Mysterious....object?

[..Sam..]

Here is a little something a friend of mine found embedded into the reef at one of our dive sites awhile ago.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbHvSENpyAE]"]Not sure what this is....[/ame]


I just remembered it now as my holidays and summer are coming up and though now would be the time to investigate, and what better place to start but here.

So what is it? Not sure, that's why I'm hoping someone here can help. Just some things to help you get a gasp of the picture:

• The top bit is attached (I think....)
• It seems to be a half sphere
• It is stuck (believe me I tried)
• Looks almost like the reef has grown around it..(its rock?)
• Pretty sure it is hollow
• Its metallic

Have a look at the picture and the video and any suggestions would be useful.

Cheers,
Sam

 

[Trelawney]

It could be one half of a bar shot fired from a cannon.
The lower ball looks to be concreted into the reef, with the bar rusted, and the top ball washed away.

 

[..Sam..]

It does look like it. Were they hollow?
You'd think if one broke off it would still be fairly close...will have to have a look and see.

 

[Trelawney]

If its been there for a while, it will have a layer of concretion surrounding it that can make it sound hollow if tapped with a knife etc. You can chip them out of the rock with a hammer and chisel, knock of the concretion, and you should have a nice cannonball (if thats what it is). We find then quite often when diving off Plymouth. Most are the size of bowling balls and way to big to shift, but there are smaller ones that normally end up as garden ornaments.

 

[..Sam..]

From memory its quite a bit bigger than a bowling ball and if you look at the end of the video you can see that it is only half a sphere, you can see a little bit inside.

 

[Trelawney]

Hmmmm...I'll look at the vid when I get home. I'm at work now and they have blocked it.

I would have a go at chipping it out, putting a lift bag on it, and raising it.

 

[Salehthefish]

Interesting stuff Sam, but if it is historical item should not you inform the archeology center at your place? Before i had some dives in Cyprus and many plates jars can be found but our teacher was telling us do not touch anything... Just this what i am thinking off... Congrats for your discovery

 

[..Sam..]

I know some people that know some people at Heritage Victoria and some other maritime archeology organisations, I have showed it to a few people and no one can tell me what it is. So I'd love to know.
Thanks for the input.

 

[podge]

You could always try hitting it with a really looooonnngggg handled hammer and see what happens?blackeye
Looks very interesting, nice find and please let us know what the outcome is?

 

[..Sam..]

Someone did say something about an explosive ordinance, I have tried hitting it to no avail....or explosion....

 

[agbiv]

Wondering if it could be a torpedo cap but bowling ball size is too small. Maybe a float or part of a compressor.

 

[..Sam..]

How big do you think a torpedo cap is? Cause this things isn't bowling ball sized. At a wild guess its 40-50cms in diameter. I haven't been out there in awhile.

 

[agbiv]

Let's see...add the 4, carry the 1 and a 21" torp would be about 53.5 cm. :t

 

[Phil C]

Is it possible that it is a mine? Is that a 'horn' sticking out of the top.

You would want to hit that part with a very long handled hammer.

 

[..Sam..]

Hmm I'll have to measure it....May try and get out during the week.
Not sure about a mine. I thought they had lots of horns...and this would only be half of one. If I do manage to get out, what kinda of details should I grab? Diameter? Height? Maybe a few more pictures.

 

[Lazuli]

Is it possible that it is a mine? Is that a 'horn' sticking out of the top.

You would want to hit that part with a very long handled hammer.

Interesting find. I think a mine would be considerably larger. Looks a lot like a US GI's steel helmet, has the same metal colour.

 

[blaiz]

first thing that cam to mind was a torpedo cap...?

 

[agbiv]

Diameter, composition, thickness, and a nice diagram/drawing. General description, ad nausium. :head

 

[ReefTroll]

Is it steel grey or blue? Blue denotes inert. Not that I'd risk anything on a mere colour!!

 

[..Sam..]

Pretty sure it is steel grey, it may have been blue once.
Next time I get out there I'll grab the measurements and do up a nice drawing.