Large steel structure off Diamond
 

A friend was running side-scan by Diamond recently and caught some images he asked me to checkout, so I did.

While I see 3 dive flags on the Winni chart the location of this thing is not near them. In the area but not the same based on the chart.

Turns out to be a large 3 dimensional steel rectangular box-shaped I-beam structure, about 45 feet long, about 30 feet wide, about two stories high at its peak with large I-beams for the main frame with smaller I-beam cross-frames (similar to the way they frame office buildings); Large pipes sticking either straight up or at an angle in the water column, some snapped and hanging over but not detached. Perhaps a dozen or more 5x5x5 foot concrete blocks on each side of the vertical base beams into the lake bed. The beams didn't go into the blocks-the blocks boxed them in. Large steel cable remnants and other industrial stuff all over. Various structure hanging in the water column.

It sits on a slight slope (drops to 60+ feet quickly to the north) and I am guessing it had no floor that sat on the lakebed-instead the first horizontal decking was off the bottom on the crossbeams.

Likely related to the Navy of course.

You're getting closer...
 

Are the bungees cords and ropes still hanging from it? Just in and to the east is the old landing for the Mount and the Diamond House... Lots of good treasures there. Although, probably not your kind of treasures, china plates, glass wear and bottles. I have an intact dinner plate with "The Diamond House" embellished on it and a large clay crock with a brass spigot (I can just imagine the type of cold refreshing drinks this contraption served up).

Have you done any research on the Diamond House? It's a real eye opener... Who knew these kinds of nefarious deeds that went on out there?

Keep looking there's more and it’s your kind of treasure too.

Nice Tip Winni Divers...
 

From this site: Winnipesaukee.net

http://www.lakewinnipesaukee.net

"Diamond Island(37 acres) (In 1861 Diamond Island was home to The Diamond Island House, a hotel frequented by summer guests. The Mount Washington and the steamer Lady of the Lake docked at the island as part of their regular stops as a service to their lodgers. At one point it was rumored that the island supported a Brothel in which the patrons would arrive by train and take small boats to the island for the “illicit” entertainment. The hotel also hosted a restaurant and bowling alley and was later moved across the ice to the Weirs and became part of the Hotel Weirs which was destroyed by fire in 1924. During World War II the United States Navy operated a test sight for remote controlled submarines off the north western side of the island. Off the south side of the island remains a US Navy sound test laboratory and is a popular dive site. Today, Diamond Island is home to many summer residents in private cottages and homes. The islands convienient location to the mainland makes it a popular spot.once the site of a large hotel known as the Diamond Island House. In 1865, it became the property of the Winnipisseogee Lake Steamboat Company) "

And more here: Lake Winnipesaukee Historical Society

http://www.lwhs.us/gilford/diamondisland.htm

And from Bruce Heald's Book "Lake Winnipesaukee" (Google Books search)

http://books.google.com/books?id=ZRt...page&q&f=false

Interesting Stuff!

So -- where was the Diamond Island House located on the island, relative to the Navy dive site? Interesting to see that the Mount and Lady both stopped there.

Don't you have any books on old junk on the lake?
 

Basically the Hotel was top dead center on the island. The landing (still visible) is on the north-west end of the island with a long winding road/drive/walkway to the house.

If you know the spot where Erica tried to land here boat the "Large Steel Structure is just out there, in about 25' of water. Follow the shoreline clock wise to the "Broads" side of the island and you'll find the remains of the old landing. Back out from there to 25'-35' of water and begin your search, it won't take long to start showing "color", as they say in the treasure hunting business. Remember, the artifacts are not just laying on the surface of the bottom... You have to put some effort into finding them.

Once you had your fill of rooting in the mud (my favorite part of the dive), head over between Diamond and Rattlesnake about half way and if you're real lucky you'll find what I'm talking about. Here are some hints: it's 30-35' long, 12' wide, it's steel, its gray (was) and has a wheel.

BTW: It's cold, dark and deep there... No place for the wimps...

Diamond Island
 

From Google Earth.

I took the co-ordinates from Diver1111 last sonar image.

Attachment 3974

Large steel structure
 

Winnipesaukee Divers-I didn't notice any bungees but I think I saw ropes; Plus assorted shackles, pieces of steel cable maybe 1" in diameter among other things.

I like bottles, crocks, inkwells etc. and have found them on more than one occasion in Winni. The landing at Diamond I checked out maybe 5 years ago-think it had large pilings facing the west with massive boulders as ballast and to lend strength to the pier-just south of Empty Pockets. I have read alot about Diamond-a very interesting place.

Methinks from the description it would be roughly ENE of Empty Pockets, but definitely not south...more on the Broads side?

Give a wave
 

Grant, talk to Brad. We were there Sunday.

Also, I tried to give you a wave the other day, but I think you had too many distractions in the vehicle with you.

Heading there tomorrow.

Which vehicle & where?

Cool dive. We did 70 minutes there on Friday morning. There's a marker on it, and it doesn't appear to be a very new one. The structure is very fragile, so divers should refrain from touching it -- even lightly. Many discarded lengths of 2-inch rubber hose, tied off with nylon rope, which appear to have been used to secure floats at one point. Someone on the island likes knocking golf balls in that direction. Those concrete blocks are large -- and there about 20 of them. Wonder if they were poured on the island and dumped or brought in from mainland. Nothing to note for quite a distance on either side running parallel to the island shore @ 20-40 ffw.

Grant, what size of a fish population did it have on it, if any?

Some nice smallies. And a nice collection of lures and line snagged all over the thing.