My Grandfather's Tale Of A Privateer & Hijacked Gold Shipment

[GhostMiner]

 

[GhostMiner]

   I have had several of what I refer to as "Great Adventures" in my life. My wife was amazed at some of the things I have done. I didn't meet her until I was nearly 30 years old. By then I had already lived what many would call a full life. Hitch hiking across the country to California with only $8 dollars in my pocket when I was just 18. Living along the way in abandoned buildings or sometimes off grid. Riding freight trains to far off locations. Playing in several rock bands. I had a tryout back in the day for third base position for the Houston Astros. I could have had a contract with them to start out in one of their minor league franchises but passed. I also boxed for a number of years and sparred with a number of professionals. Mining for gold in California. And just last year going on a treasure hunt and looking for something based on a story that was passed down through multiple generation of our family. I am not finished yet. For me, life is an adventure to be lived to the fullest. I really hope all of you readers will enjoy this particular journey that I was blessed to partake in. See you on Day 2.

[Mike Furness]

The video of Drayton Harbor showed plenty of remote places to send a crew in a row boat to bury treasure if that was the intent. Those sandy beaches would be good landing spots and the heavily forested land would hide any activity ... especially if done at night under the cover of a moonless darkness! Just my immediate thoughts after viewing the video.

[GhostMiner]

23 minutes ago, Mike Furness said:

The video of Drayton Harbor showed plenty of remote places to send a crew in a row boat to bury treasure if that was the intent. Those sandy beaches would be good landing spots and the heavily forested land would hide any activity ... especially if done at night under the cover of a moonless darkness! Just my immediate thoughts after viewing the video.

   It wouldn't be hard to dig there but the research jived with my grandfathers story about trying to take a freight wagon into Canada. But they never made it. I've got to be honest, when my grandfather told me the privateers name I wanted to laugh. But he didn't make up stories. Then, when we were able to verify the captains existence and records it could not be disputed. Everything suddenly lined up. What I was learning was how extensive this criminal ring was and the stolen gold shipment was only a small part of the entire story. Pretty fascinating stuff here.

   

 

[GhostMiner]

8 minutes ago, GhostMiner said:

   It wouldn't be hard to dig there but the research jived with my grandfathers story about trying to take a freight wagon into Canada. But they never made it. I've got to be honest, when my grandfather told me the privateers name I wanted to laugh. But he didn't make up stories. Then, when we were able to verify the captains existence and records it could not be disputed. Everything suddenly lined up. What I was learning was how extensive this criminal ring was and the stolen gold shipment was only a small part of the entire story. Pretty fascinating stuff here.

   

 

 

42 minutes ago, Mike Furness said:

The video of Drayton Harbor showed plenty of remote places to send a crew in a row boat to bury treasure if that was the intent. Those sandy beaches would be good landing spots and the heavily forested land would hide any activity ... especially if done at night under the cover of a moonless darkness! Just my immediate thoughts after viewing the video.

Also, the area near Blaine Washington and Drayton Harbor is very close th the Canadian border so to me it made sense that if they were offloading there it was a short haul to Canada. The one thing I didn't understand was why they didn't just sale farther north and either off load to a waiting ship or onto the shores of Canada directly. Or did they?

[Lanny]

So, in your original post, you listed the gold as placer, but later in the post you said it was ore. Did you get that straightened out as you've done more research?

As well, is the follow-up with the other people you've contacted for the search/the current search a factual account, or is this another fictional story (like your other story posted on this site) that you'll be writing? Just curious, and I'd sure appreciate the clarification.

I have a good factual story about lost gold, all placer, that is quite the dramatic tale.

All the best,

Lanny

[GhostMiner]

  Day 2

 

   Our team had a meeting arranged at breakfast with a retired harbor master from one of the ports in Washington. His name was Jim and he was in his mid 80’s. Jim had come forth with information he claimed to have concerning our search. He had contacted the research team several months ago and was now going to tell us what he knew or heard. 

   Jim was straight forward and appeared to be a no nonsense individual. He told us that several close friends of his had known an old sailor whose grandfather had worked for a British merchant shipping company. This man's father who was called Cloudy had told him a wild story one night. Cloudy traveled all over the world on a British Trading vessel. They made numerous trips to the United States hauling all kinds of cargo. On one of the excursions the ship's captain who he knew well and had worked under for several years was suddenly removed at the last minute and another captain put in charge. His name? William Shears.

   The crew was not given a reason or explanation as to the sudden change but Cloudy thought it to be a bit strange. Also, the consignor, consignee, and holder of the Bill of Layden as well as the Bill of Laydon itself had been kept a secret. He remembered the crew being on edge about this as they were in effect sailing blind as they called it. But they were sailors and sail they must.

   Cloudy told his son that they eventually made their way up the coast of California and all the way north to the port of Bellingham where they docked briefly. He said that crates from some loading wagons were placed in the ship's hold and they sailed off north again until reaching Drayton Harbor. Somehow the crew had gotten hold of some leaked information about trouble on the waters ahead of them to the north off the shores of Canada.

   Captain Shears had now set anchor in Drayton Harbor off the coast of Washington and just south of Blaine. When it got dark a number of Jolly boats were dispatched layden with boxes of unknown cargo and goods. Neither the boats or the sailors who were on them returned. A lantern light was seen from shore and it went on and off several times. Then Captain Shears pulled anchor and headed south back down the coast.

   This was a fascinating story and we thanked the retired harbor master for relaying this information. Later that day our team disbanded leaving the metal detecting person, the two researchers, the producer / video person, and myself to begin the search. The meeting with Jim had been video recorded. We were to report to Jackson every day. The plan was to start doing some on the ground searching along the shores south of Blaine. We would be looking for any clues we might find and had another meeting scheduled for the next day with another man who was a local historian. I was getting pretty excited to be a part of this hunt.

[GhostMiner]

7 minutes ago, Lanny said:

So, in your original post, you listed the gold as placer, but later in the post you said it was ore. Did you get that straightened out as you've done more research?

As well, is the follow-up with the other people you've contacted for the search/the current search a factual account, or is this another fictional story (like your other story posted on this site) that you'll be writing? Just curious, and I'd sure appreciate the clarification.

I have a good factual story about lost gold, all placer, that is quite the dramatic tale.

All the best,

Lanny

It was placer un refined gold. Some called it ore but my definition of ore is gold held in host rock which it wasn't. In my continuing mining journal the beginning years were based on true events but added to. Kind of like what a movie is based on. All of the gold totals were real as well as some of the people but names were changed. Some parts were fictional or embellished accounts. Hope that helps. As far as the story my grandfather told me and my adventures in the treasure hunt, I hope to be able to have you watch it & the people described in a new streaming show soon. Cheers & thanks for your interest. 

[Lanny]

Thanks for the clarification, and all the best with your adventures,

Lanny

[GhostMiner]

2 hours ago, Lanny said:

Thanks for the clarification, and all the best with your adventures,

Lanny

You are very welcome.