This artifact was recovered by myself and a Dominican diver named Dario. We found it under a cannon along with a wine bottle and a clay jar. It is interesting to note that once a cannon is loaded onto a ship it is called a gun. And cannon balls are called shot. So if I write about guns or shot you will know what I'm writing about.

This little jar is actually a Mustard Pot. Just below it and to the right you can see a brass sort of pencil looking thing that has three rings on it. That really is a pencil. During this time in history mechanical pencils were common place. In the movie "Master and Commander" the ships doctor is using one to keep notes. Well that one in this photo is the real deal.

This small jar was a beautiful example of the earthen ware artifacts we brought up.


I was lucky enough to dive this wreck site for over two years. My twin daughters Karli and Kerri spent a lot of time diving there with me. My oldest daughter, Amber , does not dive but she did come with me to Florida and spent time there on the boat with me. She has two little children and so getting away is a lot harder for her than it is for her younger sisters.

I found most of the really good artifacts under guns, but I did find one area where there were a lot of coins and a few personal weapons. Kerri and I pulled up a musket and a sword from that area. But even then it was all buried around five guns that we had found. Two 18 pounders, which weigh in at 4500lbs each and three 36 pounders that weighed 8500lbs each. The size of the gun is determined by the weight of the shot or ball it shoots. A 18 pounder shoots a 51/4 inch round shot that weighs in at 18 lbs. A 36 lb shot is 7 inches round.

Where Kerri and dug up the musket and sword we also found a complete 36 lb gun still in the truck under about three feet of sand. It took us three days to dig that one out. We found the ropes and the blocks that were used to run the gun in and out. Also we recovered the jacking bards, shot and one wheel from the gun truck, or carriage as it is called.

Around that hole there were also several musket balls recovered, and some nice glass wear.

We also found a hair brush and a comb. So some French fellow must have lost his personal travel kit there.

These French really knew how to go to war. There were three ovens on the ship all made from brick. the Glass and crystal pieces we found were very beautiful, but most were broken. The ship carried 350 sailors and 350 soldiers, plus a kitchen and service crew of about 36 men. She was very large for the day. 171 feet long, five stories tall and the masts ran up 168 feet. She weighed in at 1700 tons.

I wanted to put in a few more photos, but I can't quite figure it out yet.

So maybe one at a time

Wilf