Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
German divers who fished an Enigma encryption machine out of the Baltic Sea have handed their rare find over to a museum for restoration.
The code machine – which was used by the Nazis to send coded messages during the second world war – was discovered last month by divers on assignment for the environmental group WWF. The group was searching for abandoned fishing nets in the Bay of Gelting off the north-east coast of Germany...
German museum to restore Enigma machine found on seabed | Germany | The Guardian
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Jim F. was eager to participate in The Blackbeard Treasure Hunt and sent in his $50 to purchase the map, which was supposed to be available for download on Dec. 5, but was not.
See Purchase Treasure Map | The Blackbeard Treasure to learn more about that.
Here is what Jim had to say about it.
Hello, quick note about The Blackbeard Treasure Hunt- first they promised maps in June, then changed to November 28, thereafter a long you tube video citing computer issues, but promised everyone that saturday would be the day. As Saturday came and went the site closed down and apparently being viewed as a scam. In the apology letter for delays on their facebook page, they gave a link for a refund but that link goes nowhere. I disputed my $50 charge with the credit card company, but live and learn. Puts a bad taste for all the folks who love to seek treasure and sent them their $50.
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Here is a follow up on the story of the container ship that lost a record number of containers during a recent Pacific storm.
ONE Apus Update: Photos Show Cargo Carnage as Containership Arrives in Kobe – gCaptain
At the time of the update none of the lost containers have been sighted yet.
Thanks to Douglas for that link.
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The last few weeks I noticed a lot of detectorists flocking to a couple of spots after word got around that some finds were made there. After seeing those groups of detectorists, I started wondering what a group of detectorists should be called. I was thinking maybe a "sweep" of detectorists or a "coil" or "dig" of detectorists. But now I'm thinking "flock" of detectorists even though it isn't very imaginative.
If you've ever watched sheep going out to pasture, if one sheep jumps like he is jumping over a log or something, many of those following will jump too, whether there is any reason to or not. It is just what sheep do. It seems very automatic or instinctual. Sometimes people are like that.
After noticing those groups of detectorists, I started thinking about what it means to follow the crowd.
First off, it isn't always a bad thing. You might be able to learn something from following the crowd, especially if you are a novice. And it is easier and quicker to sample or clean out large areas if you work with a group.
But I want to make a distinction. Following the crowd, as I use the phrase, isn't the same thing as working as a part of a group. "Following the crowd" has a negative connotation and to me suggests giving up some degree of independent thought and judgement, while working in a group can be very strategic and productive.
Some people are simply more gregarious than others. Some like working with others, and others prefer to commune with nature. They are often more meditative.
Going your own way can be risky and challenging, but it can also pay off big. It can involve a lot of time and effort, but you will always have the adventure and learn a lot from it.
I suspect it has a lot to do with a person's nature and upbringing. If you are an only child, or were the oldest by a number of years, you'll be more likely to venture out on your own, than if you were a younger child who always had older siblings to follow around.
As a detectorist, I'm definitely a loner. It suits my personality. I enjoy exploring and learning on my own. I enjoy doing my own research and conducting my own experiments. That is just the type of person I am. In fact, if I see a lot of detectorists on a beach, most of the time I'll turn around and go the other way.
A lot has been said about following the crowd as a negative, even though there are definitely some positives to it. Some people get a lot of enjoyment out of sharing the hunt with others, and that is a great benefit. And they learn well while working in groups.
Below are a few thought provoking quotes on the subject.
Albert Einstein said, "The one who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone is likely to find themselves in places no one has ever been before.”
I don't know if he really said that, but the internet, which lies a lot, says he did, and it is an interesting perspective.
Some people don't want to be where no one has ever been before. That can be risky, but it might be fun, and it can pay off.
Here are a couple ways of describing it from a loner's perspective.
If you follow the crowd, what you'll see is a lot of butts. Or putting it more poetically, "If you follow the masses, you'll see a lot of a***s."
Margaret Thatcher said, “Don’t follow the crowd, let the crowd follow you.” That coming from a natural leader, of course.
Ghandi added this thought, “It’s better to walk alone than with a crowd going in the wrong direction.”
That certainly sounds right to me. Whether you are going with the crowd or not, it is good to test your own ideas and frequently evaluate your progress. If you are doing the right thing, what the crowd is doing might not be too important to you.
It does not matter whether you are gregarious or a loner, you can usually benefit by occasionally trying something other what comes most natural to you.
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The surf will remain small for the next week or so.
Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net