The Ghost of Mel Fisher Looms: Treasure Hunting Season Hits High Gear
June 15, 2008
I love these stories of hunting the high seas for lost loot of centuries gone by…:-) There seems to be a few easy jokes to be made about a ship of fools or two, until you factor in the Mel Fisher find back a decade ago off of Key West - something to the tune of 400 million or so in gold bars and other interesting luscious loot.
Now - truth to be told - that's lunch money to me….or maybe I'd take a chance and get wet too, rather than updating this site with the adventurous spirit of others. You can read the full story at the link below:
"This is thought to be an untouched shipwreck. It could have $100 million on it. This spot, right here," Pope said. "The majority of the treasure from this fleet is still out there … Today's the day. We wake up every morning and repeat that."Florida's waters hold promise for people like Pope.In 1985, Fisher found what was said to be the richest booty ever at the time — more than $400 million worth of gold and silver bars the size of bread loaves, coins and emeralds from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha that sunk in 1622 off the Marquesas, about 30 miles west of Key West.
But discovering treasure is no easy task. It takes days of monotonous searching and often a bit of luck.Using historical records, satellites, metal detectors and magnetometers, Pope and others follow virtual bread crumb trails made up of ballast stones, pottery shards, cannon balls and anchors. The treasures could be anywhere.Last year, W. Keith Webb's Blue Water Ventures found more than 16,000 pearls in a lead box, gold bars and other artifacts from one of the 1622 Spanish ships in the Keys. The find was worth about $12 million.Recently, Webb's crew found a tiny gold toothpick and earwax spoon — worth about $100,000 — near the same wreck site."Finding this nice piece of jewelry on the most northern part of our search lets us know we're heading in the right direction," Webb said, adding that he's looking for up to $200 million worth of treasure.Captain Greg Bounds of Gold Hound LLC was aboard the boat when the pearls and other artifacts were discovered."I'll never forget it," Bounds said. "I understand now exactly what gold fever means."Bounds is currently searching a wreck site from the 1715 fleet near Vero Beach.
He says records indicate there's up to $900 million worth of coins from the fleet still out there, somewhere. "Maybe tomorrow we'll find a thousand gold coins. That's just the way it goes," Bounds said.While Spanish manifests detail cargo, there's no way to tell exactly how much treasure each vessel carried since many valuables were left off records to avoid taxes, said Ryan Wheeler, Florida's state archaeologist.
Treasure hunters head to sea for salvage season - Yahoo! News
Popularity: 26% [?]
The Chickens, the Hen & the Psychopath: Key West Nutjob Kills Defenseless Birds
June 14, 2008
Let's hope Key West's finest catch the crazy loon who thought stomping on some baby chickens was a good idea a few days ago…a story that has gotten a little bit of national attention. At least 9 of the little creatures died before this nut job got away…but apparently NOT before his face was spotted by at least one witness, and hopefully a few ATM cameras to boot. You can check out the story, and ongoing coverage at the link below:
KEY WEST — Animal activists are searching for a man they say was seen stomping on baby chickens and a hen in Key West.AdvertisementNo one knows who the man is or what his motive was.But the Florida Keys Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals hopes an ATM surveillance footage will help identify the suspect. One witness who was in the drive-through lane at the bank saw the attack and called 911.At least eight baby chickens and one hen were killed Tuesday afternoon.
Hunt on for Key West chicken stomper | floridatoday.com | FLORIDA TODAY
Tags: keywest
Popularity: 24% [?]
Treasure Island! Key West Shipwreck Yields Big Booty
June 2, 2008
Nice way to spend an afternoon…Chris Rackey of Blue Water Ventures racks up a nice piece of change on an afternoon dive. 
Check out the full story at the link below:
The late 16th or early 17th century grooming tool was located yesterday by Blue Water Ventures diver Chris Rackley as he searched the about 40 miles west of Key West. He says its value could exceed $100,000.The divers are searching for the shipwreck trail of the Spanish galleon Santa Margarita that sank in a 1622 hurricane. They have recovered ceramic pieces, spikes, ships' fittings, rigging elements and two skeleton keys.
Trinkets Recovered From Spanish Shipwreck Off Key West
Tags: keywest treasure
Popularity: 18% [?]
SPONSORS
ACROSS THE WEB
HEADLINES
- The Ghost of Mel Fisher Looms: Treasure Hunting Season Hits High Gear
- The Chickens, the Hen & the Psychopath: Key West Nutjob Kills Defenseless Birds
- A Special Sunset in the Florida Keys
- Treasure Island! Key West Shipwreck Yields Big Booty
- Key West Odds and Ends: Artists in Paradise
- Key West Hemingway Days 2008 Festival is Coming! July 15th-20th
- Odds & Ends
- Sun & Fun
- Key West Real Estate Prices Continue to Drop
- Pot for Teacher: KeysNews -Big Pine Teacher Busted with Big Blunt
