Miscellaneous
Finding a Shipwreck
by Capt. Steve Nagiewicz
Of course, finding a shipwreck is a necessary prerequisite for finding artifacts. Many wreck locations are well known. Others are secrets, and many wrecks have yet to be discovered. While you can recover artifacts from almost any shipwreck, it is these "virgin" wrecks that are often the best producers of prize items like portholes, deadeyes, and china. But how do you find a wreck like this? Research is the most productive method. This will require visiting local libraries, historical societies, nautical museums, and many other institutions. It means lots of reading and digging for information. Be prepared to spend some time searching for clues that aren't willing to be found.
More: All About Artifacts ...
New Jersey scuba divers provide evidence of the identity of a popular New Jersey dive site
More: Identifying The Emerald ...
Port & Starboard
port - the left side of a ship, when facing forward
starboard - the right side of a ship, when facing forward
The starboard side of a vessel ( or an airplane ) carries a green running light, and the port side carries a red running light. The best way to remember all this is: port, left and red are all short words, while starboard, right, and green are all long(er) words.
More: Glossary of Terms ...
Alpha-Numeric Signal Flags
In this modern age of radio, these signal flags are a quaint anachronism that is no longer used, although they were once very important in ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship communications. Each flag stands for both a letter value and a shorthand message. The letters are expressed here in the modern international phonetic alphabet, in which A-B-C would be spoken Alpha-Bravo-Charlie (see below).
More: Nautical Signal Flags ...
Wire dragging is an operation used to locate and/or reduce the navigational hazard of a sunken wreck, rock, or other obstruction.
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Artifacts recovered after long immersion in salt or freshwater require conservation treatment if they are to last. On exposure to high concentrations of oxygen in the air, iron artifacts will bloom into piles of rust. Wood will crack and split if dried out improperly. Organic materials will crumble to dust.
The manual below details conservation methods for many types of materials and artifacts.
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