Basking sharks

Newly Released Inventory Provides First Look at Time Capsule of Gold Rush-Era Treasures 

By MarEx

One of the piles of gold coins, lying on the surface, outside the SS Central America shipwreck hull.

Odyssey Marine Exploration, a pioneer in the field of deep-ocean exploration, has now announced operational reports and inventories of items recovered from the SS Central America shipwreck.

These items were initially filed under seal in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division. Chief U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith has allowed the reports to be unsealed and made available to the public.

Odyssey has been working since April 2014 under contract to Ira Owen Kane, the receiver for Recovery Limited Partnership (RLP). RLP is the court-appointed salvor-in-possession of the SS Central America shipwreck.

"This is an iconic American shipwreck, and, as salvor-in-possession, we have a duty to not only recover the remaining valuable cargo and significant items of cultural heritage at the site, but to also share what we learn with the public," said Kane. "We're proud of the recovery and scientific work being accomplished on the site. Making the reports, filed with the court, accessible is the first step in allowing the public access to the shipwreck and the heroic stories of her Captain and those who sailed on her final voyage. We continue to engage in a number of fascinating science initiatives, the results of which will be shared with the public and scientific community when complete."

Above: One of the more interesting pieces of gold jewelry recovered from the deposits in the SS Central America debris field was a gold puzzle ring with a fede motif (clasping hands).

Below: Several gold bars with varying weights discovered at the stern of the SS Central America shipwreck.

The inventories detail the items recovered to date, which include gold ingots, nuggets, dust and a wide variety of gold coins from $20 double eagles down through $10, $5, $2.50 and $1 gold coins, as well as California fractional gold, territorials and a wide variety of foreign gold. Additional significant cultural heritage artifacts have been identified and will be recovered.

RLP's chief scientist Bob Evans served as chief scientist on the 1988-1991 expeditions to the SS Central America and later as curator for the treasure recovered. As one of RLP's representatives on the project, Evans has been aboard the Odyssey Explorer since operations began in April 2014, cataloging the gold as it is recovered.

"The variety and quality of the coins being recovered is just astonishing," commented Evans. "Of course there are spectacular $20 double eagles like we found back in the 80s and 90s. But the wide variety of other denominations makes this year's recoveries very different from the earlier finds. I have seen what I believe are several of the finest known examples so far. The coins date from 1823 to 1857 and represent a wonderful diversity of denominations and mints, a time capsule of virtually all the coins that were used in 1857."

Odyssey President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Gordon added: "The operational reports filed with the court provide an overview of the activities conducted during each offshore period. The first two reports detail the pre-disturbance work and the recovery of items visible on the surface in the debris field, as well as initial archaeological excavation activities in the stern area of the shipwreck itself. The next report, which will be filed before July 25, will cover work conducted from mid-June to mid-July. As planned, during this period we made significant progress removing large amounts of coal and overburden to access certain areas of the shipwreck. We're looking forward to getting back to work at the site in the coming days."

About the SS Central America

The SS Central America was an 85-meter (280-foot) wooden-hulled, copper-sheathed, three-masted side-wheel steamship launched in 1853 as the SS George Law. Operating during the California Gold Rush era, the ship was in continuous service on the Atlantic leg of the Panama Route between New York and San Francisco, making 43 round trips between New York and Panama. The Central America was caught in a hurricane and sank 160 miles off the coast of South Carolina on September 12, 1857. When she was lost, the SS Central America was carrying a large consignment of gold for commercial parties, mainly in the form of ingots and freshly minted U.S. $20 Double Eagle coins. Because of the large quantity of gold lost with the ship, public confidence in the economy was shaken, which contributed to the Panic of 1857.

One of the SS Central America’s paddlewheels.

The location of the SS Central America shipwreck was confirmed in September 1988 at a depth of 2,200 meters (7,200 feet). Recovery operations were conducted over a four-year period (1988-1991) and a large quantity of commercial gold was recovered from approximately 5% of the shipwreck site during more than 1,000 hours of bottom time.

In 2014, Recovery Limited Partnership awarded Odyssey the exclusive contract to conduct an archaeological excavation and recovery of the remaining valuable cargo from the SS Central America shipwreck. Odyssey will receive 80% of recovery proceeds until a fixed fee and a negotiated day rate are paid. Thereafter, Odyssey will receive 45% of the recovery proceeds.

Odyssey was selected for the project by Ira Owen Kane, the court-appointed receiver who represents Recovery Limited Partnership (RLP) and Columbus Exploration LLC (CE). The contract was approved by the Common Pleas Court of Franklin County, Ohio, which has given Mr. Kane responsibility with overseeing the recovery project The United States District Court, Eastern District of Virginia has confirmed RLP as the salvor in possession of the SS Central America shipwreck and that Odyssey may conduct operations at the site on behalf of RLP. 

The wreck of the Costa Concordia was refloated on Monday and will soon be towed away and broken up for scrap.  The rusting hulk of the luxury liner had been resting on a temporary platform since being righted a year ago.

In what has become one of the largest salvage operations in history, air was pumped into 30 sponsons attached around the hull of the ship. The air forced out the water in the sponsons, lifting the vessel off the underwater platform.

Prior to the commencement of the refloating, Costa Crociere CEO Michael Thamm said: â€œIt is a complex operation never attempted before, but we know we can count on the best technicians in the world. I wish them all the best for the success of this great challenge.” 

The refloating operation began at 6 a.m. on Monday, July 14. During the first stage, the Concordia was refloated about 2 meters up off the platforms and moved 30 meters towards the east with the assistance of tugs. The ship will then be securely moored and technicians will be able to complete the attachment and tensioning of the last cables and chains, and to lower the starboard sponsons to their final position. The actual refloating will then begin, raising the ship one deck at a time, from deck 6 to deck 3. The whole operation is expected to take about 6 or 7 days to complete. The departure of the Concordia from Giglio is currently scheduled for July 21.

Franco Porcellachia, the engineer in charge of the salvage, confirmed at a news conference around seven hours after the operation began that the hulk had been raised two meters out of the water. "I would say we are halfway through our plan to move the ship," Porcellachia said.

Work will start again on Tuesday to prepare it for towing within days to Genoa in northern Italy, to be scrapped.

Porcellachia said the sixth deck of the ship had started to emerge on Monday, and once that was fully above the water the other decks would become visible in quick succession. "When deck 3 re-emerges, we are in the final stage and ready for departure," Porcellachia said.

"We are undertaking an operation that will close a dramatic chapter for our country," Italian Environment Minister Gian Luca Galletti commented at the news conference. Giglio residents made comments like: "I am happy they are taking it away because to see a ship like that always there, with the deaths that happened, it gives us the shivers."; and "It's a liberation. Finally. It's a liberation because it's about time that it goes away. We know very well what the Island has gone through over these last two and a half years - for better or worse - now it's got to go away, and we've got to re-start our lives. Because our lives have exclusively revolved around that ship and everyone who is working around her." 

Once the Concordia has left Giglio, the search will continue for the body of the last person who was aboard the Concordia the night it sank and has not been accounted for. The 33-year-old Indian waiter is the only victim of the 2012 shipwreck whose remains haven't been found. Russel Rebello was last seen near the stern of the Costa Concordia, helping passengers into rescue boats.

It has been more than two years since the Concordia capsized off the Italian coast, killing 32 people. The 290-meter ship ran aground on rocks near the Tuscan holiday island of Giglio in January 2012. 

The wreck of the Costa Concordia was refloated on Monday and will soon be towed away and broken up for scrap.  The rusting hulk of the luxury liner had been resting on a temporary platform since being righted a year ago.

In what has become one of the largest salvage operations in history, air was pumped into 30 sponsons attached around the hull of the ship. The air forced out the water in the sponsons, lifting the vessel off the underwater platform.

Prior to the commencement of the refloating, Costa Crociere CEO Michael Thamm said: â€œIt is a complex operation never attempted before, but we know we can count on the best technicians in the world. I wish them all the best for the success of this great challenge.” 

The refloating operation began at 6 a.m. on Monday, July 14. During the first stage, the Concordia was refloated about 2 meters up off the platforms and moved 30 meters towards the east with the assistance of tugs. The ship will then be securely moored and technicians will be able to complete the attachment and tensioning of the last cables and chains, and to lower the starboard sponsons to their final position. The actual refloating will then begin, raising the ship one deck at a time, from deck 6 to deck 3. The whole operation is expected to take about 6 or 7 days to complete. The departure of the Concordia from Giglio is currently scheduled for July 21.

Franco Porcellachia, the engineer in charge of the salvage, confirmed at a news conference around seven hours after the operation began that the hulk had been raised two meters out of the water. "I would say we are halfway through our plan to move the ship," Porcellachia said.

Work will start again on Tuesday to prepare it for towing within days to Genoa in northern Italy, to be scrapped.

Porcellachia said the sixth deck of the ship had started to emerge on Monday, and once that was fully above the water the other decks would become visible in quick succession. "When deck 3 re-emerges, we are in the final stage and ready for departure," Porcellachia said.

"We are undertaking an operation that will close a dramatic chapter for our country," Italian Environment Minister Gian Luca Galletti commented at the news conference. Giglio residents made comments like: "I am happy they are taking it away because to see a ship like that always there, with the deaths that happened, it gives us the shivers."; and "It's a liberation. Finally. It's a liberation because it's about time that it goes away. We know very well what the Island has gone through over these last two and a half years - for better or worse - now it's got to go away, and we've got to re-start our lives. Because our lives have exclusively revolved around that ship and everyone who is working around her." 

Once the Concordia has left Giglio, the search will continue for the body of the last person who was aboard the Concordia the night it sank and has not been accounted for. The 33-year-old Indian waiter is the only victim of the 2012 shipwreck whose remains haven't been found. Russel Rebello was last seen near the stern of the Costa Concordia, helping passengers into rescue boats.

It has been more than two years since the Concordia capsized off the Italian coast, killing 32 people. The 290-meter ship ran aground on rocks near the Tuscan holiday island of Giglio in January 2012. 

The wreck of a U.S. Air Force C-45 aircraft abandoned during flight by its crew in 1952 has been located in deep water off Oswego, New York.  Crippled by the failure of one of its two engines the plane continued on a 65 mile pilotless flight until it crashed into Lake Ontario.  Shipwreck explorers Jim Kennard, Roger Pawlowski and Roland Stevens located the aircraft while surveying a section of Lake Ontario for historic ships.

On September 11, 1952, the C-45 was on a routine flight from Bedford, Massachusetts to Griffis Air Force Base near Rome, New York.  The left engine began failing about 40 miles southeast of Utica.  The aircraft started to lose altitude about 8 miles from Rome, NY.  Believing the plane would crash after one engine was disabled, the pilot, Lt. Col. Callahan, ordered his crew and passengers to parachute.  Jumping at an altitude of 2500 feet the three Air Force Officers and two civilians landed safely.   It was the first time any of them parachuted from an airplane. At 11 p.m. the aircraft was reported flying very low over Oswego.   Town residents saw a plane circling out over the lake just before it plunged into the water, reporting â€œa powerful light, like that of a searchlight, appeared for several seconds after the crash.” 

The search for the missing plane began immediately by three Coast Guard cutters. In addition, C-45 trainers, C-47 transports, and B-25 bombers combed the crash area for two days. When there was no wreckage to be found the search was called off. 

The current shipwreck team was quite surprised when the image of an aircraft appeared on their sonar display as it was well beyond the mile offshore as reported by a few eye witnesses. Detailed sonar images of the wreck of the C-45 were obtained by utilizing high resolution DeepVision side scan sonar.  These images provide an almost aerial photographic image of the wreck and allow the team to understand how the wreckage lies on the bottom of the lake. 

The sonar search was followed up by deployingg a VideoRay Pro IV remote operated vehicle to collect video of the wreck site.  The C-45 is almost totally intact.  The fiberglass nose cone is missing as are the vertical stabilizers. One of the blades of the left propeller broke off and lies nearby on the bottom.  Part of the windshield was broken and the left side of the body behind the wing has been torn away.  Otherwise it is all there.   This probably explains why no debris could be found floating on the surface of the lake during the searches conducted by the US Coast Guard and US Air Force.   

U.S. Air Force C-45 specifications

Wingspan:  47 ft.  8 in. 
Length:  34 ft. 3 in. 
Height:  9 ft. 8 in. 
Manufacturer:  Beach Aircraft Corporation 
Engines:  Pratt & Whitney R986 AN 1 Wasp Junior 9-cylinder radial air cooled – 450 HP 
Speed (maximum):  215 mph 
Ceiling Height (maximum):  20,000 ft. 
Loaded weight: 8727 lbs. 
Range:  700 miles 
Manned by two men and carried 6 to 8 passengers with no armament.