Guns of the WHYDAH

[cannonmn]

These photos were provided courtesy of Michael Hardwick.  He took them at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.  I am pressed for time today and don't have time to look up WHYDAH but maybe someone else would be willing to give us some links or text regarding that ship, which as I recall was discovered within the past decade or so.  What is somewhat remarkable is how well-preserved these old iron guns are, for having been submerged for centuries.  I think most of it has to do with how carefully you treat them after they are salvaged.  I understand the treatment process for sea-salvaged cast iron is lengthy, complex, and somewhat costly.

http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b62/cannonmn/miscforumsetc/forums46/?action=view&current=a14d70d5.pbw

[KABAR2]

http://www.whydah.com/

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/whydah/story.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZw4M1yHta8

http://www.divetheunitedstates.com/search/wreckDive.php?id=8914

http://pirateshipwrecks.com/whydah_galley_samuel_bellamy

http://store.whydah.com/expedition-whydah.html

[seacoastartillery]

     Thanks cannonmn, for starting this thread.  Last year when we explored New England searching for cannon both seacoast and naval, we were completely ignorant of this significant find, but when we ended up in Provincetown where I used to spend a couple weeks almost every summer in the 50s while on family vacation, we discovered the Wydah Sea-Lab and Museum-Giftshop.  Thanks very much to Allen for posting those interesting links.  Lots of info there!  Some photos below.

Tracy and Mike


There is no photography allowed in the small museum which is 10 dollars a head, so I took this one of a saying that will certainly be appreciated by all.  However, there is only one of us who is planning on living his dream of being a Pirate.  Are all those cannons packed yet, Tropico??




One of my favorite coffee mugs came from the Expedition Whydah shop.




If this was a typical use of a swivel gun, you can understand why they were respected, a lot!




Residents of the beach a bit north of the Whydah sinking site.

[cannonmn]

Thanks for pointing out why I've never seen photos of the WHYDAH cannons before Mike sent those I posted above, when you mentioned that photos were not allowed in the museum.  Also, the salvors had their exhibit on tour for a while and wanted people to pay to see such things, which is understandable, if people will in fact pay to see them.

[cannonmn]

These are photos Mike H. got off internet somewhere (I couldn't find 'em) showing cannons of the QUEEN ANN'S REVENGE displayed in a museum in Provincetown, MA

[Cannoneer]

What is somewhat remarkable is how well-preserved these old iron guns are, for having been submerged for centuries.  I think most of it has to do with how carefully you treat them after they are salvaged.  I understand the treatment process for sea-salvaged cast iron is lengthy, complex, and somewhat costly.

From more than a few different websites on archaeological, and museum conservatorial techniques used on iron, where I've seen his name listed, this would be one of Bob Smith's fields of expertise.