Nova Scotia’s waters are not only filled with marine life, but also with artifacts and treasures waiting to be discovered. One diver has taken it upon himself to find what lies beneath.
Bob Chaulk has recovered thousands of artifacts from the floor of the Halifax Harbour. From artillery to cannon balls and bottles, each piece has its own story.
“Things in our society in general, a lot of it is told in just bottles,” says Chaulk. “Some of these things have not been seen for a couple hundred years and I got em.”
Chaulk started scuba diving as a hobby 25 years ago. He says looking for lobsters became boring after two dives, so he and his friends started searching for artifacts instead.
One of his most interesting finds is a bottle of ginger ale from 1871, with the soda still inside. However, his collection dates back even further.
“The oldest in my collection, this is H.W. Glen Danning, Glen Danning started bottling in 1836 and he’s the first Nova Scotian to bottle pop. He’s actually in Dartmouth,” says Chaulk.
Chaulk has discovered cars, ships and even ammunition left over from the Second World War during his dives.
“It would be unarmed, so I guess it is not dangerous,” says Chaulk. “It has been there for 50, 60, or 70 years and I guess it’ll stay there.”
Chaulk’s basement has become a sort of museum. Each artifact is meticulously catalogued, researched and organized.
Having recovered thousands of artifacts, Chaulk says it is difficult for him to choose a favourite, but it is the personal items he likes best, such as his collection of 200-year-old pipes. His most valuable bottle has a price tag of $2,000.
The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic has divers like Chaulk to thank for bringing some of their exhibits together.
“If it wasn’t for the dedicated diving community, who have the skill and techniques to go in 80 feet of water, 200 feet of water, we wouldn’t see these items,” says Derek Harrison of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.
Chaulk says eventually he would like to open an exhibit for the public, but for now, his treasures from the ocean will be treasured in his home.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Sarah Plowman
