Unlikely Sunken Treasure Off Of The Oregon Coast | Oregon Field Guide

Yes, that's a giant hunk of beeswax, older than the United States. In this classic, originally aired in 2008, a team of archeologists investigate the wreck of a sailing ship that went down near the Oregon Coast in the late 1600s. The cargo - including beeswax - has been washing up ever since.
For more stories like this www.opb.org/sh... and www.opb.org/sc...
---
Oregon Public Broadcasting aims to elevate and amplify the community, connect Oregon and its neighbors, and illuminate a wider world through stories. OPB Every Day. OPB Everywhere.
One way to support OPB and the work of public media is to subscribe to our channel for new OPB videos: www.youtube.co...
Engage in the OPB community by Liking, Sharing and Commenting on our videos.
Member support makes all the videos on the OPB KZbin channel possible, and everything else you love. Ensure the next important story is covered and join in as a Sustainer now at give.opb.org/o...
#oregonfieldguide #OPB #Oregon #PacificNorthWest

[@magapickle01]

My grandparents had a stock pile of wax from that area , they had a cabin there in the sixties and seventies and they always seemed to come up from the beach with a few heavy yellow white blocks of wax

[@lazygardens]

How much beeswax was on that ship?

[@ColumbiaB]

@@lazygardens - The answer to that question is in this video, for anyone who listens. At about 4:05 to 4:20, the narration states that the curator at the Columbia River Maritime Museum says there may have been 75 tons (150,000 pounds) of beeswax in the cargo.

[@ByronMacleod-r9p]

your grandparents were using paraffin wax to collect ultra fine gold off the beach.

[@CraigAndes1]

@@lazygardens tons I beleve over 30 tons has been recovered my searchers off the beaches and out of a few cashes. several of the eary homesteaders were making a living off it by mining it out of deposits in the beach sand dunes.

[@stonefishfotos7545]

For many years I had a large chunk of that beeswax, and have encountered many more on a beach in south county. Knew it was beeswax but had no idea of origin.

[@sarahparker3246]

Wow

[@secretsquirrel726]

Yeah it was carried on the deck and used in the churches in Mexico.

[@maxasaurus3008]

I would mistake it for ambergris and think I was rich😂

[@Slay_No_More]

@@secretsquirrel726 what was the usage in church?

[@GalacticRealm]

@@Slay_No_More Probably candles

[@ArtFiendz]

I grew up around these beaches. Spent many many many summers at Oceanside. It's such a beautiful part of Oregon.

[@TonyMarselle]

Where js the dock that the sea lions hang out on and the fisherman just walk over them. I can't remember what town that was. You can erase the comment after I respond so no one else knows the spot but I can't remember it and a old school coastal kid should know.

[@towedarray7217]

Wow. This is just so cool. I respect the hell out of these guys, towing equipment around and looking for this thing 300-400 years after its demise. I hope these cool people find it one day. This is an extremely cool video - thanks for sharing it.

[@CraigAndes1]

I finely found it after many years of searching. I am sure a good portion of the lower hull and cargo is trapped in the caves under the rocks that slid over it during the cave in of the caves when the 1700 earthquake struck. The state will not permit the removal of any of the trapped parts as it is in a marine reserve. A local state park manager told National Geographic they could not go out a film and document what I found. Nat Geo did it anyway and that is the only reason that my most recent discovery has made the press.

[@guaporeturns9472]

What caves/rocks?

[@CraigAndes1]

@@guaporeturns9472 the caves and rocks of Cape falcon

[@rtqii]

@@guaporeturns9472 There is a large cave in between his ears... Inside the cave there are a few large rocks, and the shipwreck is under them.

[@guaporeturns9472]

@@rtqii exactly.

[@blackboneleather173]

@@rtqiilook up any recent article. it has since been found, in a cave BY CRAIG ANDES. Eat that crow boys.

[@marydonohoe8200]

Great info, and the narrator’s voice and delivery are perfect. Thanks, OPB!!!

[@robbh.6505]

That great voice belongs to one Jim Newman, former Field Guide producer and reporter, now retired.....

[@vinnyb2947]

The Goonies was a true story

[@BoilerBloodline]

Vinny B “That’s One Eyed Willy’s Gold”

[@jiggjohns1028]

Fucking Chester Copperpot couldn’t even make off with the booty, so this boat full of clowns don’t stand a chance.

[@BoilerBloodline]

Swampbilly LMAO! I immediately heard Data saying “Chester Copperpot...Chester Copperpot.”

[@jeffolenick1514]

Prove it

[@011CJ]

@jeffolenick1514 this was the ship wreck that they based one-eyed Willie's shop on

[@majordendrocopos]

5.16 That huge wooden pulley block is an essential and functional part of the ship, yet the craftsman who made it still bothered to carve some decoration into it. They had a different attitude to their craft in those days.

[@glennpalmer1286]

Perhaps if they could identify what type of wood it was made from??? I don't agree with the carbon dating. The tree or wood is most likely several hundred years older than the 300 they mention.......

[@majordendrocopos]

@ Nobody cares if you “agree with the carbon dating” or not. If you want to make up your own story then go for it, but without any evidence you are just flapping your lips.

[@michaelfitzgerald434]

Amazing discovery so far. I sincerely hope you find the galleon.

[@TheloniousBosch]

I’m just here for the One-Eyed Willie comments.

[@johnwick-ii6il]

Carbon dating would tell the entire age of the wooden article. Not when it was carved or placed into service. The tree could have been 150 years older than the ship.

[@hunterfishergather6879]

Not so sure about that. I believe carbon dating goes back to when something dies.

[@jayflo714]

I was thinking this too. I don't think they used fresh cut wood. Who knows how long the wood sat around prior to building

[@thomasgoebel6992]

Beyond Carbon dating, what corroborates the age of the find is the model, only made during that specific period.

[@nathanlucas2257]

I am currently reading Peter Stark's "Astoria". Knowing how complicated it is to navigate the Columbia River bar even today, it's insane to think that the very first attempts made by John Astor's team were done in little more than a rowboat. I can't imagine what it was like going from being warmly greeted by the topless beauties of Hawaii, to trying to breech the Columbia River bar in a rowboat in a winter storm.

[@cozyafloatisme]

On a personal level: My Dad, born in 1914, lived on the beach at Manzanita as a child, and just today I examined the chunk of beeswax about 5 inches in width that he found while beach combing, but is more a dark fudge color. The family found other beeswax treasures, but this one was my Dad's favorite that he kept his whole life, for it was his personal discovery! At minute 2:10-2:13 the narrator says "maybe 600 passengers and crew were aboard." I say "No way, for ships of that era were not that large and what's with the passengers?" Maybe 10% of that, or 60 souls aboard, would be my guess, but I'll keep an open mind and research the evidence further. The narrator had to scrounge that figure from somewhere.

[@123holsey123]

The greatest voice this show ever had best show try to never miss an episode

[@chrisking9228]

@@123holsey123 Who is it?

[@aaabeverages7152]

Probably from Sea-Bees

[@markdavis8888]

I spent thirty years of my life making the graveyard of the pacific safer for all mariners by dredging the river bars to calm the seas. These are some of the most dangerous harbor entrance on Earth.

[@sadiewilson7053]

6:46 Don't be so disappointed! They more than likely just saved your lives!

[@christophergaribay7097]

they just found pieces of the ship in a cave this year

[@guaporeturns9472]

That block is badass

[@dianacryer]

Ironically one day about a year ago while walking Meyers Beach on the southern Oregon coast, I found a rectangular block of paraffin wax. It was about 3/4 complete. Then I found a few more pieces, not quite as large. I knew exactly what they were because I make candles. Weird, I can’t imagine where they came from.

[@birdman5223]

Very interesting✅

[@AgathaR-v5y]

It would be nice to see archaeologists bring up a treasure of Chinese porcelain and Spanish gold. The bees wax and the pulley are an amazing find. Awesome video.

[@robertsnyder5149]

The treasure is no longer there. The survivors took it ashore and buried it. If what you are reffering to is the ship at cannon beach. The local indians knew where it was buried and word got back to John Jacob Astor. He sent a team of men and horses to the site, dug it up and took it back to Astoria. That was the actual source of Astor's fortune., not furs. I got my info from Betty Newton who was the founder of the wreck of the Peter Iredale. She and her uncle. Her nanny when young told of her mother who was a local Indian. If interested I hae the rest of the story.

[@Sam89365]

I would definitely read on if you added more.

[@cchanc3]

we all came here for a story. let it rip :)

[@davelambardo6464]

Well I could go for a story about old Oregon

[@valiantsfelinesmccarty6678]

Yeah we're from Oregon unfortunately away from home but love anything about Oregon. My mom told me tales of Oregon & I remember us traveling down the coast as a kid before we ever moved away. I've got a good one. if you got time go ahead and read if you don't I don't mind. One time dad, mom us 3 kids dads parents were all in the car headed down the Oregon coast to visit a relative of Grandmas that lived in Gold Beach. It had been a beautiful day & we had lunch & dinner in small little rustic fresh seafood pick up & eat something out on a picnic table type style places that you don't find too often anymore. But then the fog came in. We weren't going to make gold Beach that night. My dad struggled to try and get anywhere and he had a car full of people! Fnally we came upon a motel that had two rooms available. While my mom dealt with my younger siblings I went with my grandfather for a walk along the beach. He and I love the sound of the ocean and enjoyed basically pretty much all our lives even though I was a girl being outside together doing things. Being stuck in a hotel room wasn't an interesting idea for either of us as we walked away from the modern Motel and looked up along the sea cliff and out towards the ocean. After a few feet you could feel like you were nowhere near modern civilization. You could see light reflected were there we're lamps even Street lamps provided a glowing Misty background to the cliff and the trees above us. Grandpa told me about how it had been when he was young and there were no motorized vehicles you just found a safe place to stop you hoped unhitch the horse and tied it so it could eat some grass Give It To Em Green 8 cold meal if you couldn't safely find firewood and went to bed in the back of your wagon if there was room or under it if not. You have to think my grandfather lived to watch men go to the Moon and Beyond those years. But at least he still had some spring in his step at this point he was enjoying telling me about his childhood and how things were in the Deep forests of Minnesota. All of a sudden and we couldn't see any buildings around us there appeared in the glow above us on the cliff a silhouette. My grandfather his family is from Scotland they had to change their name because they were hunted all the way to the new world because they supported Bonnie Prince Charlie and they even had proof they were of royal descent of Scotland. My grandfather looked up and said that man's in a kilt! I looked I said yeah look he's got a bagpipe you could see the outline of the and all of a sudden floating with the breeze down the cliff and out over the waters in this misty moonless but glowing landscape came the bagpipes playing old Scottish Tunes. We knew this because both my grandfather & I are musicians & played the Old Country Tunes. We knew many tunes people thought were new were simply reworded for the next generation. Even when they play Amazing Grace it goes back further than that. We stood in awe listening to him play. Listening to it echo in the trees and swirling towards us in this unlit Amphitheater where we found ourselves below him. the notes which caressed hour ears then skipped across the crest of the waves. This was not someone who needed to practice. This was someone who made you cry when he played the pipes. It raised the hair on your arms & at the back of your neck. My grandfather put his arm around my shoulders & we both stood there, tears rolling down our faces as we listened to the Master Musician play song after song finally ending with of course Amazing Grace. As the last of the sounds wafted over the water he slowly stepped back from the edge of the cliff, we clapped for we didn't even know if he could have seen us down in that dark area. The strangest thing was we had not heard a car pull up nor did we hear a car leave. All we knew was we had just listened to some of the most ethereal music we had ever heard. I have never heard music like it since although some has come close. Grandpa and I immediately headed back to the hotel. Upon arrival we excitedly asked everyone did they hear the bagpiper? My grandmother said well of course not we're not dead yet and my grandfather said we're not being superstitious there was a bagpiper outside up along the cliff above where Di and I walked! Even though my father had been emptying the car and my grandmother had helped him they had not heard the music. My grandfather always wondered if it was real or if it was just something special for he & I to see or feel because he believed in spiritual things & both of us had the gift to see them since no one else had heard it & we hadn't walked that far. To this day whenever I try to tell people about that moment I always cry. It wasn't a sad moment it was the beauty & the emotion the musician put into the music. Grandpa said when he was young there were real bagpipers around where he grew up because there were many Scotsmen where he lived. He'd always wanted to play the pipes but he didn't have the money or time helping his own paw on a big huge Farm so he was a harmonica man. I can tell you my grandfather could play the harmonica any way you wanted it. As fast or as slow as bluesy or as quick you wanted. I sometimes wonder if he has met that bagpiper by now. For the bagpiper to have had that kind of talent & experience would have had to have been my father's age and my father would have been 92 now. I sometimes wondered if he was military and would play at night for those he lost. If I played the pipes that's what I would do. although there's a lot to be said about playing your instruments in the dark in the forest with only the sky above you. As a musician we always dragged my instruments with us whenever we went on vacation. I'll never forget playing my heart out in the middle of the Yosemite forest staring up at the sky oh, just having a ball forgot everything else around me in the darkness with only the stars and the fire to light my music notes behind me! That bagpiper offered that to my grandfather & I & anyone else who was lucky enough to hear him. What an amazing moment for my grandfather & I out there on the Oregon coast with the fog rolling in, the lights glowing as if the world had a strange Golden Glow & then suddenly a bagpiper starts playing the pipes and for a moment time stood still. When I think about that moment, that time I can even smell my grandfather, his Farm overalls dried from the sun his shirt pressed with Grandma's starch. His gray felt fedora always on his head when outside on special trips, he wore a straw in the fields. I guess what's most important is that bagpiper gave me a memory with my grandfather that can't be erased because it wasn't just a moment it was an imprint! As a kid you don't get many of those deep life marker moments that are light up your life forever a golden note pipe moment.

[@Ngim2112_]

Please message me if you can

[@MrJeep75]

And the search of one eyed willy gold continues

[@richardperkins9748]

Was the wood block made 300yrs ago or was the wood carbon dated 300yrs? I'm inquisitively puzzled.

[@G60J60F80]

I'm no scientist but I think it probably dates it to when it was cut (when it ceased being a living being and its radioactive materials started decaying and not being replaced).

[@jacktorrance2633]

@@richardperkins9748 Both.

[@renesagahon4477]

Since this was filmed this wreck has almost been positively identified as the the Manila galleon santo cristo de Burgos lost in 1693 during the reign of Charles ll (the bewitched) of Spain

[@aaronjaben7913]

The presenter has a great voice.

[@DerikB-x2n]

The ocean is a lot bigger than our land mass and there's a lot more stuff that's happened out there that's been recorded so fast to say I'm pretty sure that there's stuff out in the ocean that we don't know about great story to the people that are doing hateful comments it's a story from a great OPB organization you don't like it go somewhere else good job OPB I like your stories

[@kirkstewart-vf6hg]

Not the only Manila galleon wrecked on the oregon coast one just above brookings oregon also! It was found by a man in the 1970's in knee deep water between brookings and gold beach. He couldn't get salvage rights from oregon so he never devulged it's location took it to his grave. I have other info of burried treasure from this ship and where it's located that predates his find by many decades from a woman born and raises near the whales head ranch in the late 1800's who found it while riding her horse on the beach at low tide as a teen.

[@koltoncrane3099]

You should lookup Terry carters channel. People tell treasury stories and also history stories of the past. It preserves stories, and you can simply leave out names or places if you don’t want to share it. Some sites people don’t want to share cause screw the government. Some have found Spanish ships and won’t tell where they are cause they know Spain will screw them over. Other sites maybe salvaged one day. Lots of reasons not to give out to much info but it’s great to listen to stories

[@had2galsinthebooth]

History Detectives had an epidode about beeswax and a ship on the NW coast. Most likely the same one but I don't remember the particulars from the show.

[@craigtheophilus2237]

The ship sunk 300 years ago and the wood from the pulley system is 300 years old but that wood looks like it was a hundred years old before it was cut to be used

[@carey_metv]

I know someone who found a gold coming from 1601 near Lincoln city by Chinook winds.

[@johnryan2193]

Every treasure seeking diver will make a beeline for that area !

[@KB4QAA]

JR: Are you waxing poetic or just throwing around buzz words? ;)

[@Anthony.tarter.gaming]

Looks like the biggest dab of all time

[@lazygardens]

Diving there is difficult!

[@maxasaurus3008]

That beeswax would have fooled me: I would have thought ambergris 🤑

[@threeraven13]

That's what I thought and thanks for reminding me of the word. I'm still watching so it must be a good show lol. 6:56

[@westcoastvibes9154]

If i find gold im not telling anybody. I've seen how that works in the U.S...

[@Livinguud]

@@westcoastvibes9154 yep they will steel it from you.

[@damianstasek8946]

Yea the government steals it. The aliens need gold real bad, bad enough to form our entire society just to mine it.

[@JeffreyBrown-f4e]

Legend has it that theres a Japanese submarine off the Oregon coast whose crew doesnt know WWII is over.

[@rogerscottcathey]

Cool.

[@tymz-r-achangin]

How the hell can any sailors at any time in history not know how to swim. My dad taught me, brothers, and sisters the good ol fashioned way to swim. He threw us in the water and then encouraged us to either swim or sink while he was RIGHT there and READY in a seconds notice of us needing help

[@nakoawarrior3186]

Bee's wax must be treasure because,.......look at the price of it.

[@falconguy4768]

Philippines to alcapulco This is a straight line on Gleason’s map

[@danielhammond3218]

Remember, this is a sailing vessel. They had to follow the tradewinds which went north along the coast of Asia and then crossed over and south along the coast of America.

[@falconguy4768]

@@danielhammond3218 Hi Daniel just look at the map logo of the united nations. Its the gleason’s map

[@2HighNoon]

So how does it work if you find something like this washed up? Does the museum buy the artifact or are they donated to them? I think it'd be nifty to find something like that one day too.

[@demosuit]

"Unlikely Sunken Treasure".... A likely story... probably a real treasure they don't want anyone looking for... But, appreciate the help finding it... so, just make sure you report to the "authorities" where you find wax and pottery shards... it might be a clue they use to find their millions.

[@The5for1]

6:09 a boat towing a boat

[@4Score747]

Who would one contact if wreckage is found? I didn’t find any, but just good to for future reference.

[@eringomez-watters7881]

Asking for a friend? 😁

[@sadiewilson7053]

@@eringomez-watters7881 right? 🤭

[@soyoucametosee7860]

To know what ships are there you must go to the archives in Spain. You can not search the archives you must hire special people authorrized to search the archives for you .

[@Marina_Marauder]

💪 👏 ❤

[@kentneumann5209]

That's a lot of beeswax. None of it yours.

[@Tom-pc7lb]

LMAO

[@threeraven13]

@@kentneumann5209 that's a Karen comment if I ever heard one

[@kentneumann5209]

?

[@bucksauvageau]

None of their bees wax.

[@finddeniro]

600 passengers.. Big.. Totally off Course..

[@ryansmithza]

Exciting but hard work!

[@davelambardo6464]

Very cool

[@tailer1933]

I would think the porcelain would be sanded down like beach glass after all the years

[@norml.hugh-mann]

Ain't no "possibly" about tsunamis over the past 300 years

[@colleennobbs7218]

@@norml.hugh-mann you’re right that happened in 1700. But even smaller quakes can shift sand and cargo…

[@eligebrown8998]

Just a heads up. Noone owns this ship so finders keepers.

[@sadiewilson7053]

That's what I was thinking!

[@011CJ]

The ship that was the inspiration for the goonies ship for those who may not know

[@okthennone]

Sailors couldn't swim? Odd.

[@neridavandevelden8441]

okthennone not back then! Only been the last 100 years or so that knowing how to swim for a sailor was a good idea. Now it’s a prerequisite.

[@anonymous-zn5em]

Back then sailors believed that to swim only lengthened their demise should they fall in the sea.

[@joejoelesh1197]

@@anonymous-zn5em to be fair, they were mostly right.

[@okthennone]

@@anonymous-zn5em That is worst explanation ever. My ship hits rocks...land 500yrds away, I'm so glad I didn't take those swim lessons. I would then have to swim to land and live.

[@anonymous-zn5em]

@@okthennone I'm not saying it was correct, I am saying it was their theory. Mostly they were far out at sea, so maybe that swayed their view.

[@DwightStJohn-t7y]

3;00 I don't think it was THAT far "off course". When we dead reckoned from Hawaii to the US mainland we ended up right where we wanted: San Fransisco. You would then go down the coast to Manzanita, not directly in a sailing vessel, esp. in those days. We figured it really didn't matter: it would be hard to MISS the coast of North America.

[@nicks8026]

“The earliest type of ship to sail the Pacific.” What? Polynesian journeying canoes, prehistoric migrations to Australia. All happened long, long, long before any galleon made its way into the Pacific.

[@stevenkennedy4130]

Wheeler, Ore. 97147

[@gamerx112]

And it neve-Ends!

[@melfisher1683]

"Research Headquarters". (tent)

[@dbfcrell8300]

I thought this was a how to make pumpkin pie video, but it was just rust and algae on treasure.

[@seasonsintheson]

Pumpkins are not from the ocean.

[@user-ou1ko3xb9x]

What's the update?!

[@njnature]

Hey Mikey, You seen Adrienne?

[@jasonvoorheis1984]

I know someone who dove on the wreck, its real

[@Guydude8888]

Dang girl who measures

[@nr875]

Thought it was ambergris by the photo

[@1976ondy]

02:00 lol, why modern people think our ancestors were people with zero skills?, anyones who lives near the water teaches their kids how to swim

[@colleennobbs7218]

The English fended off Spain 500 years ago. They were ship makers!

[@renesagahon4477]

Like Spain where are the English now 🚽

[@michellemarieswoboda8208]

Stay strong honey

[@ecamp6360]

Spanish wreck is oldest? There's gotta be Chinese or Japanese wrecks from earlier?

[@johnbarroll1120]

A wooden galleon submerged in ice cold pacific, in tact after 300 Years? Huh?

[@justmy5cents]

600 passengers?

[@Hapfletcher]

My first question is who is funding this?

[@ralphtaylor787]

I used to be a ship…

[@SaidiLouise]

Manzanita is what Cannon Beach used to be. Sadly, it too will be taken over by yuppies.

[@eringomez-watters7881]

Agreed

[@Tom-pc7lb]

Is a Spanish galleon different than an imperial galleon?

[@bucksauvageau]

🐝

[@sauvageaux]

🕯

[@guaporeturns9472]

600 people on a Spanish galleon?

[@DwightStJohn-t7y]

more like 60 passengers and a small crew. Those ships weren't THAT large.

[@Honey-Sanchez]

Mind your own Beeswax.

[@philipstowers4741]

That chinese potery is a copy of the dutch "deft blue" that was all the fashion at the time. 300yrs ago and the chinese were still selling fakes.

[@danm6188]

Freakin yard sale!

[@EbolaWagon]

Yooo put it back

[@aeringossett6430]

Why is it only men on the team?

[@blairforce1755]

All the women were having babies

[@aeringossett6430]

@@blairforce1755 Archeology is a field dominated by women. It doesn't make sense that it's all men unless sexism.

[@blairforce1755]

@@aeringossett6430 1:19 woman on the team, not sexist...

[@aeringossett6430]

@@blairforce1755 Oh good. One. Hmph. But thanks for pointing it out.

[@blairforce1755]

@@aeringossett6430 3:38 another girl on the team...

[@Hjgcghuckgycjbk]

I.A.S.

[@derek6579]

Just another ‘story’ to get KZbin viewing?

[@sonyaenix2336]

It's a grave yard. Leave it alone.

[@GOWIN8109837]

989th 👍up.

[@stevemorgan1193]

A total waste of time and money

[@jasonbelaro8293]

The last chest disturbingly smell because church rarely paint vice a sad persian. necessary, puffy join