An ancient forest found 60 feet underwater about 10 miles offshore of Alabama

[tdmp]

Sounds pretty cool:

MOBILE, Ala. — An ancient forest found 60 feet underwater about 10 miles offshore of Alabama is much older than originally thought.
Al.com collected samples of the trees during a scuba diving expedition to the forest. Those samples were sent to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for radiocarbon dating and found to be more than 50,000 years old.
Scientists who examined the trees remarked on how well preserved the wood was. Cut into a piece and the unmistakable aroma of newly sawn cypress blooms up, despite millennia spent at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
Some of the pieces still had bark on them. The forest was apparently buried under a thick layer of sand for eons until it was uncovered by giant waves during Hurricane Katrina.
Ancient Underwater Forest Much Older Than First Thought - weather.com

Here's some video:

Ancient forest lies 10 miles off the Alabama coast (video, gallery) | al.com

 

[j2s]

VEERY COOL !!!!.........Thank you.......

 

[tflaris]

Great read. Thanks for posting.

 

[ScubaGypsy]

With so much marine life (as seen in the video), are there any that will eat wood?

 

[uncfnp]

Would love the opportunity to see that before it rots away.

 

[JamesK]

That is very cool. I am going to have to find someone who will go there, since this guy wants to show everyone but not tell anyone.

 

[Oldbear]

Sounds pretty cool:

MOBILE, Ala. — An ancient forest found 60 feet underwater about 10 miles offshore of Alabama is much older than originally thought.
Al.com collected samples of the trees during a scuba diving expedition to the forest. Those samples were sent to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for radiocarbon dating and found to be more than 50,000 years old.
Scientists who examined the trees remarked on how well preserved the wood was. Cut into a piece and the unmistakable aroma of newly sawn cypress blooms up, despite millennia spent at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
Some of the pieces still had bark on them. The forest was apparently buried under a thick layer of sand for eons until it was uncovered by giant waves during Hurricane Katrina.
Ancient Underwater Forest Much Older Than First Thought - weather.com

Here's some video:

Ancient forest lies 10 miles off the Alabama coast (video, gallery) | al.com

Really cool dive. I love the historical, or should I say the pre-historical signifigance of the site.

Except I don't think posting it on :sblogo: is the best way to keep the site hidden for the public.

I just hope that the general public does not find it or in most likelyhood it will be destroyed by careless divers.

 

[Scubadude_LA]

Great Post, thanks.

Feel free to PM me the coordinates

 

[sporket]

Very cool indeed.

 

[AfterDark]

Too cool! This is why we dive!