Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 27
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Oppi plaas
    Age
    51
    Posts
    2,272
    Thanked: 2669

    Default Shipwreck: I found something

    One of my favorite Wild Coast destinations is Msikaba. It's also the wreck site of the 900ton Portuguese carrack, Sao Bento, which were wrecked on the night of 24 April 1554. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/São_Bento_(carrack)

    Locals have been digging and looking for treasure for generations and I've met a local who found porcelain (look like pieces of a broken plate) and gold, including a gold bar. He refused to show me the gold bar, but showed me what looks like a lid off some or other small container. Defnitley gold.

    When I go to Msikaba, I go there to relax, iow to do nothing, so we spend hours on the beach, swimming, walking around on the island and fishing. On one of my recent trips, I sat on the island under the beach umbrella with the cooler box next to me, enjoying a few cold ones while swambo and mini swambo tried to catch small fish with mini swambo's net in the rock pools. While sitting on the sand I took a flat stone and started digging, about half a meter down I found 2 pieces of carnelian beads which came off the Sau Bento. The tide started coming in so we had to go. The next day I went back to the island, started digging and found another carnelian bead in almost perfect shape. It was an amazing experience to find something off a ship which were wrecked more than 460 years ago. Locals can't believe I found 3 beads in two days, as many of them have been digging there for 15 years and not find anything.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	image.jpg 
Views:	1572 
Size:	23.4 KB 
ID:	395091  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Benoni
    Age
    73
    Posts
    1,243
    Thanked: 435

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    That's amazing! Keep at it.
    Your mind is your strongest weapon.
    Then there's.....POWER TOOLS!
    2021 Mahindra Scorpio S11 SUV.
    '00 Frontier 280DT 4X2
    2002 Sprite Surfer Nomad
    '94 Cruiser 80 GX (Sold)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Boksburg
    Age
    44
    Posts
    1,772
    Thanked: 77

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    Wont that be worth like $100 trillion?
    2015 Amarok BITDI D/Cab 4 Motion
    2011 Amarok TDI D/Cab 4x2 (SOLD)
    2001 Isuzu KB 320 V6 D/Cab 4x2 (SOLD)

    DISCLAIMER: I'm not an expert in the subject posted about above, i'm a member of an internet forum only and my comments, advise, suggestions and ideas should be taken from that point of view

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Oppi plaas
    Age
    51
    Posts
    2,272
    Thanked: 2669

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    Quote Originally Posted by LeonP View Post
    Wont that be worth like $100 trillion?
    I don't think it's worth much, but that's just my guess, I have no idea really.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Boksburg
    Age
    60
    Posts
    4,111
    Thanked: 788

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    From the Wiki report you may have found Manny's grandparents

    Interesting that they set out to walk to Inhambane - 1000 kilo's away

    Wonder if they made it?

    Also the beads are a semi-precious stone ?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Hillcrest
    Age
    68
    Posts
    24,683
    Thanked: 21558

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    Amazing, keep it up.

    Few more of those and your tyres will never come of the rim.
    Cheers

    NAGOF

    HAM Callsign - ZS5KAD

    Freedom of speech is useless unless you allow people you don’t like to say things you don’t like………

    If you fly or drive to an anti-Fracking meeting, you have no business being there and you wont get my ear......

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Oppi plaas
    Age
    51
    Posts
    2,272
    Thanked: 2669

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    Quote Originally Posted by RossJ View Post
    From the Wiki report you may have found Manny's grandparents

    Interesting that they set out to walk to Inhambane - 1000 kilo's away

    Wonder if they made it?
    I've read somewhere only 23 of 473 on the Sau Bento made it to Inhambane.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Richardsbay, KZN
    Age
    50
    Posts
    5,801
    Thanked: 17216

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    Interesting and awesome experience finding these. As a child I spent our times at Cape Vidal snorkeling in the bay almost permanently, staring at the mast of the Dorothea that is visible at times, hoping to find something like you did.
    "Stare, pry, listen, eavesdrop. Die knowing something, you are not here long"
    Walker Evans, Photographer

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Boksburg
    Age
    60
    Posts
    4,111
    Thanked: 788

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    Riaan
    I have fished and been to Cape Vidal probably a 100 times

    Didnt know about this shipwreck at all

    It says the anchor is visible on the rocks
    Would that be the "shelf" that goes parallel to the beach
    Again fished that at low tide many times but no memory of an anchor

    Amazing
    Well to me anyway

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Richardsbay, KZN
    Age
    50
    Posts
    5,801
    Thanked: 17216

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    Quote Originally Posted by RossJ View Post
    Riaan
    I have fished and been to Cape Vidal probably a 100 times

    Didnt know about this shipwreck at all

    It says the anchor is visible on the rocks
    Would that be the "shelf" that goes parallel to the beach
    Again fished that at low tide many times but no memory of an anchor

    Amazing
    Well to me anyway
    Hi Ross, I did a quick search on Google- this came up.

    http://treasurehunters.co.za/forums/...-vidal-africa/

    I can't remember seeing the anchor, I do remember the pretty girl I met on the beach one day and the hiding I got from slicing my finger open with a bait knife while still at school.
    "Stare, pry, listen, eavesdrop. Die knowing something, you are not here long"
    Walker Evans, Photographer

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Boksburg
    Age
    60
    Posts
    4,111
    Thanked: 788

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    Where is the mast you speak of
    Say in relation to the very tip of the rock shelf ?

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Oppi plaas
    Age
    51
    Posts
    2,272
    Thanked: 2669

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    This photo is off the internet, but looks exactly like the gold lid I was shown by the local guy. I'm sure it's the same one.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	image.png 
Views:	945 
Size:	2.09 MB 
ID:	395094  
    Last edited by Bosvark Kzn; 2016/03/19 at 11:05 AM.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Boksburg
    Age
    60
    Posts
    4,111
    Thanked: 788

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    At vidal just off the beach in line with the end of the shelf
    is a huge rock - sometimes visible at spring low

    But it is so totally out of place that it may be the concrete that the gold was hidden under

    I think next time - instead of looking for crayfish - I might chip into it to see

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Richardsbay, KZN
    Age
    50
    Posts
    5,801
    Thanked: 17216

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    It's in the bay itself so that would be South West of the shelf. About where the ski boats launch.
    "Stare, pry, listen, eavesdrop. Die knowing something, you are not here long"
    Walker Evans, Photographer

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Oppi plaas
    Age
    51
    Posts
    2,272
    Thanked: 2669

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    I'll definitely be back and continue the search, hopefully I'll find gold!��

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Pretoria
    Age
    70
    Posts
    514
    Thanked: 152

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    May you strike gold one of these days!

    The stones in your photo look more like agate stones than carnelian beads. Have a look here:

    https://www.google.co.za/search?q=ag...HR_eD20QsAQIGQ
    Jeep JK Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 2009

    Know where you are going in life... you may already be there!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Oppi plaas
    Age
    51
    Posts
    2,272
    Thanked: 2669

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    Thanks Danie. I'm not sure excactly what it is, from the research I did, I believe it's carnelian beads, but I might be wrong. Any input is appreciated and also ideas to what it might be worth, not that I think it's worth much in terms of money. It's diamond shaped and with a hole drilled through it (-+ 1,5 mm in dia), I wonder how they drilled the hole through it.
    Last edited by Bosvark Kzn; 2016/03/19 at 10:34 PM.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Boksburg
    Age
    44
    Posts
    1,772
    Thanked: 77

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    Quote Originally Posted by Bosvark Kzn View Post
    Thanks Danie. I'm not sure excactly what it is, from the research I did, I believe it's carnelian beads, but I might be wrong. Any input is appreciated and also ideas to what it might be worth, not that I think it's worth much in terms of money. It's diamond shaped and with a hole drilled through it (-+ 1,5 mm in dia), I wonder how they drilled the hole through it.
    black & decker power drill?
    2015 Amarok BITDI D/Cab 4 Motion
    2011 Amarok TDI D/Cab 4x2 (SOLD)
    2001 Isuzu KB 320 V6 D/Cab 4x2 (SOLD)

    DISCLAIMER: I'm not an expert in the subject posted about above, i'm a member of an internet forum only and my comments, advise, suggestions and ideas should be taken from that point of view

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Aug 2014
    Location
    Oppi plaas
    Age
    51
    Posts
    2,272
    Thanked: 2669

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    Quote Originally Posted by LeonP View Post
    black & decker power drill?
    Cordless?😂

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Boksburg
    Age
    60
    Posts
    4,111
    Thanked: 788

    Default Re: Shipwreck: I found something

    Even in the 1500's people knew black and decker wasnt in the quality league

    But if its been drilled then that must have been valuable
    Either as a currency or in necklace form

    I think Durban or bluff area was bought from the local chief for a couple of necklaces and a black label


Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 4
    Last Post: 2015/01/04, 04:27 PM
  2. 3 Owls found dead in 1 day in Chartwell
    By OwlRescue in forum Environmental & Conservation
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 2014/07/18, 11:14 AM
  3. Zim, Moz, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Bots trip report
    By nhouston in forum Overland advice, reports etc
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 2013/10/16, 07:02 PM
  4. UCT may have found cure for Malaria
    By Dirk in forum The 4x4 Pub
    Replies: 35
    Last Post: 2012/08/29, 07:09 AM
  5. World's Tiniest Chameleons Found in Madagascar
    By RangeRover in forum The 4x4 Pub
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 2012/02/17, 07:05 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may post new threads
  • You may post replies
  • You may post attachments
  • You may edit your posts
  •