Re: identifying wreckage

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: : : : While walking the beach near ludington i came across some kind of framework at the edge of the shore. The timbers are approximately 12 to 14 feet long and appear to be approximately 6 inches by 6 inches layed in pairs . there are about 17 pairs that are connected and they are spaced about 16 inches apart. Is this part of a shipwreck .If so ,would it be part of the deck or the hold. I have pictures if someone would like to try to identify. : : : It definitely sounds like part of an old boat to me. : : : Scan the photo and e-mail me a copy at "alchem@en.com". : : : I'll give you my educated opinion. : : : On the subject of things washing up on shore, I have seen all sorts of flotsam over the years. : : : When I was a kid in the late fifties or early sixties I was playing on the beach about 15 miles east of Cleveland with a friend. : : : He was one of those lucky rich kids who lived in a big old house on Edgecliff Drive. : : : He brought out a brass diver's helmet which had washed up on the beach! : : : It was in surprisingly good shape and had no doubt recently fallen off of some salvage derrick. : : : The currents on the South shore of Lake Erie flow from West to East. : : : So anything dropped in the Cuyahoga River or the lake at Cleveland eventually passes us in Euclid. : : : I have recently been dating a woman who currently lives on Edgecliff drive. : : : Stainless beer kegs land on her beach. : : : Back in 1979 I was dating a girl who's father was the president of a local beach club. : : : At that time some sort of massive floating dock or bumper washed up on their club's beach. : : : It is composed of square creosoted timbers the size of telephone poles and is two layers thick. : : : It's still there although now about 10 feet from the water and very deteriorated. : : : Last summer a guy e-mailed us. : : : He spotted decking just offshore from the Ohio Pennsylvania border in about 18 feet of water. : : : Perhaps it's part of the long lost Ohio. : : > : : Dave, : : > : : I received the photo and my diver brother and I perused it pretty thoroughly. : : It's unlikely that this is part of a boat. : : If it was part of an old shipwreck it wouldn't be floating. : : It also looks a little too new and intact. : : Also, from its size and shape I'd guess it's part of some shore structure which broke loose and washed down some river during a storm. : : It could be part of a bridge, wharf, or dock. : : It's definitely not a floating dock though. : : It looks too heavy duty for that. : : I'm sorry I can't be of any more help. : : > : : Jim Koch : Thanks for taking time to look at the photo. It may appear as if the frame is floating, but it is definately resting on bottom. In fact , the last time I was there, it was almost entirely buried by the sand. Your idea of this possibly being something other than part of a ship could very well be right. At one time there was a life saving station very near this spot.Also, the sable river ,which is very close by, had a lumbering operation which I am sure had some kind of docks that may have extended out into the lake. It also had a dam that broke.I think all of these were gone by the 1900's.

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