# What looks like ballast stones in the Pensacola Pass



## Starlifter (Feb 24, 2011)

I was fishing near that side channel, long ago, that is due south of the official intracoastal waterway leading to Perdido Key; and cuts in between two barrier islands leading into that lagoon off of Ft. McRee.

While anchored just off this side channel in the Pensacola Pass I noticed what looked like a round pile of ballast stones on the bottom. Would anyone know what ship these ballast stones were from if they are ballast stones, or if not what it actually is?

It can roughly be located if your in a east to west line, lined up with that side channel, and if you were to look north to south will actually be looking out the Pensacola Pass into the GoM, and is much closer to the Ft. McRee side of the main channel out to sea.


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## amarcafina (Aug 24, 2008)

Some GPS #'s would help !!


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## chad403 (Apr 20, 2008)

I remember reading an article that this was marble used for the gun terrats


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## Cap'n Fisherman (Mar 15, 2011)

Pensacola history teaches that the west side of PNS pass was used as a source of ballast for stabilizing empty cargo sailing galleons as they left PNS after discharging their cargo and a dumping place for ballast when empty ships arrived at PNS port to pick up cargo. This went on for many years.

http://www.archaeology.org/0907/underwater/florida.html


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Fort Mc crey is actually in between the North and South Jetties and the bottom is littered with bricks from the fort, There are also some bricks around the West side of the North jetties in the cut about 150 feet to the West. There is also a real pile of Ballast stones off the beach in about 20 feet of water. Don't ask.......


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## Burnt Drag (Jun 3, 2008)

sealark said:


> Fort Mc crey is actually in between the North and South Jetties and the bottom is littered with bricks from the fort, There are also some bricks around the West side of the North jetties in the cut about 150 feet to the West. There is also a real pile of Ballast stones off the beach in about 20 feet of water. Don't ask.......


Sealark, we've seen many chunks of brick in the "mix" of sandy spoils of the "island" (admiral's). I took the girls to Ft. Pickens last July. We read with interest the story of the powder magazine exploding in the late 1800s
We read that bricks were blown as far as a couple of miles from the blast.
Are those chunks on the island from that blast? (from cutter dredge?) Just curious, I know you were just a young -un back then .... Just kiddin. Any info would be appreciated. 
BD


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## Starlifter (Feb 24, 2011)

You cannot miss it because I visually sighted during the spring time when the water is crystal clear/blue This pile which looked to be a dark brown/black color I wanna say, and I wanna say that it was in around 20ft of water. I don't have any numbers for it, for I just saw it under the boat, and did not think to mark it.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Never heard about an explosion I am just reporting from my Diving in the pass area since I was stationed here 1976 to present. Hey don't make me any older than what I am 68.. :thumbup::thumbup:


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## BILL_MONEY (Feb 17, 2009)

there are MANY wrecks in the pass.... found that out when i called the UWF archealogical department.... i dove a uncharted one found by the point lobos cutter when it was still here. it was wooden and hade timbers about 16 inchs wide.... pretty cool


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## Ardiemus (Oct 12, 2010)

I worked with UWF as a scientific diver and helped excavate about 5 wrecks in the bay while I was there with them. It was very cool. My favorite was the one that sank in 1705.


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## Haulin' Ash (Jan 4, 2011)

Burnt Drag said:


> Sealark, we've seen many chunks of brick in the "mix" of sandy spoils of the "island" (admiral's). I took the girls to Ft. Pickens last July. We read with interest the story of the powder magazine exploding in the late 1800s
> We read that bricks were blown as far as a couple of miles from the blast.
> Are those chunks on the island from that blast? (from cutter dredge?) Just curious, I know you were just a young -un back then .... Just kiddin. Any info would be appreciated.
> BD


 
 I would imagine that most of the brick pieces that are up on the spoil island are from what was Fort McRee. They get blown up there off the bottom when the pass is dredged. 

The fort was pretty shot up during the War of Northern Aggression, and then fell in as the Pass migrated West.


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