Ring found on the wreck

[DandyDon]

A wonderful lady diver found the ring illustrated below and is trying to find the owner on FB. If it was yours, see the post on Cozumel 4 You
Or message her at https://www.facebook.com/dita.vonlouise
Or if you anti-facebook and need help, message me and I'll try.

Note to all: Leave the jewelry at home or in a room safe. Water makes rings come off easily, and of course there's the risk of attracting barracudas.

 

[El Graduado]

As far back as I can remember, people have warned that wearing jewelry while swimming, snorkeling or diving will put you at risk of being attacked by a barracuda. While I was working on my newest book, Natural History of Cozumel, I did some research on shark and barracuda attacks. To my great surprise, I could find no documented barracuda attacks where jewelry played any part. This seems to run counter to the idea that a shiny piece of jewelry acts like a shiny lure. However, if you think about it very long, you will realize that tying a ballyhoo rig to your wrist and then getting towed around by a deep-sea fishing boat will probably not get you bitten by a sailfish.

My new book, Natural History of Cozumel, should be available on Amazon.com by September 15, 2019.

As far as wearing jewelry in the water, I say keep it up. I know that Augustus and I each have found several thousands of dollars’ worth of gold and silver jewelry, rings of diamonds, emeralds, and rubies, and assorted expensive watches while we have metal-detected underwater in Cozumel.

 

[DandyDon]

To my great surprise, I could find no documented barracuda attacks where jewelry played any part.

We used to have a member named Cudabait I think who lost a chunck of his face to a barracuda strike, seemingly brought on by light reflecting in his mask.

I know that Augustus and I each have found several thousands of dollars’ worth of gold and silver jewelry, rings of diamonds, emeralds, and rubies, and assorted expensive watches while we have metal-detected underwater in Cozumel.

I'm glad that this lady is trying to return the ring to the owner.

 

[WetInPortland]

... Augustus and I each have found several thousands of dollars’ worth of gold and silver jewelry, rings of diamonds, emeralds, and rubies, and assorted expensive watches while we have metal-detected underwater in Cozumel.

Would you please expand on the legalities of metal detecting in Mexico, both above and below the waterline?

 

[El Graduado]

There is no law generally prohibiting metal detecting on beaches or underwater in Mexico, except the ones relating to “bienes nacionales” or “monumentos historicos o bienes muebles e inmuebles”, so as long as you are not detecting in national archaeological zones or specifically restricted areas like Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel, Federal Naval Zones, API Zones, National Archaeological Zones, etc., you are legal as far as I know. Some municipal areas have local ordinances regarding detectors, but I don’t know of any such ordinance in Cozumel.

Articles 875 through 885 of the Código Civil Federal de Mexico details what a “treasure” is and what happens when a “treasure” is found on private property and how it should be divided. It also details what is considered important “treasures” related to art and archaeology. These articles do not mention nor do they regulate the use of metal detectors.

Of course, it is Mexico after all, and any law enforcement official may make any claim regarding the legality of pretty damn near anything that he or she feels like at the time and it would be up to you to dispute the validity of their claim.

My experience metal detecting in Cozumel included training INAH archaeologists on their use underwater here in Cozumel and other places in Mexico and the legality of the use of a metal detector by laymen was never questioned by INAH.

 

[ReefHound]

Still, sounds like something where your best chance of being left alone is to not call attention to yourself.

 

[WetInPortland]

There is no law generally prohibiting metal detecting on beaches or underwater in Mexico, except the ones relating to “bienes nacionales” or “monumentos historicos o bienes muebles e inmuebles”, so as long as you are not detecting in national archaeological zones or specifically restricted areas like Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel, Federal Naval Zones, API Zones, National Archaeological Zones, etc., you are legal as far as I know. Some municipal areas have local ordinances regarding detectors, but I don’t know of any such ordinance in Cozumel.

Articles 875 through 885 of the Código Civil Federal de Mexico details what a “treasure” is and what happens when a “treasure” is found on private property and how it should be divided. It also details what is considered important “treasures” related to art and archaeology. These articles do not mention nor do they regulate the use of metal detectors.

Of course, it is Mexico after all, and any law enforcement official may make any claim regarding the legality of pretty damn near anything that he or she feels like at the time and it would be up to you to dispute the validity of their claim.

My experience metal detecting in Cozumel included training INAH archaeologists on their use underwater here in Cozumel and other places in Mexico and the legality of the use of a metal detector by laymen was never questioned by INAH.

Thank you, as always. Good to know, although I'm still a bit surprised that metal detecting is worthwhile on Cozumel. While I can well imagine quite a bit of jewelry being lost on the South Hotel Zone beaches, in the water is in the park, and I doubt that the hotels look kindly on detectorists, even if the beach is public property. With mostly iron shore elsewhere on the west side and such comparatively little traffic on the east side, I don't know that it's worth bringing my detector (only the coil is water-tight) on the next trip (if it even still works at all).

 

[ggunn]

Still, sounds like something where your best chance of being left alone is to not call attention to yourself.

I think that's pretty much true no matter what you are talking about.

 

[ccannon707]

A DM on my boat told a story of diving the cruise ship piers on Sundays & always finding something worthwhile.

 

[DandyDon]

I was having supper with my brother, some neighbors, and some of one's grown kids and his kids this evening, and we got to talking about our various visits to the Grand Canyon. A Gen Y fellow told how he and some friends had camped there one summer, then he came home without his school ring. It arrived by mail a few weeks later.

A ranger had found it or had it turned in, somehow identified the tiny school, called it, and asked the principal if he ever knew a kid by some nickname engraved inside? "Why yes, I guess I busted his ass a few times." His mom still lives at the same address on file.

I wish my class ring had been found and returned decades ago. I wear my USMC ring to town most trips, but never on out of the local area. It stays home safely. The truth is that I found it in Dead Man's Lake at Twentynine Palms about 50 years ago. No engraving so no way to tell which of thousands of Jarheads had lost it there.

This DGB ring does have some engraving inside and the finder is waiting for someone to claim & identify.

A DM on my boat told a story of diving the cruise ship piers on Sundays & always finding something worthwhile.

Can we dive the piers on Sundays without getting shot at?!