Treasure Hunter: Diving for Gold on North America's Death Coast

by Robert MacKinnon, Dallas Murphy

Overview

For more than four decades, world-renowned diver and treasure hunter Captain Robert MacKinnon has reclaimed sunken caches from the dangerous shallow waters along the Atlantic coast of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Known as the Death Coast for its treachero's reefs and violent currents, the area’s rocky bottom is layered with shipwrecks and untold riches.

In short—a treasure hunter’s paradise.

In Treasure Hunter, Robert MacKinnon recounts the risks and challenges—both nautical and legal—in exploring shipwrecks dating back to the War of 1812 and before the Revolutionary War. As he salvages the secrets of the sea, MacKinnon vividly captures the excitement of discovery and conveys his passion for preservation in the still-developing field of underwater archeology.

A compelling chronicle of modern-day adventure, Treasure Hunter is a fascinating voyage into an amazing undersea world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780425253632
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/06/2013
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.22(h) x 0.94(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Captain Robert MacKinnon is a world-renowned diver and treasure hunter.

Dallas Murphy is the author of the novels Lover Man, Lush Life, Don’t Explain, and Apparent Wind, and the nonfiction books about the ocean, Rounding the Horn, To Follow the Water, and Plain Sailing.

Table of Contents

Introduction IX

Foreword Rick Ratcliffe XIII

1 HMS Fantome 1

2 First Shipwreck: SS Montara 17

3 The Treasure of Ragged Rock Cove 28

4 Dive Scatarie Project 36

5 Tons of Copper Coins 49

6 The Hurricane of 1975 65

7 Discovery of the Auguste 74

8 Enter Parks Canada 88

9 Betrayal 98

10 Finding HMS Feversham 110

11 New England Silver 121

12 Le Chameau 138

13 Back on HMS Fantome 158

14 New Discoveries 177

15 Sovereign Immunity 194

Afterword 205

Appendix 1 Treasure Hunting: The Techniques of Discovery and Recovery from Shallow-Water Shipwrecks 209

Appendix 2 A Brief History of the 'Provincial Silver: The First Coins of Colonial North America 227

Appendix 3 Nova Scotia's Cultural Shipwreck Resources 233

Appendix 4 Legal Opinions and Related Court Decisions 249

Appendix 5 Shipwreck Artifacts In Situ 257

Appendix 6 Overview of Shipwreck Recovery and Site Survey Maps 267

Selected Bibliography 301

Acknowledgments 311

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Treasure Hunter is a no-holds-barred plunge into the cold, rough waters of Nova Scotia in search of shipwrecks. Bob McKinnon takes the reader on a fascinating voyage of history, discovery, and battles with bureaucrats as only a seasoned explorer could. From armchair adventurer to experienced professional, all will enjoy this read.”— Bob Cembrola, curator of Maritime History, U.S. Naval War College

Editorial Reviews

"Treasure Hunter is a no holds barred plunge into the cold, rough waters of Nova Scotia in search of shipwrecks. Bob MacKinnon takes the reader on a fascinating voyage of history, discovery and battles with bureaucrats as only a seasoned explorer could. From armchair adventurer to experienced professional, all will enjoy this read."—Bob Cembrola, Curator of Maritime History, U.S. Naval War College

"A beautifully written book that really captures the excitement, the fun, and the frustrations of diving for treasure...This story is a rollercoaster ride through multiple successes, betrayals, and tons of treasure. Seriously, I loved this book, and these guys are the real deal."—John Chatterton, professional diver

From the Publisher