More Paugus finds

[Diver1111]

I decided this morning to dive and check out an object-of interest I found on side-scan a few weeks ago in Paugus that I caught on side-scan-sonar/SSS but had no time to confirm at that time; Left work and just went.

What had my interest that prompted my trip today was what appeared to be one huge log (I est. it at perhaps 45 feet) but I as I studied it beforehand I wondered-how could a log cast such a big-and triangular-sonar shadow?? Plus the white “up-rights” to the right of the image-what were those? Answer: Even after diving the object-don’t know what the white vertical images are.

I navigated to the target-of-interest/TOI and dropped anchor; Due to the wind my anchor dragged about 25 feet before catching-no problem as I had a good feel for where to head once on the bottom with my scooter to connect with it.

When I hit the bottom I landed on…the wreck of a barge, not mud as expected (this is called a “good start”); I knew when I hit it it was not what I was looking for-nice, though; I measured this barge-wreck by hand at 25 feet long-images attached; Short, square…a barge I never knew about. Maybe other folks do but not me.

So I then headed towards the primary TOI and came across a 78 foot vessel-so much for the log theory. Looked like it had been split in half down the middle with a saw, at least the stern was-just spliced in two pieces, flip-flopped left and right.

Gunwhales at the bow were about six feet off the mud. No names on the vessel that I could find anywhere but it appeared she was painted white.

A large metal pipe lay across her bow to the east-perhaps 20 feet long continuing into the mud; Don’t know what it was but it was about 4” in diameter.

Later in the day I visited a friend to do a dock inspection and while there he showed me a map (not a Bizer map) from 2003 that showed 4 wrecks in this area nearly side-by-side that I think are what I found (some of). It showed 3 un-identified barges and the wreck of the “Scamp”-according to the map the Scamp was 82’ +- so I think I have it identified as I hand-measured this wreck at 78 feet.

About 4 years ago I met with Jack Irwin to interview him about my historical research of Winni and he told me that the Scamp was 77 feet long (close enough for me as I measured it at 1-foot intervals) and located in the area I was diving. He said one Harold Whiting owned it many, many years ago and Jacks’ Dad took the Scamp as payment for a debt; How it came to be where I found it I do not know-any help here folks??

The images I now post have names I gave them-but I don’t know if the names will appear on Winni.com.

If they don’t please work with me here-These are general descriptions of what might appear as a random pictures on the web you need to interpret on your own:

- Image: Nearly square 25 foot long unknown barge with cursor on right; Bow at 45 degrees; Nice sonar shadow;

- Shot of same barge with nice sonar shadow;

- Crude shot of what I now believe to be the Scamp; Cursor on right;

- Good shot of Scamp?, cursor centered amidships;

- Crude shot of both the barge wreck and the Scamp? wreck-that’s how close they are together;

- 2nd shot of both wrecks close together

- Original shot of target that had me thinking about what it really was with cursor over the “log” part; Top of image reads “126ft/Cursor, Depth/(blank), 116/Distance, 296T/Bearing

If anyone has any information about wrecks in general in Winni I would like to hear from you.