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Author Topic: Above ground artifact search?  (Read 90988 times)

Dave McDaniel

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #30 on: March 13, 2013, 09:08:40 AM »

Perhaps a tree shaker such as the ones used in the California walnut orchards should be on the list for the next expedition to Niki. I say this tongue in cheek, but it would be effective. Just make sure you bring along your hard hat! Being bombarded by dozens of falling coconuts could really hurt! - Dave
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Jeff Lange

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #31 on: March 13, 2013, 10:12:22 AM »

I can see the daily post from Niku, " We employed the tree shaker today at the seven site-had to abandon area due to flying crabs!" LOL  :D
Jeff Lange

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Jeffrey Pearce

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #32 on: March 14, 2013, 06:27:01 PM »

This is a quote from John Hart's Aug 18, 2012, post:

we went over to the Eastern Island with the Wildlife foundation folks who were doing a bird count of Goonies.  While there the biologist pointed out multiple carcasses that were full of debris (cigarette lighters, chem lights, bobbers, and in some cases small containers).  Seems the larger birds ingest these items either thinking they are food or mere interest.  Usually they were brightly colored or flashy.

Birds have interest! They're not just sitting around sleeping the day away. They're with it.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2013, 05:18:18 PM by Jeffrey Pearce »
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Jeffrey Pearce

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #33 on: March 27, 2013, 10:56:40 PM »

This is a picture of an Albatross in the vicinity of Midway Atoll that has ingested garbage from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

http://americablog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/abatross-midway-atoll-700x372.jpg

ONE THING FOR SURE: DON'T POLLUTE!
« Last Edit: March 28, 2013, 06:46:21 PM by Jeffrey Pearce »
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Laura Gridley

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #34 on: June 04, 2013, 05:54:26 PM »

Are the trees on the Nikumaroro able to be carved into and if so what is the lifecycle of these trees?
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Jeffrey Pearce

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #35 on: June 12, 2013, 02:35:15 PM »

A very interesting two part question, Laura. I myself do not have the knowledge required to attempt to answer your question. I also do not know if this has been addressed previously or if trees on Nikumaroro Island have been examined during previous expeditions for the presence of carvings. I have never been on the island myself. Your question deserves a serious review and informed response by those in the know! Thank you.

The lifespan of a palm tree can be 150 years. Trees that were there in 1937 can still be there today. A palm tree may be somewhat hard to carve in?
« Last Edit: June 12, 2013, 02:41:22 PM by Jeffrey Pearce »
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Andrew M McKenna

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #36 on: June 12, 2013, 08:59:17 PM »

Laura

Somewhere I think we have a report on the trees of Nikumaroro compiled by Josh Gillespie during the 2001 expedition.  Might be on the website, and if not Tom King or Ric surely has it.

There are trees on Nikumaroro capable of being carved, particularly the coconut palms, Kanawa, Buka, and Ren trees.  Most of the trees mentioned are fairly long lived as far as I can tell, so many of the existing mature trees were likely there at the time we're interested in.

In the Old colonial village, there are many palm trees that have foot holds cut into them so that the colonists could easily climb them for the nuts.  Most of the foot holds end about 15 ft up, and the rest of the tree above that has none reflecting the growth since 1963 when the colony was abandoned.

We've looked for carvings on trees, but not found anything that we'd consider a likely candidate for AE or anyone else for that matter.  I suppose there are some carved trees in the old village, but not legible to understand.  I don't recall anything around the 7 site that looked like a carved tree.  I do know that carvings on trees in general get pretty obscured over time as the bark tends to swell and overgrow the areas carved, so after 75 years, I doubt that any 1937 carving would be apparent or readable.

I hope that helps.

Andrew
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Laura Gridley

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #37 on: June 14, 2013, 09:23:23 PM »

Thank you Jeff and Andrew for the replies. 

Andrew--very much appreciate that information!  I will go through the archives and see what I can find but of course, over the years, I know these ideas have already been thought by TIGHAR members/researchers so I know I'm not suggesting anything new.  Slim chance to find something carved in a tree so many years later anyway, but glad to hear that people kept eyes out for that sort of thing!
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Jeffrey Pearce

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #38 on: July 24, 2013, 02:17:53 AM »

On a recent round of golf, I only do this about twice a year, in the Bradenton-Sarasota area of Florida I noticed after stepping onto the first tee a black colored bird leave the ground in front of the tee and fly up into a palm tree about fifteen feet in front and to the right of the tee.

I am in the Bradenton-Sarasota area now and I have noticed that the coconut palms are producing what appear to be nearly mature coconuts. If AE and Fred could have cracked open a coconut they could have consumed the interior which might have provided some substantial nourishment?
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Andrew M McKenna

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #39 on: July 24, 2013, 08:49:28 AM »

Yes, consuming coconuts would have certainly provided some nourishment, and some liquid.

The problem comes with first obtaining the coconut from the tree 15 ft off the ground, then opening it.  If you have ever tried either without the proper tools and technique, it can be extremely challenging and could easily consume more energy and moisture than you might derive from achieving success.

Then there is the issue that coconut milk and meat is pretty rich, and many people react by getting the runs, which would further dehydrate our already depleted castaway.

If you know what you are doing, and have the right tools, it can be easier.  See the video of Niku Richie on youtube.

Andrew
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Christine Schulte

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #40 on: July 24, 2013, 12:37:52 PM »

Amelia Earhart was a very good climber. When she attended Columbia University for a brief span in the 1920s, she climbed to the roofs of several builings on campus with her friend, Luise de Schweinitz. There are also several anecdotes about her climbing trees, roofs and anything else as a girl.

However, if she was the castaway, I imagine she must have been in very bad shape by the time she got to the coconut trees.
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Dan Swift

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #41 on: July 24, 2013, 01:27:17 PM »

I don't think you can cut those coconuts with a pocket knife.  I had to use a hand saw on some of mine when I lived in S. Florida.  Was a lot of work without a device to hold it in.  Lost most of the water, but was putting Rum in it anyway. 
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Greg Daspit

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #42 on: July 24, 2013, 03:10:43 PM »

In the Discovery show Naked Castaway, Ed Stafford punched a hole in the coconuts by banging them on a sharp rock.
He also used a long stick to knock them off the trees. He had no tools or clothing to start off.  He did have an emergency kit just in case, but tried to avoid using it.
He got sick and ended up taking medicine from it.
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Gloria Walker Burger

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #43 on: August 31, 2013, 08:24:12 PM »

In the Discovery show Naked Castaway, Ed Stafford punched a hole in the coconuts by banging them on a sharp rock.
He also used a long stick to knock them off the trees.

I've thought this before, but at the time of the Lambrecht flyover AE could've been banging away on a rock with a coconut which prevented her from hearing the planes right away. May have really slowed down her response time in getting out into the open, or in getting to her fire mound ready to light. (That is, of course, if FN was incapacitated by then)
Gloria
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Greg Daspit

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Re: Above ground artifact search?
« Reply #44 on: August 31, 2013, 10:49:56 PM »

I've thought this before, but at the time of the Lambrecht flyover AE could've been banging away on a rock with a coconut which prevented her from hearing the planes right away. May have really slowed down her response time in getting out into the open, or in getting to her fire mound ready to light. (That is, of course, if FN was incapacitated by then)

You might be interested to read Reply 61 and 62 by Chris Johnson and Albert Durrell regarding coconuts and what Lambrecht wrote.
Also, the shape of the island seems problematic to me for searching. Having an inner shore and an outer shore. The Colorado planes appear to have had time for only a few passes. If AE/FN were inland searching for more coconut trees, perhaps their only source of hydration by then, and happened to hear the planes circling the outer shore, do they go towards the planes?  And on the 2nd pass do the planes search the inner shore? Pick the wrong shore and they could be screened by the trees even if they got to the open while the planes were still at the island.
3971R
 
« Last Edit: August 31, 2013, 11:01:54 PM by Greg Daspit »
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