it to open to the public under the direction of Cape Disappointment State Park.
Don’t miss this bit of living history, even if you can’t attend the event this weekend.

To order your shipwreck chart, call 503-338-6056 or email bill@nwlimited.com
We promise to give you the whole thing, not just the tiny portion shown above.

Links:
NW Limited…History in Vogue^TM
Living history event highlights lighthouse (Daily Astorian)
North Head Lighthouse

 

 

 

The Beeswax wreck of Nehalem

May 6, 2008
Manzanita, Oregon, United States-A team of scientists, archaeologists and divers are planning a dive this week with the goal of locating more information such as the identity of what is known as “the Beeswax wreck” of Nehalem.
They are hoping for some cold, hard facts in order to separate the vast amount of fiction surrounding one of the oldest known shipwrecks on the Oregon coast.
Chunks of beeswax dating from as long as four centuries ago have been washing ashore on Oregon beaches. Some as recently as this past Winter.  A piece found in Gold Beach, Oregon in December, 2007, is likely from the shipwreck off of Manzanita.
The origin of the wreck near Nehalem is most probably a Spanish “Manila” galleon, either the Santo Christo de Burgos or the San Francisco Xavier, traveling eastbound and off course when they met their fate:
“The galleon “San Francisco Xavier”, General Don Santiago Zabalburu says, sailed from Cavite in August. “Nothing is known of its fate; not a fragment, no object whatever, large or small, has ever been found to serve as evidence or support for even a conjecture as to its fate, whether it was shattered on some unknown rock or was swallowed by the waves, crew and all—commander, seamen, and passengers, among whom were whole families of high rank. The ocean has kept the secret of this terrible tragedy.””
(quote taken from the Beeswax project website)

Other past speculations as to origin have included Chinese or Japanese origin of the
wreckage found at Nehalem.

                                                                                                                  Frank J. Kumm of the Tillamook Historical Museum holds a chunk
of beeswax found on
the Nehalem Peninsula

The evidence, however, strongly points to the San Francisco Xavier, whose last known voyage from the Phillippines was in 1705. Laden with silk, porcelain from China and spices, she had also been carrying 75 tons of beeswax.

Detail of the stamp displayed on NW Limited’s Dead Reckoning of the
Pacific Graveyard shipwreck chart, published in 2007

One of the reasons for the beeswax wreck’s likelihood to be the Xavier rather than the Santo Christo de Burgos is the tsunami of January, 1700, which would have forced the remains of any wreck in existence at the time further inland than the site of the current location.
Beeswax in itself helps to date the wreck, as well as locate its origin.
There were no native bees in the New World. Any beeswax, which was favored among Catholic churches in Mexico, would have come from Asian honeybees. This was proven to be the source of the beeswax originating from the Nehalem wreck.
Radio-carbon dating of the wax and wood from the site confirms 17th-century origin. The porcelain and miscellaneous wood also found near the site dates to around 1638.
How did that beeswax arrive as far south as Gold Beach, Oregon?
Simple: The wax was traded up and down the coast by native people.
The impact of a shipwreck to local surroundings was not always measured in the worth of its cargo, however.
When Lewis & Clark arrived here in 1805, they observed a young male living among the native Clatsop tribe who appeared to them to be half-white. 
Was he perhaps a descendant of a survivor of the very same beeswax wreck?

“Dead Reckoning of the Pacific Graveyard” for sale by NW Limited…History in Vogue^TM
(pictured above-click for larger) includes the beeswax wreck of Nehalem in its listing of shipwrecks.
The chart, completed in late 2007 by Astoria’s Bill Brooks of NW Limited, is the newest, most complete list of shipwrecks on the north Oregon and south Washington coasts, including the mouth of the Columbia River, the area known as the Pacific Graveyard.
His research spanned more 3 years and 8 months, from concept to publication. Local museums, noted shipwreck authors and historians as well as local residents helped to confirm the facts, and has resulted in the most complete, unique and beautiful sunken ship chart ever published for this region.
Each chart is numbered in an edition of 500, and hand-built beginning with the lithograph.
When finished, they are custom-framed and ready to hang.
Dead Reckoning of the Pacific Graveyard is the ultimate collection of shipwreck facts and lore, and the framed variation includes lost fishing vessels as well as US Coast Guard tributes.
For more information, or to purchase Dead Reckoning of the Pacific Graveyard, call 503-338-6056 or click bill@nwlimited.com

Links:
NW Limited…History in Vogue^TM
The BeesWax Project
Columbia River Maritime Museum
Scientists Search for Buried Treasure off the Oregon Coast
The Manila Galleons (Treasure Expeditions)

Mayday; May 3, 1934

What does may day mean to you?
The term “Mayday” as a distress signal originated in 1923.
May Day the holiday is celebrated May 1st, for varying reasons.
In some cultures, it is a celebration of Spring and the coming Summer, times when the elements are less threatening.
Not always so, as proven by these excerpts from “Dead Reckoning of the Pacific Graveyard” shipwreck chart by Bill Brooks of NW Limited…History in Vogue^TM:
“Tokuyo Maru -5/3/1921- Steamer: Unknown fire 60 miles SW of Columbia river; total loss - 8 die”
“Childar -5/3/1934- Norwegian MS: After a remarkable refloat on north Peacock Spit 4 still drown “

MS Childar as she appeared in 1934, photo by Marty Bollinger, used by permission
A southwesterly gale drove the 377′ ship onto the treacherous spit, a grim reminder that even in the first days of May, the Pacific Graveyard could turn deadly.
If the MS Childar used a “may day” to call attention to her situation, it did not prevent the loss of four lives on that blustery May day.

As a side note, the wrecked MS Childar was towed to Vancouver and subsequently rebuilt as the Aakre (click for image), and later as the Sovietskaya Latvia (click for image), which was one of five ships used by Stalin’s KGB to move prisoners to the Kolyma Gulag, only accessible by sea. Many prisoners died en route, as conditions were horrible.
“Sovietskaya Latvia was deleted from register in 1967.” (from and thank you to: Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945)
To purchase a copy of NW Limited’s shipwreck chart, please call 503-338-6056 or email bill@nwlimited.com

Carronades from USS Shark to be displayed

in Manzanita tomorrow, April 29, 2008 at Nehalem Bay State Park.
The small cannons are normally kept submerged in water and secured until restoration, but the Oregon Parks Dept. is draining the water and inviting visitors to come and view them from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 pm.
Here are a few photos from NW Limited’s trip to see them at the last public viewing in March:

The surface feels much like concrete encasing the carronade due to pressure and reaction of the elements surrounding the carronades for 162 years.
They were buried in approximately 20′ of sand prior to the Winter of 2007-2008 storms’ erosion.

You can see the mounting apparatus on the bottom of the cannon in this picture on the right.

The pieces in the bottom of the tub are a chain and possibly other bits of the USS Shark Navy schooner, which was wrecked on the Columbia River Bar.
The carronades even have their own blog: Cannon Blog
The USS Shark is one of the hundreds of Oregon and Washington, Columbia River shipwrecks featured on our Dead Reckoning of the Pacific Graveyard shipwreck chart.
Three versions of the chart are currently available (click the following link to see more): lithograph, framed lithograph only (framed tube!), or the top of the line, the elite framed and filled with historic photos, a list of lost fishing vessels, USCG USPS stamp from 1943.
They are $50, $225 and $500, respectively.
503-338-6056 or bill@nwlimited.com

Treasure hunting free-for-all

Do you know where there is a hidden treasure?

Might want to keep it on the hush-hush or you could find yourself in court!

Looks like treasure hunters in Florida are exactly there, when they retrieved over $500 million worth of silver coins believed to be from the Spanish galleon “Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes y las Animas” which was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean off of Portugal in 1804. 
Spain also wants their share (which may be all of it, thank you) of the loot, but the company that found it would like to at least keep the location of the find secret.  They fear there will then be a treasure hunting free-for-all, and these intrepid divers will make off with the rest of the treasure.
May 9th, 2008 is the deadline for Spain’s claim in the 17 tons of goodies.
Do we know where a Spanish galleon or two rest off the coast of Oregon or Washington?  Wrecks dating from the 17th-century have been noted, and another wreck hundreds of years older have been speculated. 
We’re not telling…

Or are we?
To get a treasure map, call Bill 503-338-6056 or email him: bill@nwlimited.com

Cannon found on beach to go on display

The carronades found last month, which are potentially from the USS Shark went on display to the public at Nehalem Bay State Park on March 18 from 11 a.m. until Noon, and NW Limited was there!

The USS Shark, a Navy survey schooner, sank in 1846, as listed on “Dead Reckoning of the Pacific Graveyard,” NW Limited’s new shipwreck chart. 
One of the carronades,  found on the beach in 1898 was what inspired founders to name “Cannon Beach” exactly that.
Come see…all aboard for a road trip!

More information at these links:
Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept. information page for the cannon
Oregon Coast: Cannon Artifacts Open for Public Viewing March 18

Dead Reckoning, what it is

…other than the short version title of NW Limited’s shipwreck chart.
(a click on that link will take you to a slideshow of images with accompanying radio ad for the chart)

“Dead reckoning (DR) is the process of estimating one’s current position based upon a previously determined position, or fix, and advancing that position based upon known speed, elapsed time, and course.”  (from Wikipedia)
The term, which is where Bill derived the title of his most recent project,  sounds ominous enough.
Rightly so when you consider that a good percentage of shipwrecks resulted in loss of life, sometimes on a tragically large scale. 
Dead reckoning as a form of navigation is only so accurate. 

It is interpreted in some circles as “You’re dead if you don’t reckon right.” 

It’s a sure thing, however, to score one of these for yourself.  
As a gift, they will make a lasting impression.  
Not to mention you’ll get shipwreck author Don Marshall’s quote concerning Dead Reckoning, printed at the top of each chart.
Available in three variations:


Lithograph on high-quality paper (this is no mere “poster”): $50

Custom-framed as well as coated with vinyl linen for protection (no glass necessary): $225

The top of the line (shown above), the pinnacle of shipwreck history complete with photos, handmade paper accents (list of lost fishing vessels), stamps and more: $500

1000 total first printing “Dead Reckoning of the Pacific Graveyard” charts are available.
This is the perfect gift, acquisition, or investment in local history and culture.
A stellar complement to the “beach house” or a respectful nod to the intrepid souls who lost their lives in the maritime industry, and to those that beat the odds.

Detail of lost fishing vessels list, on handmade paper using an antique letterpress by Oblation Papers and Press of Portland, Oregon.
For more information,  call 503-338-6056 or email bill@nwlimited.com
NW Limited…History in Vogue^TM accepts credit cards, and will ship, too!

On the radio today KAST 1370

Did you catch it?
Tuned to KAST am Radio 1370  from 4 pm to 5 pm, you would have heard Bill Brooks of NW Limited as a guest on the Dezmo Zone.

March in the Pacific Graveyard

“George W. Prescott -3/9/1902- Schooner: Founders off the Columbia- 1 dead”

106 years ago on this day in history, the Pacific Graveyard claimed another life and ship. The insatiable appetite of the river’s mouth is plainly evident on the shipwreck chart by NW Limited…History in Vogue^TM.
The names listed there represent so much more than initially meets the eye…

The next day, March 10, in 1875 the bark Architect was lost. $8500 ( approximately $154,136.99 by today’s reckoning) worth of ship was salvaged for a paltry $52.00 (or $942.96 today).
Just five years later, the Delharrie would also be lost, and $112,000 investment is gone. That would be akin to a  $2,463,824.00 loss in 2008.Luckily, these events are less frequent now, with the advent of dredging and modern navigation aids.  The challenges of fog, weather and shifting channels have been minimized, not to mention the mitigating presence of the United States Coast Guard.
The Columbia River bar, known aptly as the Pacific Graveyard will never be fully appeased, however, and continues to claim lives and vessels.

Framed, matted with photographs,
stamps and the list of lost fishing vessels,
to name a few of the extras you get with
this shipwreck chart option.

$500 (that’s $27.57 in 1875 money)