1
00:00:00,567 --> 00:00:02,546
This is the steamship Pulaski.
2
00:00:02,570 --> 00:00:03,736
Wow, look at this.
3
00:00:05,171 --> 00:00:07,617
[dramatic music playing]
4
00:00:07,641 --> 00:00:10,587
A second engineer poured
very cold water
5
00:00:10,611 --> 00:00:13,623
into a boiling copper boiler...
6
00:00:13,647 --> 00:00:15,614
- [explosion]
- ...and created a bomb.
7
00:00:17,550 --> 00:00:20,964
We think that there was $100,000
8
00:00:20,988 --> 00:00:22,466
face value of coins.
9
00:00:22,490 --> 00:00:25,902
We translate that to today's value
and that's roughly how much money?
10
00:00:25,926 --> 00:00:27,459
It's in the tens
of millions of dollars.
11
00:00:31,331 --> 00:00:33,399
[dramatic music playing]
12
00:00:35,535 --> 00:00:36,546
[Josh Gates] In the water.
13
00:00:36,570 --> 00:00:38,215
What is this?
14
00:00:38,239 --> 00:00:41,974
- This coin is worth $30,000 to $40,000?
- Correct.
15
00:00:42,876 --> 00:00:44,254
[Josh over radio]
It's part of a ship!
16
00:00:44,278 --> 00:00:46,757
It is a massive part of a ship!
17
00:00:46,781 --> 00:00:48,947
It actually sort of gives you
chills. I mean, it's eerie.
18
00:00:50,350 --> 00:00:52,362
Holy [bleep]! Holy!
19
00:00:52,386 --> 00:00:54,731
There's a gold coin in here.
Look at this!
20
00:00:54,755 --> 00:00:56,655
[dramatic music playing]
21
00:00:59,659 --> 00:01:01,760
[dramatic music playing]
22
00:01:07,267 --> 00:01:09,579
The year is 1838,
23
00:01:09,603 --> 00:01:12,883
the age of the steam engine
is in full roar.
24
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Ocean journeys that once
lasted weeks now take mere days.
25
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A luxury available to anyone
26
00:01:18,546 --> 00:01:20,479
who can afford the steep fare.
27
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On the night of June 14th,
the SS Pulaski,
28
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a brand-new state-of-the-art
sidewheel steamer
29
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set sail out of
Savannah, Georgia.
30
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She is loaded with
the city's wealthiest citizens
31
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and some of their
most valuable belongings
32
00:01:36,764 --> 00:01:40,444
headed north for a summer
in cooler climates.
33
00:01:40,468 --> 00:01:44,347
As she passes about 30 miles
off the coast of North Carolina,
34
00:01:44,371 --> 00:01:49,519
the Pulaski suddenly suffers
a catastrophic explosion.
35
00:01:49,543 --> 00:01:52,422
Blasting her sidewheels
clear off their axle
36
00:01:52,446 --> 00:01:57,094
and turning the entire midsection
of the ship into splinters.
37
00:01:57,118 --> 00:01:59,896
Those passengers
who don't die instantly
38
00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:03,066
watched the ship
crack in half and sink.
39
00:02:03,090 --> 00:02:06,336
Nearly 130 lives are lost.
40
00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,139
It's been called
the Titanic of the south.
41
00:02:09,163 --> 00:02:10,974
And for almost two centuries
42
00:02:10,998 --> 00:02:14,611
the shipwreck's location has
remained a maritime mystery.
43
00:02:14,635 --> 00:02:17,180
That is until a group of
salvage experts
44
00:02:17,204 --> 00:02:21,251
recently discovered what they
believe to be the Pulaski's boiler.
45
00:02:21,275 --> 00:02:24,121
Now, using
top-of-the-line technology
46
00:02:24,145 --> 00:02:25,989
they're launching a new mission
47
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to find the rest of the ship.
48
00:02:27,915 --> 00:02:29,893
But there's another prize.
49
00:02:29,917 --> 00:02:31,761
It's believed
the ship was carrying
50
00:02:31,785 --> 00:02:35,866
more than $20 million worth
of rare coins.
51
00:02:35,890 --> 00:02:40,203
So, to help the team find
the Pulaski and her cargo
52
00:02:40,227 --> 00:02:43,306
I'll be facing deep water,
rough conditions
53
00:02:43,330 --> 00:02:45,041
and turbulent history.
54
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So get ready
55
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because adventure lies
full steam ahead.
56
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[horn tooting]
57
00:02:52,372 --> 00:02:54,050
My name is Josh Gates.
58
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Hello!
59
00:02:55,276 --> 00:02:58,188
Explorer, adventurer...
60
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This is sick.
61
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Help!
62
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...and a guy who ends up in
some very strange situations.
63
00:03:03,417 --> 00:03:04,294
Oh! [bleep]
64
00:03:04,318 --> 00:03:06,062
Woo! That was exciting.
65
00:03:06,086 --> 00:03:08,999
With a degree in archaeology
and a passion for the unexplained...
66
00:03:09,023 --> 00:03:10,033
[exclaims]
67
00:03:10,057 --> 00:03:11,601
...I travel to the ends
of the Earth,
68
00:03:11,625 --> 00:03:14,738
investigating the greatest
legends in history.
69
00:03:14,762 --> 00:03:16,339
Okay, let's punch it.
70
00:03:16,363 --> 00:03:19,131
This is Expedition Unknown.
71
00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:22,668
[guitar music playing]
72
00:03:23,636 --> 00:03:26,071
Wheels down. Savannah, Georgia.
73
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[horn tooting]
74
00:03:28,509 --> 00:03:31,588
The steamship Pulaski launched
from these very docks
75
00:03:31,612 --> 00:03:33,490
and 183 years later
76
00:03:33,514 --> 00:03:36,782
the city remains a jewel of
Southern preservation.
77
00:03:38,518 --> 00:03:41,164
It's the kind of place
that envelops you.
78
00:03:41,188 --> 00:03:44,201
It sweeps you along
with music and humidity.
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00:03:44,225 --> 00:03:46,836
A place of neatly
landscaped squares
80
00:03:46,860 --> 00:03:48,271
and stately mansions
81
00:03:48,295 --> 00:03:52,509
resting under the moss covered
arms of towering oaks.
82
00:03:52,533 --> 00:03:55,545
This is the hostess city
as she's long been known,
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00:03:55,569 --> 00:03:59,049
a place that makes you realize that
you never knew what hospitality meant.
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00:03:59,073 --> 00:04:01,518
[both] We love Savannah!
85
00:04:01,542 --> 00:04:03,186
[Josh] Oh, and the food.
86
00:04:03,210 --> 00:04:04,476
I do declare.
87
00:04:05,478 --> 00:04:07,824
The Lowcountry boil
has been a staple here
88
00:04:07,848 --> 00:04:10,260
for as long as folks
have been pulling shrimp,
89
00:04:10,284 --> 00:04:14,086
crab, clams and crawfish from
the mouth of the Savannah River.
90
00:04:23,563 --> 00:04:25,141
I'm gonna be here for awhile.
91
00:04:25,165 --> 00:04:26,209
Can I get a bib?
92
00:04:26,233 --> 00:04:29,045
In fact, from its founding
in 1733
93
00:04:29,069 --> 00:04:32,449
life in Savannah has always
revolved around the water.
94
00:04:32,473 --> 00:04:36,453
A history chronicled at the Ships
of the Sea Maritime Museum.
95
00:04:36,477 --> 00:04:39,556
This mansion belonged to one
of the owners of the Savannah.
96
00:04:39,580 --> 00:04:42,592
The first steamship
to cross the Atlantic.
97
00:04:42,616 --> 00:04:44,160
Amidst the museum's galleries
98
00:04:44,184 --> 00:04:48,131
I find New York Times
best-selling author Patti Callahan,
99
00:04:48,155 --> 00:04:51,434
who recently wrote a novel
about one of the south's most tragic
100
00:04:51,458 --> 00:04:54,237
and least known
maritime accidents.
101
00:04:54,261 --> 00:04:57,607
And, Josh, this is
the steamship Pulaski.
102
00:04:57,631 --> 00:04:58,675
[Josh] Wow.
103
00:04:58,699 --> 00:05:00,932
[dramatic music playing]
104
00:05:09,042 --> 00:05:11,621
When I was thinking
early steamship
105
00:05:11,645 --> 00:05:13,857
I wasn't thinking about
something like this.
106
00:05:13,881 --> 00:05:15,458
This thing looks like
it was a behemoth.
107
00:05:15,482 --> 00:05:18,628
This thing was over
200 feet long which is
108
00:05:18,652 --> 00:05:22,732
more than twice the length of the
ship that the colonists came over on.
109
00:05:22,756 --> 00:05:25,001
I have to say, and I'm sort of
embarrassed to say,
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00:05:25,025 --> 00:05:26,636
I have never heard this story.
111
00:05:26,660 --> 00:05:28,905
You're embarrassed?
I researched Savannah,
112
00:05:28,929 --> 00:05:30,206
I write about Savannah
113
00:05:30,230 --> 00:05:34,177
and I had never heard of the
steamship Pulaski disaster.
114
00:05:34,201 --> 00:05:37,747
You know, why isn't there a bigger
historical record of this disaster?
115
00:05:37,771 --> 00:05:40,950
Some stories were
just lost to time.
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00:05:40,974 --> 00:05:44,020
[Josh] So I heard it referred
to as the Titanic of the South.
117
00:05:44,044 --> 00:05:46,022
Is that a fair analogy?
118
00:05:46,046 --> 00:05:48,725
It's fair for loads
of reasons. One is,
119
00:05:48,749 --> 00:05:50,860
there's not enough lifeboats.
120
00:05:50,884 --> 00:05:52,228
[Josh] It's just these
four lifeboats?
121
00:05:52,252 --> 00:05:55,732
These four lifeboats
for 190 passengers.
122
00:05:55,756 --> 00:05:57,334
- Wow.
- But other than that,
123
00:05:57,358 --> 00:05:59,002
there was the innovation,
124
00:05:59,026 --> 00:06:01,504
the speed,
the wealthy passengers,
125
00:06:01,528 --> 00:06:03,006
- the hubris.
- Mmm.
126
00:06:03,030 --> 00:06:04,841
But while the sinking
of the Titanic
127
00:06:04,865 --> 00:06:07,043
has been called
a night to remember,
128
00:06:07,067 --> 00:06:10,513
the Pulaski has been
largely forgotten, until now.
129
00:06:10,537 --> 00:06:12,582
This ship was designed
to do what?
130
00:06:12,606 --> 00:06:14,551
It was designed to go fast
131
00:06:14,575 --> 00:06:16,486
and it was designed
to be impressive.
132
00:06:16,510 --> 00:06:17,987
Why is she so fast?
133
00:06:18,011 --> 00:06:20,023
[Patti Callahan]
She has two sidewheels
134
00:06:20,047 --> 00:06:22,158
and they're three storeys high.
135
00:06:22,182 --> 00:06:23,293
It was impressive.
136
00:06:23,317 --> 00:06:26,062
So this is, for its day,
really high-tech?
137
00:06:26,086 --> 00:06:27,097
Yes.
138
00:06:27,121 --> 00:06:30,633
But we are only 30 years
into steamship technology.
139
00:06:30,657 --> 00:06:33,536
Think about the first 30 years
of aviation technology.
140
00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,072
- Lot of accidents.
- [bell dings]
141
00:06:36,096 --> 00:06:37,273
[Josh] Despite the risks,
142
00:06:37,297 --> 00:06:39,776
passage on the Pulaski
was in high demand.
143
00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,011
The ship's route
began in Savannah
144
00:06:42,035 --> 00:06:45,749
where it would steam north to pick
up more passengers in Charleston,
145
00:06:45,773 --> 00:06:48,351
before continuing
to Baltimore, Maryland.
146
00:06:48,375 --> 00:06:50,387
All in just two days.
147
00:06:50,411 --> 00:06:53,523
Less than half the time
it took old steamers.
148
00:06:53,547 --> 00:06:55,492
Let's talk about who's
on board the Pulaski.
149
00:06:55,516 --> 00:06:58,027
These must have been
very wealthy citizens.
150
00:06:58,051 --> 00:07:01,064
Very wealthy citizens but
they were also from all over.
151
00:07:01,088 --> 00:07:03,666
We had influential
families of the south
152
00:07:03,690 --> 00:07:06,236
including the owner of the ship.
153
00:07:06,260 --> 00:07:07,170
Lamar.
154
00:07:07,194 --> 00:07:09,939
Gazaway Bugg Lamar.
155
00:07:09,963 --> 00:07:11,975
[Josh] Gazaway Bugg Lamar,
156
00:07:11,999 --> 00:07:13,877
which, I promise,
is a real name,
157
00:07:13,901 --> 00:07:15,745
was a wealthy merchant
in Savannah
158
00:07:15,769 --> 00:07:19,149
who invested early in
nascent steamship technology
159
00:07:19,173 --> 00:07:22,519
and commissioned
the Pulaski in 1837.
160
00:07:22,543 --> 00:07:24,254
He's so proud of his new ship
161
00:07:24,278 --> 00:07:26,122
that he brings along his wife,
162
00:07:26,146 --> 00:07:27,991
six children, his sister
163
00:07:28,015 --> 00:07:30,460
and his niece on the voyage.
164
00:07:30,484 --> 00:07:33,296
Gazaway Bugg Lamar
originally made his money
165
00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:35,899
as many of the south's
landed gentry did.
166
00:07:35,923 --> 00:07:37,467
In the cotton business.
167
00:07:37,491 --> 00:07:39,035
To be crystal clear,
168
00:07:39,059 --> 00:07:42,605
that meant he and many of
the wealthy passengers on board
169
00:07:42,629 --> 00:07:44,307
were slave owners.
170
00:07:44,331 --> 00:07:46,242
Were there slaves
aboard the Pulaski?
171
00:07:46,266 --> 00:07:48,178
There were a few.
If you think about it,
172
00:07:48,202 --> 00:07:50,914
- this ship is headed to free lands.
- Right.
173
00:07:50,938 --> 00:07:53,783
So they don't bring their
enslaved with them.
174
00:07:53,807 --> 00:07:55,552
- [Josh] Okay.
- [Patti] Maybe some domestic help.
175
00:07:55,576 --> 00:07:57,987
[Josh] And are they counted
in the ship's manifest?
176
00:07:58,011 --> 00:08:00,390
They are. They aren't
named with last names
177
00:08:00,414 --> 00:08:02,292
and sometimes they
aren't named at all.
178
00:08:02,316 --> 00:08:04,060
[Josh] The enslaved
people on board,
179
00:08:04,084 --> 00:08:05,628
while listed as passengers,
180
00:08:05,652 --> 00:08:08,832
were denied actual names
on the ship's manifest.
181
00:08:08,856 --> 00:08:11,167
So we don't know who they were.
182
00:08:11,191 --> 00:08:13,203
Other passengers
we do know about
183
00:08:13,227 --> 00:08:16,439
include former New York
congressman William B. Rochester
184
00:08:16,463 --> 00:08:19,576
whose father founded
the city that bears his name.
185
00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,345
These wealthy passengers
also brought something else
186
00:08:22,369 --> 00:08:24,247
aboard the Pulaski. Money.
187
00:08:24,271 --> 00:08:26,883
They would pack it
with them for the summer.
188
00:08:26,907 --> 00:08:29,252
- [Josh] Right.
- [Patti] If you think about it there was no paper money.
189
00:08:29,276 --> 00:08:31,955
So the coins...
There's gold, there's silver,
190
00:08:31,979 --> 00:08:33,756
and they pack them
in these trunks
191
00:08:33,780 --> 00:08:36,081
- because they're gonna be gone for months.
- [Josh] Right.
192
00:08:37,016 --> 00:08:39,462
Today, these early mint
U.S. coins
193
00:08:39,486 --> 00:08:42,932
are extremely rare and
highly prized by collectors.
194
00:08:42,956 --> 00:08:46,369
A single coin can fetch
tens of thousands of dollars.
195
00:08:46,393 --> 00:08:48,438
Which means a fortune estimated
196
00:08:48,462 --> 00:08:51,997
at more than $20 million was
lost when the Pulaski sank.
197
00:08:53,900 --> 00:08:55,778
She leaves Savannah when?
198
00:08:55,802 --> 00:08:59,749
She leaves on June 13th,
1838 at 8:00 a.m.
199
00:08:59,773 --> 00:09:01,484
[bell dings]
200
00:09:01,508 --> 00:09:04,120
Ninety passengers
got on board in Savannah
201
00:09:04,144 --> 00:09:06,511
and 60 more got on
in Charleston.
202
00:09:07,346 --> 00:09:09,559
[Josh] Then,
just after 11:00 p.m.
203
00:09:09,583 --> 00:09:13,329
in the darkness of the
Atlantic, disaster strikes.
204
00:09:13,353 --> 00:09:15,365
[Patti] They're sailing
towards Baltimore
205
00:09:15,389 --> 00:09:18,301
when the boiler
on the starboard side
206
00:09:18,325 --> 00:09:19,691
goes dry.
207
00:09:20,793 --> 00:09:22,205
And the second engineer
208
00:09:22,229 --> 00:09:24,040
poured very cold water
209
00:09:24,064 --> 00:09:27,443
into a boiling copper boiler.
210
00:09:27,467 --> 00:09:28,967
And created a bomb.
211
00:09:31,804 --> 00:09:35,318
[Josh] The Pulaski's boiler
explodes with tremendous force
212
00:09:35,342 --> 00:09:37,854
sending the three storey
high paddle wheels
213
00:09:37,878 --> 00:09:39,455
sailing off their axle
214
00:09:39,479 --> 00:09:42,926
and blowing a gaping hole
in the midsection of the ship.
215
00:09:42,950 --> 00:09:44,894
Only 45 minutes later,
216
00:09:44,918 --> 00:09:48,932
the last traces of the vessel
are swallowed up by the sea.
217
00:09:48,956 --> 00:09:50,366
[Patti] Going back
to the Titanic,
218
00:09:50,390 --> 00:09:52,135
it sinks in the same way.
219
00:09:52,159 --> 00:09:54,003
Meaning it collapses
in the middle.
220
00:09:54,027 --> 00:09:56,372
- Right.
- And the bow and the aft go upwards.
221
00:09:56,396 --> 00:09:59,208
And so these 190 passengers,
222
00:09:59,232 --> 00:10:01,744
- what becomes of them?
- The captain was never seen again.
223
00:10:01,768 --> 00:10:04,581
First Mate Hibbert helped
people get on the life rafts.
224
00:10:04,605 --> 00:10:06,449
Of the four life rafts,
225
00:10:06,473 --> 00:10:08,518
only two were seaworthy.
226
00:10:08,542 --> 00:10:11,120
- [scoffs] Of course.
- Only two.
227
00:10:11,144 --> 00:10:13,957
[Josh] While a few are able
to ride it out in lifeboats,
228
00:10:13,981 --> 00:10:17,393
other Pulaski survivors
cling to pieces of the deck,
229
00:10:17,417 --> 00:10:20,396
hanging on for the next
five days and nights
230
00:10:20,420 --> 00:10:22,465
until a schooner rescues them.
231
00:10:22,489 --> 00:10:25,368
And so of the 190 passengers
how many survived?
232
00:10:25,392 --> 00:10:26,970
- Fifty-nine.
- That's it?
233
00:10:26,994 --> 00:10:28,972
That's it.
234
00:10:28,996 --> 00:10:32,008
[Josh] The Pulaski was lost
for nearly two centuries.
235
00:10:32,032 --> 00:10:33,710
That is, until a few years ago
236
00:10:33,734 --> 00:10:35,445
when a pair of salvage experts
237
00:10:35,469 --> 00:10:39,471
claimed to find part of her remains
off the coast of North Carolina.
238
00:10:41,140 --> 00:10:44,420
After thanking Patti for sharing
the story of the Pulaski with me,
239
00:10:44,444 --> 00:10:47,423
I leave Savannah in
the rearview and drive north
240
00:10:47,447 --> 00:10:49,826
to meet the men
who may have found her.
241
00:10:49,850 --> 00:10:52,028
I motor 300 miles from Savannah
242
00:10:52,052 --> 00:10:55,353
to the historic port of
Wilmington, North Carolina.
243
00:10:56,789 --> 00:10:59,969
At the junction of the Cape
Fear River and Atlantic Ocean,
244
00:10:59,993 --> 00:11:02,839
Wilmington has been a center
of maritime commerce
245
00:11:02,863 --> 00:11:05,341
since long before
the American Revolution.
246
00:11:05,365 --> 00:11:08,277
I make my way to
nearby Wrightsville Beach
247
00:11:08,301 --> 00:11:11,714
where I charter a boat
to take me offshore.
248
00:11:11,738 --> 00:11:15,885
I soon see why the Pulaski has
been such an elusive wreck.
249
00:11:15,909 --> 00:11:18,988
We steamed for nearly three
hours away from the coast
250
00:11:19,012 --> 00:11:21,190
and out into open ocean.
251
00:11:21,214 --> 00:11:24,494
Finally, I spot salvage vessel
the Blue Water Rose,
252
00:11:24,518 --> 00:11:26,229
and a pair of her crew.
253
00:11:26,253 --> 00:11:28,520
Micah Eldred
and Captain Mark Martin.
254
00:11:29,321 --> 00:11:31,234
Got it. Woo!
255
00:11:31,258 --> 00:11:33,136
All right. Hey, nice to
meet you. I'm Josh.
256
00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:34,937
Nice to meet you, Josh.
I'm Mark.
257
00:11:34,961 --> 00:11:36,272
- Hey, josh. Micah.
- Micah.
258
00:11:36,296 --> 00:11:37,407
Nice to meet you.
259
00:11:37,431 --> 00:11:39,409
[Josh] Micah's company
Blue Water Ventures
260
00:11:39,433 --> 00:11:41,911
with its President
and CEO Keith Webb
261
00:11:41,935 --> 00:11:43,980
has already found
treasure from ships
262
00:11:44,004 --> 00:11:46,416
like the Spanish galleon
Santa Margarita
263
00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:48,851
and the Steamship
North Carolina.
264
00:11:48,875 --> 00:11:53,156
But right now, all of their attention
is focused on finding the Pulaski.
265
00:11:53,180 --> 00:11:55,024
Welcome to the Blue Water Rose.
266
00:11:55,048 --> 00:11:57,126
- Let's head forward and get you settled.
- All right. Let's do it.
267
00:11:57,150 --> 00:11:58,761
Come on. You guys are out here.
268
00:11:58,785 --> 00:12:00,697
- [Mark Martin] We're out here.
- You're are out here.
269
00:12:00,721 --> 00:12:02,965
[Josh] How far offshore
are we right now?
270
00:12:02,989 --> 00:12:05,868
[Micah Eldred] We're more
than 40 miles offshore.
271
00:12:05,892 --> 00:12:06,958
Where are we anchored?
272
00:12:07,059 --> 00:12:10,306
We're on top of a part of
the wreck of the Pulaski.
273
00:12:10,330 --> 00:12:11,507
It's here? It's under us?
274
00:12:11,531 --> 00:12:12,775
- Yes.
- Part of it is under us. Yes.
275
00:12:12,799 --> 00:12:14,343
- Really?
- Yes. Absolutely.
276
00:12:14,367 --> 00:12:16,546
- You sure about that?
- We're positive sure about that.
277
00:12:16,570 --> 00:12:19,782
I mean, I don't see a lot of
landmarks around here, Micah.
278
00:12:19,806 --> 00:12:21,517
Locating the wreck
originally wasn't easy
279
00:12:21,541 --> 00:12:23,853
but today we're confident
that we're on top of it.
280
00:12:23,877 --> 00:12:25,321
And how do we know that?
281
00:12:25,345 --> 00:12:27,490
Easiest way to tell you
is to show you,
282
00:12:27,514 --> 00:12:29,525
so why don't you get suited up
283
00:12:29,549 --> 00:12:31,527
and get in the water and see
what's underneath us.
284
00:12:31,551 --> 00:12:33,518
No time like the present.
Let's get wet. Come on.
285
00:12:34,954 --> 00:12:36,621
I suit up and dive in.
286
00:12:40,059 --> 00:12:43,773
The waters are choppy
and the current is ripping.
287
00:12:43,797 --> 00:12:47,632
Fortunately, the crew has left a shot
line I can follow down to the bottom
288
00:12:48,634 --> 00:12:51,002
which rest at just
over 100 feet.
289
00:12:53,372 --> 00:12:55,473
[dramatic music playing]
290
00:13:04,083 --> 00:13:06,395
As I dropped down
my view is obscured
291
00:13:06,419 --> 00:13:08,653
by swarming schools of fish.
292
00:13:12,958 --> 00:13:15,171
I make my way
through the fish-nado
293
00:13:15,195 --> 00:13:16,661
and approached the bottom.
294
00:13:20,533 --> 00:13:22,278
On the barren ocean floor
295
00:13:22,302 --> 00:13:24,514
shipwrecks become
artificial reefs.
296
00:13:24,538 --> 00:13:27,105
An oasis for
all kinds of sea life.
297
00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:30,408
Something big is down here.
298
00:13:35,314 --> 00:13:36,681
[dramatic music playing]
299
00:13:46,225 --> 00:13:47,625
[Josh speaking]
300
00:13:53,032 --> 00:13:55,645
Sitting on the otherwise
featureless sandy bottom
301
00:13:55,669 --> 00:13:58,381
lies a huge mass
of twisted metal.
302
00:13:58,405 --> 00:14:00,316
Part of mammoth steam boilers
303
00:14:00,340 --> 00:14:02,919
that once powered
the SS Pulaski.
304
00:14:02,943 --> 00:14:05,454
The so called
Titanic of the South
305
00:14:05,478 --> 00:14:07,957
before it exploded
off the Carolina coast
306
00:14:07,981 --> 00:14:09,380
in 1838.
307
00:14:20,326 --> 00:14:21,604
At 11:05 p.m.,
308
00:14:21,628 --> 00:14:23,906
cold water dumped
into a hot boiler
309
00:14:23,930 --> 00:14:26,175
created a reaction so powerful
310
00:14:26,199 --> 00:14:29,011
that it literally blew
the sidewheels off the Pulaski
311
00:14:29,035 --> 00:14:31,147
and cracked the ship in half.
312
00:14:31,171 --> 00:14:35,206
This mangled wreckage is all
that's left on this part of the sea floor.
313
00:14:43,349 --> 00:14:45,628
At this depth
I don't have the luxury
314
00:14:45,652 --> 00:14:47,518
of investigating for long.
315
00:14:50,322 --> 00:14:52,323
[dramatic music playing]
316
00:14:55,027 --> 00:14:56,205
Huge!
317
00:14:56,229 --> 00:14:57,807
- Huge piece of machinery down there.
- Yeah. Yeah.
318
00:14:57,831 --> 00:14:59,475
That looks like
it could be a boiler.
319
00:14:59,499 --> 00:15:01,344
- See all the riveting on it and stuff. It's old.
- Yeah.
320
00:15:01,368 --> 00:15:03,045
So, pretty good evidence.
321
00:15:03,069 --> 00:15:04,981
I mean, what else would be
sitting out here
322
00:15:05,005 --> 00:15:07,049
that looks like it's from
that era that's that size?
323
00:15:07,073 --> 00:15:08,784
And we've got another
piece of evidence
324
00:15:08,808 --> 00:15:11,487
that proves that
this is the Pulaski.
325
00:15:11,511 --> 00:15:13,389
- Okay.
- Found a candlestick.
326
00:15:13,413 --> 00:15:15,958
And on the inside
of that candlestick
327
00:15:15,982 --> 00:15:18,527
was engraved SS Pulaski.
328
00:15:18,551 --> 00:15:20,296
Get out of here.
329
00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:21,564
After drying off,
330
00:15:21,588 --> 00:15:25,134
Micah shows me
what else they found.
331
00:15:25,158 --> 00:15:28,137
Oh, you got the goods up here.
Now, look at this!
332
00:15:28,161 --> 00:15:31,574
All these things were actually found
within about 100 feet of the boiler
333
00:15:31,598 --> 00:15:33,031
that you just dove on.
334
00:15:34,500 --> 00:15:36,746
[Josh] The first haul the team
brought up included
335
00:15:36,770 --> 00:15:39,115
personal effects from
some of the passengers.
336
00:15:39,139 --> 00:15:41,884
And coins. Lots of coins
337
00:15:41,908 --> 00:15:45,321
which they've now shielded
inside protective containers.
338
00:15:45,345 --> 00:15:47,924
All right, so the thing that
jumps out at me first of all
339
00:15:47,948 --> 00:15:50,126
is that they seem like
they're from all over.
340
00:15:50,150 --> 00:15:52,461
This is from Bogota.
This is Colombian.
341
00:15:52,485 --> 00:15:53,896
[Micah] That's right.
342
00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:56,299
- [Josh] This says Bolivia.
- [Micah] Yes, minted in Bolivia.
343
00:15:56,323 --> 00:15:58,301
- And Great Britain mixed in.
- [Micah] Yes.
344
00:15:58,325 --> 00:16:00,002
So why coinage from all over?
345
00:16:00,026 --> 00:16:03,005
At the time of the sinking, um,
346
00:16:03,029 --> 00:16:06,442
the United States didn't have
enough of its own mintage
347
00:16:06,466 --> 00:16:07,777
to support the economy.
348
00:16:07,801 --> 00:16:09,478
Foreign currency
was legal tender
349
00:16:09,502 --> 00:16:11,347
up until mid-1850s.
350
00:16:11,371 --> 00:16:13,416
So you can use gold and silver
351
00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:15,217
coinage from anywhere
in the world?
352
00:16:15,241 --> 00:16:16,552
[Micah] It was
all done by weight.
353
00:16:16,576 --> 00:16:19,088
They didn't care
if the gold was from
354
00:16:19,112 --> 00:16:21,524
- Mexico, or United Kingdom--
- [Josh] Or Colombia.
355
00:16:21,548 --> 00:16:24,827
- Great Britain or Colombia.
- So this ship is kind of a coin collector's dream.
356
00:16:24,851 --> 00:16:27,964
Well, that's what's really
interesting for us is because
357
00:16:27,988 --> 00:16:31,634
the time period, some of
these coins can be really rare.
358
00:16:31,658 --> 00:16:34,270
And so a perfect example
is this little coin.
359
00:16:34,294 --> 00:16:35,404
[Josh] This is a U.S. coin?
360
00:16:35,428 --> 00:16:37,540
[Micah] It is and it's
a $5 base amount.
361
00:16:37,564 --> 00:16:40,376
This is a 1836 $5 coin.
362
00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:43,045
This is, what, a quarter ounce?
363
00:16:43,069 --> 00:16:45,181
Exactly. It's about a quarter
of an ounce of gold.
364
00:16:45,205 --> 00:16:49,251
So the value of
the gold here is about
365
00:16:49,275 --> 00:16:51,187
- four hundred, 500 bucks?
- [Micah] That's right.
366
00:16:51,211 --> 00:16:53,422
Okay. But the value of the coin?
367
00:16:53,446 --> 00:16:56,314
This particular coin
would exceed $10,000.
368
00:16:57,649 --> 00:17:00,518
[Josh] This coin
is worth $10,000?
369
00:17:01,053 --> 00:17:02,865
So now my mind is reeling.
370
00:17:02,889 --> 00:17:04,600
Like, what else could be
down there?
371
00:17:04,624 --> 00:17:07,169
Based on the archival research,
372
00:17:07,193 --> 00:17:09,271
we think that there was
373
00:17:09,295 --> 00:17:13,476
around $100,000
face value of coins.
374
00:17:13,500 --> 00:17:16,012
We translate that to
today's collectible value
375
00:17:16,036 --> 00:17:17,613
and that's roughly
how much money?
376
00:17:17,637 --> 00:17:19,670
It's in the ten
of millions of dollars.
377
00:17:21,006 --> 00:17:22,918
Well, now I see why
you guys are out here
378
00:17:22,942 --> 00:17:24,153
all this way offshore.
379
00:17:24,177 --> 00:17:28,257
All right, so the $10,000
question is,
380
00:17:28,281 --> 00:17:31,627
where are these coins coming from
and how do you find more of them?
381
00:17:31,651 --> 00:17:34,830
The answer lies at the stern
of the Blue Water Rose
382
00:17:34,854 --> 00:17:38,134
where Mark is keep
wreck hunting missile.
383
00:17:38,158 --> 00:17:40,503
I was not aware there were
weapons on board.
384
00:17:40,527 --> 00:17:42,872
Well, it's not
a destructive weapon.
385
00:17:42,896 --> 00:17:44,106
It's a technological weapon.
386
00:17:44,130 --> 00:17:46,142
- Yes, so--
- It's a side scanning sonar.
387
00:17:46,166 --> 00:17:49,545
[Josh] By dragging this torpedo
called a Towfish through the water
388
00:17:49,569 --> 00:17:52,181
side scan sonar
will use sound waves
389
00:17:52,205 --> 00:17:55,985
to map the ocean floor
and everything resting on it.
390
00:17:56,009 --> 00:17:58,554
We need this why? I mean, we're
sitting right on top of the boilers.
391
00:17:58,578 --> 00:18:01,424
We are but you'll notice that
there wasn't anything else around.
392
00:18:01,448 --> 00:18:02,925
No, that's right.
It was just white sand.
393
00:18:02,949 --> 00:18:04,126
So it exploded.
394
00:18:04,150 --> 00:18:06,595
So we know that there's debris
395
00:18:06,619 --> 00:18:09,098
scattered in at least a two
to three miles radius.
396
00:18:09,122 --> 00:18:10,633
- Two to three miles?
- Yes.
397
00:18:10,657 --> 00:18:14,303
You gotta remember it took
45 minutes for this thing to sink.
398
00:18:14,327 --> 00:18:16,739
Right. In terms of these coins,
399
00:18:16,763 --> 00:18:19,141
and the really valuable
items on board the ship,
400
00:18:19,165 --> 00:18:21,744
is there a part of the ship
you think they were in?
401
00:18:21,768 --> 00:18:25,381
The aft section is probably
where the majority
402
00:18:25,405 --> 00:18:27,283
of the gold and silver are.
403
00:18:27,307 --> 00:18:30,486
[Josh] Most of the coins would
have been stowed in passenger cabins
404
00:18:30,510 --> 00:18:32,777
located in the rear half
of the vessel.
405
00:18:33,946 --> 00:18:35,324
To hunt for more of the wreck
406
00:18:35,348 --> 00:18:37,326
Mark and I rig the Towfish
407
00:18:37,350 --> 00:18:40,451
and carefully bring it to the
back of the boat to deploy.
408
00:18:41,286 --> 00:18:42,932
- Okay.
- [Mark] All right.
409
00:18:42,956 --> 00:18:44,266
[Josh] Here we go.
410
00:18:44,290 --> 00:18:46,357
[dramatic music playing]
411
00:18:48,026 --> 00:18:49,171
Okay.
412
00:18:49,195 --> 00:18:50,639
Towfish in the water.
413
00:18:50,663 --> 00:18:52,608
All right. Let's go see
what she sees.
414
00:18:52,632 --> 00:18:54,132
After you, come on.
415
00:18:56,368 --> 00:18:58,747
Here we go. Fingers crossed.
416
00:18:58,771 --> 00:19:01,050
- [Mark] We've got data.
- [Josh] All right, she's running.
417
00:19:01,074 --> 00:19:02,551
So let's talk about
what we are looking for
418
00:19:02,575 --> 00:19:04,286
other than a giant steamship.
419
00:19:04,310 --> 00:19:06,322
I mean, what would jump out
at you in here?
420
00:19:06,346 --> 00:19:10,526
Anything that has
a pretty decent size,
421
00:19:10,550 --> 00:19:12,728
- four-five meters or bigger.
- Yeah.
422
00:19:12,752 --> 00:19:14,196
A complete circles
423
00:19:14,220 --> 00:19:17,133
- and right angles rarely happen in nature.
- Yeah.
424
00:19:17,157 --> 00:19:18,767
So that's something to look at.
425
00:19:18,791 --> 00:19:20,436
If it's sitting high up
426
00:19:20,460 --> 00:19:23,572
you're gonna see a shadow
off to one side or the other.
427
00:19:23,596 --> 00:19:25,508
So that's something to look at.
428
00:19:25,532 --> 00:19:28,533
All right. Well,
let's do some watching.
429
00:19:31,069 --> 00:19:33,616
The Blue Water Rose
runs along a straight path
430
00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:35,217
for more than a mile and a half
431
00:19:35,241 --> 00:19:37,041
before changing course.
432
00:19:37,409 --> 00:19:38,988
Making a turn!
433
00:19:39,012 --> 00:19:40,156
[Mark] Roger!
434
00:19:40,180 --> 00:19:41,957
Let me know when
we start the next line!
435
00:19:41,981 --> 00:19:43,292
Copy!
436
00:19:43,316 --> 00:19:44,515
All right. Coming around.
437
00:19:45,184 --> 00:19:47,251
[dramatic music playing]
438
00:19:52,391 --> 00:19:53,736
Ah, look, there's something.
439
00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:55,037
[Josh] Yeah, there's
something right there.
440
00:19:55,061 --> 00:19:57,173
[Mark] That thing's probably
about four-five meters.
441
00:19:57,197 --> 00:19:58,841
But it's not big enough
442
00:19:58,865 --> 00:20:00,309
- and there's nothing around it.
- Right.
443
00:20:00,333 --> 00:20:02,444
There's no debris field. There's
just something sitting there.
444
00:20:02,468 --> 00:20:04,446
Yeah, it could be something
that could've fallen off a boat.
445
00:20:04,470 --> 00:20:05,915
Right. That can be anything.
446
00:20:05,939 --> 00:20:07,271
- Yeah.
- Okay.
447
00:20:08,140 --> 00:20:10,019
And this is how it goes.
448
00:20:10,043 --> 00:20:11,520
Search in a straight line...
449
00:20:11,544 --> 00:20:14,023
Making a turn to starboard!
450
00:20:14,047 --> 00:20:17,259
...turn and repeat.
451
00:20:17,283 --> 00:20:21,230
Sonar scanning may not be the most
glamorous part of a salvage operation
452
00:20:21,254 --> 00:20:24,600
but it's important to maintain
razor sharp focus at all times
453
00:20:24,624 --> 00:20:26,190
while collecting data.
454
00:20:31,096 --> 00:20:33,976
Because good things come
to those who wait.
455
00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:35,144
- Oh, there we go!
- Oh!
456
00:20:35,168 --> 00:20:37,213
- Look at that. Look at that.
- There you go. Boom.
457
00:20:37,237 --> 00:20:39,215
- All right, we mark that as a target.
- What...
458
00:20:39,239 --> 00:20:41,217
- There was a bunch of stuff there.
- Yeah.
459
00:20:41,241 --> 00:20:43,018
And it looked kind of like,
460
00:20:43,042 --> 00:20:45,721
something coming out and then
something turned off to the side.
461
00:20:45,745 --> 00:20:47,122
Looked like to the right.
Looked like two pieces.
462
00:20:47,146 --> 00:20:49,458
-[Josh] That's cool.
-[Mark] Yeah. That's worth looking at.
463
00:20:49,482 --> 00:20:51,927
-All right. Well, we got a target.
-Okay.
464
00:20:51,951 --> 00:20:55,453
[Josh] We marked the sonar hit
and continue mowing the lawn.
465
00:20:56,955 --> 00:20:58,467
Oh, there's some debris there.
466
00:20:58,491 --> 00:21:00,202
- Oh, big pieces.
- [Josh] There's something.
467
00:21:00,226 --> 00:21:01,537
[Mark] Something big
is coming in.
468
00:21:01,561 --> 00:21:04,940
That's gotta be five
or six meters. Outrageous.
469
00:21:04,964 --> 00:21:06,475
Oh, oh, whoa. Look at this!
More coming in.
470
00:21:06,499 --> 00:21:09,311
And it keeps going!
Look at this!
471
00:21:09,335 --> 00:21:11,046
Yeah, huge.
472
00:21:11,070 --> 00:21:13,048
That thing's at least
20 meters long.
473
00:21:13,072 --> 00:21:15,417
I mean, there's something sitting
down there that's 60 feet long.
474
00:21:15,441 --> 00:21:18,053
[Mark] Yeah. And you've got
a defined trail coming off--
475
00:21:18,077 --> 00:21:19,521
All of this looks like
a debris. Look at that.
476
00:21:19,545 --> 00:21:22,391
[Mark] Yeah. That stuff
is obviously manmade.
477
00:21:22,415 --> 00:21:23,592
We gotta look at that.
478
00:21:23,616 --> 00:21:26,295
That's absolutely something
we're gonna look at quickly.
479
00:21:26,319 --> 00:21:28,497
- So we got two killer targets right now.
- Yeah.
480
00:21:28,521 --> 00:21:30,499
- Should we dive the first one?
- Absolutely.
481
00:21:30,523 --> 00:21:33,035
All right. Let's get wet.
Come on.
482
00:21:33,059 --> 00:21:36,538
The Blue Water Rose returns to
the coordinates of the first target
483
00:21:36,562 --> 00:21:39,341
and sets a multi-point anchor.
484
00:21:39,365 --> 00:21:42,244
A small runabout is used
to drag a large anchor
485
00:21:42,268 --> 00:21:46,448
from the stern of the ship 300
feet out to the side of the vessel.
486
00:21:46,472 --> 00:21:49,451
The same process is
repeated on the other side.
487
00:21:49,475 --> 00:21:51,220
Along with the anchor
off the bow
488
00:21:51,244 --> 00:21:54,890
the ship is now pinned in
three places over the site.
489
00:21:54,914 --> 00:21:58,160
And that's because the Blue
Water Rose is about to do something
490
00:21:58,184 --> 00:21:59,895
she was never designed for.
491
00:21:59,919 --> 00:22:02,931
- How are we doing?
- We're exactly over the spot that we wanna blow
492
00:22:02,955 --> 00:22:04,800
so now we're about to
drop the blowers.
493
00:22:04,824 --> 00:22:07,536
Now these are something you
do not see on most boats?
494
00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:11,073
No. The common name for
these is called mailboxes.
495
00:22:11,097 --> 00:22:13,942
- Right. This is like Mel Fisher territory, right?
- Um... Yeah.
496
00:22:13,966 --> 00:22:15,377
Yeah, he's the one
that made them popular.
497
00:22:15,401 --> 00:22:18,447
[Josh] Mel Fisher is a legend
among treasure hunters.
498
00:22:18,471 --> 00:22:21,483
In the 1960s, he pioneered
blowers like these
499
00:22:21,507 --> 00:22:25,554
which helped him salvage a wrecked
Spanish galleon called the Atocha.
500
00:22:25,578 --> 00:22:28,490
And recover 40 tons
of gold and silver
501
00:22:28,514 --> 00:22:31,427
worth a cool
half a billion dollars.
502
00:22:31,451 --> 00:22:33,751
- Okay. Well, let's grab them.
- All right.
503
00:22:36,988 --> 00:22:42,071
The two massive mailbox blowers
are lowered and pivoted into position.
504
00:22:42,095 --> 00:22:45,307
Under the boat, one of divers
from the Blue Water Rose
505
00:22:45,331 --> 00:22:47,431
then pins them against the hull.
506
00:22:48,934 --> 00:22:51,347
After that, it's time to
fire up the engine
507
00:22:51,371 --> 00:22:52,514
and stand back.
508
00:22:52,538 --> 00:22:54,605
[dramatic music playing]
509
00:22:58,076 --> 00:22:59,388
The engine revs
510
00:22:59,412 --> 00:23:02,124
and the propellers direct
massive torrents of water
511
00:23:02,148 --> 00:23:04,293
straight down
toward the sea floor
512
00:23:04,317 --> 00:23:06,829
clearing sand from
the bottom and hopefully
513
00:23:06,853 --> 00:23:09,420
exposing whatever
is hiding below.
514
00:23:16,194 --> 00:23:17,473
To find out
what we've uncovered,
515
00:23:17,497 --> 00:23:20,909
Captain Rodney, tech diver
Adam Drewbecker and I
516
00:23:20,933 --> 00:23:23,134
get kitted and take the plunge.
517
00:23:37,749 --> 00:23:40,985
We descend through the blue
toward the sea floor.
518
00:23:42,087 --> 00:23:45,167
Like the boiler site,
we're still in over 100 feet
519
00:23:45,191 --> 00:23:46,935
of water, at this depth,
520
00:23:46,959 --> 00:23:49,171
I'll have to monitor
my computer carefully,
521
00:23:49,195 --> 00:23:52,341
remaining on the bottom
for no longer than 15 minutes
522
00:23:52,365 --> 00:23:54,632
before risking
decompression sickness.
523
00:23:59,204 --> 00:24:02,373
[man speaking]
524
00:24:05,343 --> 00:24:07,990
[Josh] Then, out of the haze,
comes a shadow.
525
00:24:08,014 --> 00:24:12,049
A shadow that soon takes on
an unmistakable shape.
526
00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:24,706
Scattered along the bottom
is rusted machinery
527
00:24:24,730 --> 00:24:26,597
from the SS Pulaski.
528
00:24:38,877 --> 00:24:42,313
[Josh] Nearby, something even
more extraordinary.
529
00:24:43,915 --> 00:24:46,450
Remains of the ship herself.
530
00:25:00,232 --> 00:25:02,811
This is something
we never expected.
531
00:25:02,835 --> 00:25:06,381
The blowers have exposed
some of the actual ribs of the ship,
532
00:25:06,405 --> 00:25:10,407
not seen since her fateful
voyage nearly two centuries ago.
533
00:25:16,348 --> 00:25:18,894
But I'm reminded
that this ship also took
534
00:25:18,918 --> 00:25:21,530
128 souls down with her,
535
00:25:21,554 --> 00:25:23,999
though the team I'm here
with are salvaging the wreck
536
00:25:24,023 --> 00:25:25,968
in accordance with maritime law,
537
00:25:25,992 --> 00:25:28,370
none of them lose sight
of the history,
538
00:25:28,394 --> 00:25:31,340
each item they find
is part of a dramatic
539
00:25:31,364 --> 00:25:33,330
and tragic human story.
540
00:25:39,204 --> 00:25:42,184
I have less than 10 minutes
of bottom time remaining.
541
00:25:42,208 --> 00:25:44,453
Luckily, Captain Rodney
has discovered
542
00:25:44,477 --> 00:25:46,388
another historical treasure,
543
00:25:46,412 --> 00:25:49,480
the very nails that held
the ship together.
544
00:25:53,184 --> 00:25:56,253
[Rodney speaking]
545
00:25:58,490 --> 00:26:01,003
Captain Rodney uses
an underwater scooter
546
00:26:01,027 --> 00:26:03,594
to clear sand from around
the wreckage.
547
00:26:04,963 --> 00:26:08,210
Now, it's time to let the
metal detectors get to work,
548
00:26:08,234 --> 00:26:11,113
an earpiece tucked
under my mask strap will beep,
549
00:26:11,137 --> 00:26:12,636
if it gets a hit.
550
00:26:22,347 --> 00:26:23,614
[device beeping]
551
00:26:40,198 --> 00:26:42,166
[Josh speaking]
552
00:26:48,273 --> 00:26:50,741
[device beeping]
553
00:27:17,102 --> 00:27:19,615
[Josh] I have only four minutes
of bottom time remaining,
554
00:27:19,639 --> 00:27:21,883
but as we furiously
metal detect,
555
00:27:21,907 --> 00:27:23,574
the excitement continues.
556
00:27:30,949 --> 00:27:32,349
[laughs]
557
00:27:35,020 --> 00:27:37,599
We continue to scan the sand
around the timbers,
558
00:27:37,623 --> 00:27:40,736
even though my computer
is screaming at me.
559
00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:43,105
In fact, I've got such
treasure fever
560
00:27:43,129 --> 00:27:45,963
that another diver
has to remind me to leave.
561
00:27:46,498 --> 00:27:50,134
[man speaking]
562
00:27:50,168 --> 00:27:53,771
Low on air, and out of time,
we retreat from the bottom.
563
00:27:54,773 --> 00:27:57,386
The metal boiler pieces
and coins mean
564
00:27:57,410 --> 00:27:59,921
we probably just discovered
somewhere behind
565
00:27:59,945 --> 00:28:01,390
the midsection of the ship.
566
00:28:01,414 --> 00:28:04,515
And clearly, there's much more
down there to be found.
567
00:28:08,386 --> 00:28:10,332
Unbelievable. Whoo!
568
00:28:10,356 --> 00:28:13,769
Oh, man, you have wreckage
down there.
569
00:28:13,793 --> 00:28:15,971
- [laughs]
- Unbelievable, dude.
570
00:28:15,995 --> 00:28:17,773
Are you kidding me?
We got coins.
571
00:28:17,797 --> 00:28:20,809
- We got coins...
- We got coins, we got a whole cluster of those
572
00:28:20,833 --> 00:28:22,611
- other silvery things.
- Silver coin, yes.
573
00:28:22,635 --> 00:28:25,147
Silver coins and it looks like
there's a gold embedded in there.
574
00:28:25,171 --> 00:28:26,948
Nice, nice.
575
00:28:26,972 --> 00:28:29,117
- You got the goods, right?
- I got 'em, I got 'em.
576
00:28:29,141 --> 00:28:31,219
Do not drop it.
577
00:28:31,243 --> 00:28:33,255
[Josh] We carefully transfer
the coins,
578
00:28:33,279 --> 00:28:35,857
and ourselves back
on board the boat.
579
00:28:35,881 --> 00:28:38,026
I love that you put it
into Crown Royal bag,
580
00:28:38,050 --> 00:28:39,895
it's a high class operation
out here, I had no idea.
581
00:28:39,919 --> 00:28:41,263
- Only the best.
- Only the best.
582
00:28:41,287 --> 00:28:42,597
- Only the best.
- All right, come on.
583
00:28:42,621 --> 00:28:46,068
- Okay, here we go.
- I mean, come on.
584
00:28:46,092 --> 00:28:47,736
- Look at this...
- That's sweet.
585
00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:49,938
-Are you kidding me? Look at...
-Beautiful.
586
00:28:49,962 --> 00:28:51,773
- That's spikes, so...
- See this spike.
587
00:28:51,797 --> 00:28:54,543
That's why it's all clumped
because this iron started
588
00:28:54,567 --> 00:28:56,545
- to concrete before the silver did.
- [Josh] Right.
589
00:28:56,569 --> 00:28:59,147
So it's, it's stuck them
all to it.
590
00:28:59,171 --> 00:29:02,484
Oh, yes, so, one, two, three,
four, five,
591
00:29:02,508 --> 00:29:04,319
and, dude.
592
00:29:04,343 --> 00:29:06,154
- Oh, gold, yes.
- Gold.
593
00:29:06,178 --> 00:29:07,823
Nice.
594
00:29:07,847 --> 00:29:09,791
Sweet, and then look at this.
595
00:29:09,815 --> 00:29:11,126
- Oh, nice.
- [Josh] There is more.
596
00:29:11,150 --> 00:29:13,762
Depending on the year
and condition of these coins,
597
00:29:13,786 --> 00:29:15,731
I could be holding
a few thousand,
598
00:29:15,755 --> 00:29:18,500
or tens of thousands
of dollars in my hand.
599
00:29:18,524 --> 00:29:20,969
What is your move now?
What do you do with these?
600
00:29:20,993 --> 00:29:23,004
[man] Now this stuff will go
to NGC,
601
00:29:23,028 --> 00:29:25,140
an artifact conservation lab.
602
00:29:25,164 --> 00:29:27,843
- [Josh] Okay.
- And they have processes that they use
603
00:29:27,867 --> 00:29:31,213
to clean all of this stuff up,
separate it.
604
00:29:31,237 --> 00:29:34,049
- Get rid of the concretion-- -
What, you pop these in the mail?
605
00:29:34,073 --> 00:29:36,151
Uh, no, no exactly,
we hand deliver 'em.
606
00:29:36,175 --> 00:29:38,120
- Hand deliver 'em.
- You up for a drive?
607
00:29:38,144 --> 00:29:40,856
- With this stuff.
- Yeah, yeah, you might not see me again.
608
00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:45,227
- But I'll drive away for sure.
[laughs] - We'll send an escort.
609
00:29:45,251 --> 00:29:47,262
Before investigating
our other target,
610
00:29:47,286 --> 00:29:49,498
the Blue Water Rose
needs to return to port
611
00:29:49,522 --> 00:29:52,868
to refuel and resupply,
so I say goodbye for now,
612
00:29:52,892 --> 00:29:56,104
and catch a flight from
Wilmington to Sarasota, Florida.
613
00:29:56,128 --> 00:29:58,273
Thankful that the TSA
didn't check the contents
614
00:29:58,297 --> 00:29:59,596
of my carry on.
615
00:30:01,599 --> 00:30:03,745
I'm here to meet up
with Mark's contact
616
00:30:03,769 --> 00:30:06,148
at the Numismatic
Guaranty Corporation,
617
00:30:06,172 --> 00:30:08,071
also known as NGC.
618
00:30:09,841 --> 00:30:12,420
Numismatics, aside from being
fun to say,
619
00:30:12,444 --> 00:30:16,858
is the study or collecting of
coins, metals, and paper money.
620
00:30:16,882 --> 00:30:19,194
And NGC is one of
the world's foremost
621
00:30:19,218 --> 00:30:22,753
authorities on conserving
and grading rare coins.
622
00:30:27,025 --> 00:30:29,204
- Hey.
- Hey, Josh, Dave, nice to meet you.
623
00:30:29,228 --> 00:30:30,572
- Dave, how are you?
- Craig, nice to meet you
624
00:30:30,596 --> 00:30:31,873
Craig, nice to meet you as well.
625
00:30:31,897 --> 00:30:33,608
Okay, I have a lot
of questions for you.
626
00:30:33,632 --> 00:30:35,911
- Okay.
- So your customers are who?
627
00:30:35,935 --> 00:30:38,446
Dealers, collectors,
crazy shipwreck hunters?
628
00:30:38,470 --> 00:30:41,016
Exactly, so we go
from our collectors,
629
00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:42,484
all the way up to mints,
630
00:30:42,508 --> 00:30:46,121
US mints, world mints, it's the
whole gamut in between, we do it all.
631
00:30:46,145 --> 00:30:48,256
And when we say
that you're grading coins.
632
00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:51,226
- Right.
- That means you're determining their quality?
633
00:30:51,250 --> 00:30:53,962
That's true. First we make
sure is the coin real,
634
00:30:53,986 --> 00:30:55,530
that's a basis and then
from there, yes,
635
00:30:55,554 --> 00:30:59,100
it... is the coin new,
is it worn,
636
00:30:59,124 --> 00:31:01,603
does it have a scratch on it
and everything in between,
637
00:31:01,627 --> 00:31:03,371
we do a full evaluation
on the coin.
638
00:31:03,395 --> 00:31:06,408
And along with grading them,
you're actually cleaning them,
639
00:31:06,432 --> 00:31:08,510
you're conserving
the coins, right?
640
00:31:08,534 --> 00:31:11,012
We'll take all the grease,
all the grime off the surface
641
00:31:11,036 --> 00:31:12,314
and reveal the coin beneath.
642
00:31:12,338 --> 00:31:14,349
Okay, well I brought you
a few goodies today
643
00:31:14,373 --> 00:31:17,118
that I think might be
on the more challenging side.
644
00:31:17,142 --> 00:31:20,110
- Great, well, let's go to the lab. All right.
- To the lab. Let's do it.
645
00:31:20,945 --> 00:31:23,825
Dave leads me
to NGC's conservation lab
646
00:31:23,849 --> 00:31:26,361
where they've examined
everything the Blue Water Rose
647
00:31:26,385 --> 00:31:28,296
has pulled up from the Pulaski.
648
00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:32,400
- Right here, Josh.
- Okay. Wow, look at this.
649
00:31:32,424 --> 00:31:35,370
- Hey.
- Josh, this is Ryan, he's our chief lab tech.
650
00:31:35,394 --> 00:31:36,538
Nice to meet you.
651
00:31:36,562 --> 00:31:39,140
And he's been working
all this cool Pulaski stuff,
652
00:31:39,164 --> 00:31:41,343
why don't we put on
our safety glasses and gloves
653
00:31:41,367 --> 00:31:44,212
- and he can show us some neat stuff.
- Sure.
654
00:31:44,236 --> 00:31:46,248
So, this is all
from the Pulaski?
655
00:31:46,272 --> 00:31:48,416
Yes, it's all actually
from the Pulaski,
656
00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:51,219
what we have here is a key.
657
00:31:51,243 --> 00:31:53,421
- My fingers aren't gonna melt off here.
- No, no,
658
00:31:53,445 --> 00:31:55,824
this is very safe chemical
that we use in the lab.
659
00:31:55,848 --> 00:31:59,294
Look at that.
What is it attached to?
660
00:31:59,318 --> 00:32:01,129
I don't know, it looks like
it could be a tag
661
00:32:01,153 --> 00:32:03,265
for something, maybe, is what
the key was for,
662
00:32:03,289 --> 00:32:05,567
maybe it said it was some room
with a boiler room
663
00:32:05,591 --> 00:32:07,769
- and some sort of iron piece.
- Yes, some iron piece.
664
00:32:07,793 --> 00:32:09,437
- Is that awesome?
- [Josh] It's amazing.
665
00:32:09,461 --> 00:32:11,439
A lot of history in your hands.
666
00:32:11,463 --> 00:32:14,943
- Okay, and...
- This one was actually a wax seal.
667
00:32:14,967 --> 00:32:16,144
They used to use.
668
00:32:16,168 --> 00:32:19,180
Look at that, so this would be
if you were sealing a letter
669
00:32:19,204 --> 00:32:21,138
- or a document.
- [Dave] Correct. Right.
670
00:32:22,073 --> 00:32:23,573
That's incredible.
671
00:32:25,109 --> 00:32:26,922
This is actually a hair comb.
672
00:32:26,946 --> 00:32:28,056
Wow.
673
00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:32,127
Sometimes, it's not the gold
and silver stuff,
674
00:32:32,151 --> 00:32:34,162
-it's the little personal item
-Absolutely.
675
00:32:34,186 --> 00:32:36,564
That you really make you
feel connected.
676
00:32:36,588 --> 00:32:37,933
That's beautiful.
677
00:32:37,957 --> 00:32:40,035
- And this guy?
- This is a pocket watch
678
00:32:40,059 --> 00:32:41,569
that was actually found
in the wreck.
679
00:32:41,593 --> 00:32:43,393
Oh, come on.
680
00:32:43,995 --> 00:32:46,274
That is crazy.
681
00:32:46,298 --> 00:32:49,577
[Ryan] And, Josh, if you carefully
open that, you can notice the time.
682
00:32:49,601 --> 00:32:52,580
11:05, that's the moment
of the explosion?
683
00:32:52,604 --> 00:32:53,770
Right.
684
00:32:53,938 --> 00:32:57,152
The watch I'm holding
is literally frozen in time.
685
00:32:57,176 --> 00:32:59,387
Stopped forever
at the exact moment
686
00:32:59,411 --> 00:33:02,390
- the boilers exploded.
- [explosion]
687
00:33:02,414 --> 00:33:04,859
And the Pulaski sank,
claiming the lives
688
00:33:04,883 --> 00:33:07,384
of nearly 130 passengers.
689
00:33:08,453 --> 00:33:11,121
It actually sort of gives
you chills, I mean It's eerie.
690
00:33:12,824 --> 00:33:13,969
That's amazing.
691
00:33:13,993 --> 00:33:16,237
Artifacts like this tell
a story,
692
00:33:16,261 --> 00:33:18,974
serving as a powerful reminder
of the triumphs,
693
00:33:18,998 --> 00:33:21,609
and the sins
of the antebellum era,
694
00:33:21,633 --> 00:33:24,179
a history that generated
tremendous wealth
695
00:33:24,203 --> 00:33:26,281
for a select few.
696
00:33:26,305 --> 00:33:30,885
A portion of which I've carried
here for conservation and analysis.
697
00:33:30,909 --> 00:33:33,888
Wow, this is really fantastic.
You see this?
698
00:33:33,912 --> 00:33:35,290
Did I see it, are you kidding?
699
00:33:35,314 --> 00:33:37,225
-I almost drowned. I was so excited.
-Wow.
700
00:33:37,249 --> 00:33:38,460
Look at that, Ryan, huh?
701
00:33:38,484 --> 00:33:40,628
That's fantastic.
So there's a gold coin
702
00:33:40,652 --> 00:33:41,763
maybe another one in here.
703
00:33:41,787 --> 00:33:42,964
So what happens now, Ryan,
704
00:33:42,988 --> 00:33:45,100
how do we get
from this to shiny coins?
705
00:33:45,124 --> 00:33:47,168
Right, it's a multi-step
process,
706
00:33:47,192 --> 00:33:49,738
but the first process is
to put it in these solutions.
707
00:33:49,762 --> 00:33:50,972
Okay.
708
00:33:50,996 --> 00:33:53,608
[Josh] Ryan places the coins
into a chemical bath.
709
00:33:53,632 --> 00:33:55,977
Over the course of days
or even weeks.
710
00:33:56,001 --> 00:33:59,280
The solutions will gently
eat away at the encrustation
711
00:33:59,304 --> 00:34:01,416
revealing the coins beneath.
712
00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:03,118
All right, so obviously
we're not going to stand here
713
00:34:03,142 --> 00:34:05,387
for four or five days
and watch this bubble,
714
00:34:05,411 --> 00:34:08,423
but do you have a sense
of what these coins are?
715
00:34:08,447 --> 00:34:10,558
I do. I think I know
what they are based on
716
00:34:10,582 --> 00:34:14,896
their size and shape and what's
come off the Pulaski in the past.
717
00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:16,931
[Josh] Dave leads me
into the grading room
718
00:34:16,955 --> 00:34:18,933
where specialists
evaluate currency,
719
00:34:18,957 --> 00:34:22,904
ranging from ancient Rome
to modern day.
720
00:34:22,928 --> 00:34:25,173
Let's talk about our coins,
the ones from the Pulaski.
721
00:34:25,197 --> 00:34:26,741
- Okay.
- What do you think they are?
722
00:34:26,765 --> 00:34:29,744
I think actually they were probably
these two coins we see right here.
723
00:34:29,768 --> 00:34:33,014
And so these are Mexican
eight Real coins.
724
00:34:33,038 --> 00:34:35,450
- Which is like our silver dollar at the time. Correct?
- Right.
725
00:34:35,474 --> 00:34:37,485
[Josh] And this one is
actually from the Pulaski itself?
726
00:34:37,509 --> 00:34:39,788
- It certainly is.
- And so today,
727
00:34:39,812 --> 00:34:41,456
what would the value
be of something like this?
728
00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:45,026
- This is probably like $1,000 for that coin.
- Wow.
729
00:34:45,050 --> 00:34:48,396
So if there are five
or six silver coins
730
00:34:48,420 --> 00:34:49,964
attached to that spike.
731
00:34:49,988 --> 00:34:51,933
- Right.
- Just that one piece could be worth
732
00:34:51,957 --> 00:34:53,902
- five or six grand.
- Yeah, but don't forget,
733
00:34:53,926 --> 00:34:55,737
- he also had the gold coin in there also.
- Right,
734
00:34:55,761 --> 00:34:57,005
so what's that gold coin?
735
00:34:57,029 --> 00:34:59,541
Well, let's take a look.
736
00:34:59,565 --> 00:35:03,244
Next, Dave shows me a
set of half eagle gold coins,
737
00:35:03,268 --> 00:35:06,147
the same type he expects
to find in the conglomerate
738
00:35:06,171 --> 00:35:07,482
from the wreck.
739
00:35:07,506 --> 00:35:10,852
You got Liberty on there,
1836, the eagle on the back.
740
00:35:10,876 --> 00:35:12,320
- Right.
- And...
741
00:35:12,344 --> 00:35:14,089
- Five D. Five dollars.
- Five dollars.
742
00:35:14,113 --> 00:35:15,857
And United States of America.
743
00:35:15,881 --> 00:35:18,193
- And these also came off the Pulaski.
- They did
744
00:35:18,217 --> 00:35:19,861
and the remarkable part
about this is
745
00:35:19,885 --> 00:35:22,464
they literally show hardly
anything wrong with them.
746
00:35:22,488 --> 00:35:24,532
- Yeah.
- In fact, they look like the day
747
00:35:24,556 --> 00:35:27,035
they were just minted,
so to find coins
748
00:35:27,059 --> 00:35:30,205
of this beauty
and this originality is rare,
749
00:35:30,229 --> 00:35:31,606
- which seems kind of contradictory.
- Right.
750
00:35:31,630 --> 00:35:33,808
'Cause you've got all
these rich folks on the ship,
751
00:35:33,832 --> 00:35:36,144
they're getting newly
minted coins from the bank
752
00:35:36,168 --> 00:35:37,378
- to take with them.
- [Dave] Right.
753
00:35:37,402 --> 00:35:39,547
And then they get trapped
after the shipwreck
754
00:35:39,571 --> 00:35:41,950
in the sand.
Nobody ever touches them.
755
00:35:41,974 --> 00:35:43,518
- They're like brand new.
- Right.
756
00:35:43,542 --> 00:35:47,322
[Josh] Of the original 550,000
or so half Eagles,
757
00:35:47,346 --> 00:35:49,824
the US Treasury minted in 1836
758
00:35:49,848 --> 00:35:52,360
only a few thousand survive.
759
00:35:52,384 --> 00:35:54,596
The Pulaski coins,
which have been stashed
760
00:35:54,620 --> 00:35:57,866
in the bank of the Atlantic
for more than 180 years,
761
00:35:57,890 --> 00:36:00,524
are some of the best preserved
examples on Earth.
762
00:36:01,325 --> 00:36:03,138
Could I spend this today,
by the way?
763
00:36:03,162 --> 00:36:04,672
- You absolutely can.
- That's legal tender?
764
00:36:04,696 --> 00:36:07,408
- It's legal tender still.
- I could walk into a store
765
00:36:07,432 --> 00:36:09,511
- and that would be worth five bucks.
- Correct.
766
00:36:09,535 --> 00:36:11,146
- Not that you'd want to do that.
- Right.
767
00:36:11,170 --> 00:36:13,581
- But walk into my store, okay?
- You're right.
768
00:36:13,605 --> 00:36:15,550
What's the finest
of these four coins?
769
00:36:15,574 --> 00:36:17,452
It's the last coin here.
770
00:36:17,476 --> 00:36:18,887
- May I?
- Oh, yeah.
771
00:36:18,911 --> 00:36:21,556
- I mean it looks brand new.
- Right.
772
00:36:21,580 --> 00:36:24,092
So this coin would be worth
how much?
773
00:36:24,116 --> 00:36:26,016
Five grand, six grand?
774
00:36:28,019 --> 00:36:30,620
- Eight grand.
- Probably 30 to 40,000.
775
00:36:32,790 --> 00:36:36,271
This coin is worth 30
to $40,000.
776
00:36:36,295 --> 00:36:38,428
That's in your hand. Correct.
777
00:36:40,665 --> 00:36:43,478
Okay. I'm gonna put
that right back there.
778
00:36:43,502 --> 00:36:46,147
There you go. That's insane.
779
00:36:46,171 --> 00:36:49,317
Just the idea that there
could be hundreds
780
00:36:49,341 --> 00:36:52,854
of these coins,
still down in that wreckage.
781
00:36:52,878 --> 00:36:56,291
- Right.
- You're just talking about astronomical amounts
782
00:36:56,315 --> 00:36:58,059
- of money here.
- Absolutely.
783
00:36:58,083 --> 00:37:01,129
And the mother lode,
chests of coins stored
784
00:37:01,153 --> 00:37:04,098
in the passenger cabins
have yet to be found.
785
00:37:04,122 --> 00:37:06,267
I received word that
the Blue Water Rose
786
00:37:06,291 --> 00:37:09,226
is about to return
to our second sonar target.
787
00:37:12,797 --> 00:37:16,733
So I hurry back to Wilmington
where I then catch a ride out to sea.
788
00:37:21,005 --> 00:37:23,151
Several hours later
and more than 40 miles
789
00:37:23,175 --> 00:37:25,420
from the coast, I find Mark
and Rodney
790
00:37:25,444 --> 00:37:28,211
anchoring the ship over
the sonar hit.
791
00:37:29,113 --> 00:37:31,726
Somewhere below us,
are the unseen remains
792
00:37:31,750 --> 00:37:34,062
of a historic American
shipwreck,
793
00:37:34,086 --> 00:37:37,498
not to mention a bounty
of more than $20 million
794
00:37:37,522 --> 00:37:39,289
in gold and silver,
795
00:37:48,266 --> 00:37:50,300
[Josh] Well, they're still
out here, that's a good sign.
796
00:37:51,102 --> 00:37:52,636
How's it going, guys?
797
00:37:53,237 --> 00:37:54,738
I'm happy you're here.
798
00:37:57,575 --> 00:38:00,521
I'm 40 miles off the coast
of North Carolina,
799
00:38:00,545 --> 00:38:02,523
searching for the remains
of the Pulaski,
800
00:38:02,547 --> 00:38:06,049
a steamship that sank here
in 1838.
801
00:38:08,052 --> 00:38:09,464
- Great to see you.
- Great to see you again.
802
00:38:09,488 --> 00:38:11,099
How you doing, Rodney?
How's it going out here?
803
00:38:11,123 --> 00:38:13,268
- Good, it's going great.
- Turn your pockets out.
804
00:38:13,292 --> 00:38:15,236
- What do you got under there?
- I dumped it before you got here.
805
00:38:15,260 --> 00:38:16,471
Of course you did.
806
00:38:16,495 --> 00:38:18,206
Remember that really nice
sonar hit we had.
807
00:38:18,230 --> 00:38:19,907
- Hell yeah.
- That's where we are.
808
00:38:19,931 --> 00:38:21,442
- You haven't been down there yet?
- No.
809
00:38:21,466 --> 00:38:24,112
- Whatever that is, is big.
- Yeah.
810
00:38:24,136 --> 00:38:26,047
When the Pulaski's boilers blew,
811
00:38:26,071 --> 00:38:28,316
the ship broke apart
and scattered,
812
00:38:28,340 --> 00:38:30,418
creating a three mile
debris field.
813
00:38:30,442 --> 00:38:32,420
- [Rodney] There she goes.
- [Josh] In the water.
814
00:38:32,444 --> 00:38:35,223
Using sidescan sonar,
we were able to pinpoint
815
00:38:35,247 --> 00:38:36,591
two promising sites.
816
00:38:36,615 --> 00:38:38,926
Oh, whoa, look at this, more...
817
00:38:38,950 --> 00:38:41,117
And it keeps going.
Look at this.
818
00:38:41,919 --> 00:38:43,831
This second target
is large enough
819
00:38:43,855 --> 00:38:46,034
to be a significant portion
of the wreck,
820
00:38:46,058 --> 00:38:47,791
which has never been found.
821
00:38:49,427 --> 00:38:51,205
All right, cool, let's do it,
let's get wet, guys. Come on.
822
00:38:51,229 --> 00:38:52,329
All right.
823
00:38:54,498 --> 00:38:58,146
While we suit up,
Captain Rodney drops anchor.
824
00:38:58,170 --> 00:39:00,048
Rough seas are in the forecast,
825
00:39:00,072 --> 00:39:02,216
and he wants to make sure
we don't drift too far off
826
00:39:02,240 --> 00:39:04,085
our target.
827
00:39:04,109 --> 00:39:07,043
Once we're geared up,
we hit the water.
828
00:39:32,303 --> 00:39:34,515
[Rodney speaking]
829
00:39:34,539 --> 00:39:35,972
Read you loud and clear.
830
00:39:38,209 --> 00:39:39,509
Roger that.
831
00:39:41,312 --> 00:39:43,491
[Josh] We're either 100 feet
from history,
832
00:39:43,515 --> 00:39:45,715
or an ocean full of nothing.
833
00:39:49,520 --> 00:39:51,866
With conditions
deteriorating topside,
834
00:39:51,890 --> 00:39:54,190
the water is less clear below.
835
00:40:07,304 --> 00:40:10,518
We continue the descent,
straining to see the bottom,
836
00:40:10,542 --> 00:40:13,176
and hoping for any sign
of wreckage.
837
00:40:26,290 --> 00:40:28,425
Josh, how's it look down there?
838
00:40:35,599 --> 00:40:37,133
Is it part of the wreck?
839
00:40:38,869 --> 00:40:41,070
[Josh speaking]
840
00:40:45,943 --> 00:40:48,856
As I close in on our target,
it becomes clear
841
00:40:48,880 --> 00:40:50,825
that the object is manmade,
842
00:40:50,849 --> 00:40:53,716
and that it's absolutely
enormous.
843
00:41:01,325 --> 00:41:03,526
Can you make out
anything specific?
844
00:41:11,902 --> 00:41:13,181
[Rodney speaking]
845
00:41:13,205 --> 00:41:15,817
That means we're probably
in the center section.
846
00:41:15,841 --> 00:41:17,919
[Josh] This is a huge discovery,
847
00:41:17,943 --> 00:41:20,621
prior to these scans,
the exploded boiler
848
00:41:20,645 --> 00:41:23,057
was the only documented part
of the wreck.
849
00:41:23,081 --> 00:41:26,360
Now, we know there's more
here, much more.
850
00:41:26,384 --> 00:41:28,529
This may be the entire
engine area
851
00:41:28,553 --> 00:41:30,031
and sections aft.
852
00:41:30,055 --> 00:41:33,234
We circle the hulking remains
of rusted machinery
853
00:41:33,258 --> 00:41:36,025
that hasn't been seen
since the 1800s.
854
00:41:40,130 --> 00:41:44,167
Let's get as much on film as
possible, so we can review it
855
00:41:52,776 --> 00:41:55,857
[Josh] Swimming past the
towering hunks of twisted metal.
856
00:41:55,881 --> 00:41:58,192
I'm awe struck by the scale.
857
00:41:58,216 --> 00:42:01,584
This wreck is a crucial piece
of nautical history,
858
00:42:02,119 --> 00:42:03,431
spanning 200 feet.
859
00:42:03,455 --> 00:42:05,500
The Pulaski was
the most high tech
860
00:42:05,524 --> 00:42:07,502
and luxurious vessel of its day,
861
00:42:07,526 --> 00:42:09,792
a marvel from the steam age.
862
00:42:11,128 --> 00:42:13,196
Bring home some goodies, Josh.
863
00:42:14,498 --> 00:42:16,244
Outstanding.
864
00:42:16,268 --> 00:42:19,380
With limited bottom time
and a storm brewing topside.
865
00:42:19,404 --> 00:42:22,149
We dropped to the sand,
and begin to metal detect.
866
00:42:22,173 --> 00:42:23,940
[detector beeping]
867
00:42:26,110 --> 00:42:28,578
Immediately we start
to get hits.
868
00:42:31,115 --> 00:42:34,751
And the Pulaski's treasures
can't hide for long.
869
00:42:51,035 --> 00:42:53,114
[Josh] Savannah's
Chippewa Square Park
870
00:42:53,138 --> 00:42:55,316
is a popular destination
for tourists.
871
00:42:55,340 --> 00:42:58,141
All because
of one very special bench.
872
00:43:01,211 --> 00:43:04,358
The network always said
that Expedition Unknown
873
00:43:04,382 --> 00:43:06,516
was like a box of chocolates.
874
00:43:07,451 --> 00:43:10,498
You never know
what you're gonna get.
875
00:43:10,522 --> 00:43:13,167
But there's one episode we did,
876
00:43:13,191 --> 00:43:16,037
it was like a caramel,
because we got into
877
00:43:16,061 --> 00:43:18,839
a real sticky situation.
878
00:43:18,863 --> 00:43:22,076
This other show.
It's like a pecan cluster,
879
00:43:22,100 --> 00:43:24,612
'cause things got
real nutty real quick.
880
00:43:24,636 --> 00:43:27,181
I'm sorry, sir,
I'm on the phone, could you...
881
00:43:27,205 --> 00:43:29,884
Well, sorry, sir,
but from this day on,
882
00:43:29,908 --> 00:43:31,552
whenever I talk to someone.
883
00:43:31,576 --> 00:43:34,177
I am punning.
884
00:43:35,079 --> 00:43:36,724
Oh, my God, I just...
885
00:43:36,748 --> 00:43:39,148
He just sat down next to me,
I don't...
886
00:44:02,406 --> 00:44:04,007
Topside here.
887
00:44:07,077 --> 00:44:08,478
Is it nice and shiny?
888
00:44:11,048 --> 00:44:12,448
Yes, yes.
889
00:44:14,551 --> 00:44:18,399
[Josh] The gold coin
is a US piece from 1836.
890
00:44:18,423 --> 00:44:21,802
Face value, $5, value today,
891
00:44:21,826 --> 00:44:25,461
depending on the condition,
tens of thousands of dollars.
892
00:44:26,997 --> 00:44:30,099
We scour the area,
searching for more.
893
00:44:40,577 --> 00:44:43,613
[detector beeping]
894
00:44:53,190 --> 00:44:54,991
[laughs]
895
00:44:56,593 --> 00:44:58,472
[Josh] The salvage team
manages to one up
896
00:44:58,496 --> 00:45:00,541
the Crown Royal bag
from our last dive
897
00:45:00,565 --> 00:45:03,844
with another special
numismatic containment device,
898
00:45:03,868 --> 00:45:06,035
a sack with a dollar sign on it.
899
00:45:08,572 --> 00:45:11,118
The excitement is nearly
enough to make me forget
900
00:45:11,142 --> 00:45:13,209
that I can't stay
down here forever.
901
00:45:21,752 --> 00:45:23,731
We kick our fins toward
the light,
902
00:45:23,755 --> 00:45:26,100
and pull back from the
extraordinary wreckage
903
00:45:26,124 --> 00:45:28,791
and treasures of the SS Pulaski.
904
00:45:38,202 --> 00:45:40,881
Our discovery
of the Pulaski's keel section
905
00:45:40,905 --> 00:45:44,285
and the paddle wheel area
is historic,
906
00:45:44,309 --> 00:45:48,244
and will help reveal more
lost details about her sinking.
907
00:45:50,380 --> 00:45:54,795
Topside, our coins are
cataloged and added to the whole.
908
00:45:54,819 --> 00:45:57,098
These two gold coins,
plus the materials
909
00:45:57,122 --> 00:46:02,403
I brought to the lab and NGC,
tally nearly $100,000.
910
00:46:02,427 --> 00:46:05,973
In the days that follow,
33 more gold coins
911
00:46:05,997 --> 00:46:09,343
are discovered, and nearly
100 silver coins.
912
00:46:09,367 --> 00:46:13,214
To date, the team has
uncovered more than 700 coins,
913
00:46:13,238 --> 00:46:15,850
as well as haunting
historic artifacts
914
00:46:15,874 --> 00:46:17,673
from the night of the explosion.
915
00:46:20,477 --> 00:46:23,724
As I journey home.
I make one last stop.
916
00:46:23,748 --> 00:46:28,395
A quiet churchyard on
South Carolina's Edisto Island.
917
00:46:28,419 --> 00:46:31,332
Here, a weathered obelisk
stands in memory
918
00:46:31,356 --> 00:46:34,257
of parishioners who died
aboard the Pulaski.
919
00:46:37,060 --> 00:46:41,375
Among them a 15 year old girl,
and an 11 year old boy.
920
00:46:41,399 --> 00:46:45,446
It is the only real memorial
to a nearly forgotten disaster
921
00:46:45,470 --> 00:46:48,004
that took the lives of so many.
922
00:46:54,478 --> 00:46:56,257
The coins recovered
from the wreck
923
00:46:56,281 --> 00:46:58,392
have immense monetary value,
924
00:46:58,416 --> 00:47:01,228
and were a heart stopping
thrill to uncover.
925
00:47:01,252 --> 00:47:04,098
[laughs] Yes, yes!
926
00:47:04,122 --> 00:47:07,723
But the true value of the
treasures here runs deeper.
927
00:47:09,359 --> 00:47:12,139
They are a snapshot
of America as it stood
928
00:47:12,163 --> 00:47:16,799
at 11:05 p.m.
on June 14th, 1838.
929
00:47:18,135 --> 00:47:20,848
A nation so young
that our minted currency
930
00:47:20,872 --> 00:47:22,338
was just emerging.
931
00:47:23,774 --> 00:47:27,221
And a place where vast wealth
was forged in the furnace
932
00:47:27,245 --> 00:47:29,190
of human bondage.
933
00:47:29,214 --> 00:47:31,492
Missing from the ranks
of those aboard
934
00:47:31,516 --> 00:47:33,994
are the unnamed servants
and crew,
935
00:47:34,018 --> 00:47:38,866
enslaved people who sailed
on an unwilling voyage.
936
00:47:38,890 --> 00:47:42,970
They died alongside some of
the wealthiest citizens of the South,
937
00:47:42,994 --> 00:47:46,696
as the ocean claimed the
powerful and powerless alike.
938
00:47:48,765 --> 00:47:51,045
It has taken 180 years.
939
00:47:51,069 --> 00:47:53,970
But now,
both are being remembered.