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Discovering the sea
By Paul W. Ross
Special to the Coastal Point
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Coastal Point • PAUL W. ROSS
An experimental bottom exploration rig at the Discoveries From The Sea Museum, in Fenwick Island.
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On this trip, we are going to visit an interesting museum. It is close to home, so easy on the gas tank, pocket book (free!), and driving time. We will head south along the Coastal Highway to Fenwick Island. The museum is located in a slightly unlikely spot above Sea Shell City in Fenwick Island — the Discoveries From The Sea Museum.
I pulled into the parking lot, went inside, and found my way upstairs to the museum. I asked for Dale Clifton, the owner and director. Dale, and his diving partner, Todd Williams, greeted me shortly thereafter. Diving partner? What’s up? Well, it turns out that Dale’s passion is diving for lost treasure. Dale discovered his first coin as a teenager. This triggered a passion for underwater exploration and treasure recovery that he has to this day. He and Todd regaled me with tales of sunken treasure, ancient sailing craft, and the technology of undersea exploration. I had to tear myself away from this fascinating conversation and go look at the rest of the museum.
Dale explained to me that for hundreds of years, the Delmarva Peninsula had one of the highest concentrations of shipping. The Delmarva coast also has shoals, reefs, and other hazards to maritime interests. In the early days, these were much more of a danger than they are now with the developments of GPS satellites and anti-collision radar.
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Coastal Point • PAUL W. ROSS
Dale Clifton, director of the museum, points out a few of the artifacts on display.
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As a consequence, the Delmarva Peninsula coast is littered with the wrecks of more ships than you would care to count. With ships, come cargos, from simple bronze coins to oriental porcelain to the personal articles of the people who manned those ships.
I talked to Dale and Todd in their workshop, which can be viewed from the museum. Their latest project, spread out on a large workbench, was an underwater exploration device. It consists of a camera, lights, motors, and all sorts of cool technology! They plan to use this for bottom exploration at moderate depths off the coast to search for sunken artifacts. They also kindly showed me the equipment used to remove the encrustations from metal objects, such as coins, belt buckles and even a large cannon!
Dale told me that the shipwreck museum opened in July of 1995. The museum is the product of more than 17 years of research and hard work. Dale pointed out that the museum does not receive any state or federal grants. It is funded only by contributions and donations. The museum is a continuing exhibit that expands and diversifies with the acquisition of new artifacts as they are recovered and restored.
The museum houses one of the most wide-ranging collections of shipwreck artifacts on the Delmarva Peninsula. There are thousands of items on display ranging from gold and silver bars, coins, weapons, china and items used aboard early day sailing ships. I could have spent a great deal of time just prowling about looking at the pieces of our early maritime history attractively displayed along with information about the object. Each of them has a story to tell — listen carefully!
Where is my shovel and metal detector when I need them?
How do we get there?
Leave Bethany Beach, turning south on Route 1 through South Bethany to Fenwick Island. We are looking for Sea Shell City, which will be on your right. The Discoveries From The Sea Museum is on the second floor of Sea Shell City, 708 Ocean Highway, in Fenwick Island. Admission is free. Call 539-9366 for details. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The distance is about 5 1/2 miles, and driving time, depending on traffic south, is 15 minutes.
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