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Treasure from Spanish ships sunk in 1715 still in sight For most treasure hunters, 2006 was a so-so season, but it was one of the best in 35 years for Jeff Milne of Sebastian.
"On Aug. 11, one of our divers, Sean Duncan, found a one-and-a-half pound gold bar with tax stamps and markings valued at $20,000 to $25,000," Milne said.
The 61-year-old has been seeking treasure since 1971, driving from his home in Illinois to the Treasure Coast each summer, until he moved to Sebastian seven years ago.
The find was by the Corrigan's Wreck, south of Wabasso Beach, in Indian River County. While $25,000 sounds like a lot of treasure, it's relative compared with costs associated with the hunt.
"It costs you $20,000 a season to go find nothing some years," Milne said.
Still, salvagers say millions of dollars in loot waits to be recovered from the 1715 fleet of Spanish ships that sank during a fierce storm between Fort Pierce and Cape Canaveral nearly 300 years ago. Each year since 1963, when there was a major find, salvagers have found enough booty to keep interest high -- although finds lately have been rarer than mermaid sightings.
"I guess all the treasure will stay right where it is," state archeologist Ryan Wheeler said.
Still, there is plenty to stoke that gold fever: the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, documentaries about treasure hunting, traveling exhibitions and news media reports of treasure finds.
Milne's 100-foot boat, New World Legacy, also brought up copper coins, pottery shards, grenades, a whalebone eardrum and what are believed to be prehistoric stone tools. "We thought they were ballast stones, but the conservator thinks they're tools. So collectively, we found a little bit of everything this season."
Divers from other ships found gold rings, coins, a bronze cross, pottery shards, an anchor, cannon balls, ship rigging and other artifacts, said Taffi Fisher-Abt, manager of the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum in Sebastian.
Another hunter, Greg Bounds of Sebastian, found a gold-banded ring, a silver fork, a silver buckle and 20 or 30 silver coins.
"No gold coins this year," he said.
Ed Perry of the McLarty Treasure Museum hasn't seen any of this season's loot. Many divers, especially those who work the wreckage behind the museum, routinely show their finds.
"There were a few good days when there were as many as six or seven boats at a time behind the museum," he said.
At least one ship believed to be from the 1715 fleet remains offshore from the museum, and visitors to the museum can watch divers.
After the hurricanes of 2004, seasons have been less productive for divers. But in the days after the storms, coins and jewelry valued at $500,000 were recovered by beachcombers with metal detectors.
But beach restoration projects after the hurricanes have left these seekers with few finds.
The diving season generally runs from about May 1 to Oct. 1. This season had a late start because of a late "cleaning" cycle in the ocean that kept visibility low, several contractors reported in May.
Most contractors already have ended the season. But some, like Milne, search year-round on calm days, preferably with westerly winds.
"That improves visibility from 1 to 2 feet to 10 to 15 feet," Milne said.
Abt, daughter of the late famed treasure hunter Mel Fisher, said there were few clear, calm-water days this season. She said a hurricane warning in August ended the season for many.
This year, 14 subcontractors worked a total of 292 days. In 2005, 27 subcontractors worked 308 days, Abt said.
In 2005, half as many subcontractors found three times as many artifacts. In 2005, only 520 artifacts were recovered and 74 of them were turned over to the state, which is entitled to 20 percent of what is found. That's because the state owns the offshore waters where they were found, and strictly oversees contractors.
"The state took a piece of a gold rosary, a silver jewelry box top, an intact silver fork, a sword pommel, an ornate candlestick, silver cross, bottles, a silver coin, iron tolls, a grinding stone, copper buckle, part of a gold flower chain, musket ball, clay pipe stem, copper coins, and other items," Abt said.
The rest, she said, went into museums or were sold.
Since 1963, she said, Mel Fisher operations have provided more than 38,000 artifacts to the state under its "take" program.
State archaeologist Wheeler said items found locally are included in a Plate Fleet shipwreck display at the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee, at the McLarty Museum near Sebastian Inlet and in the St. Lucie County Museum.
"We are interested in ensuring that the public can view and enjoy these items," he said.
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"On Aug. 11, one of our divers, Sean Duncan, found a one-and-a-half pound gold bar with tax stamps and markings valued at $20,000 to $25,000," Milne said.
The 61-year-old has been seeking treasure since 1971, driving from his home in Illinois to the Treasure Coast each summer, until he moved to Sebastian seven years ago.
The find was by the Corrigan's Wreck, south of Wabasso Beach, in Indian River County. While $25,000 sounds like a lot of treasure, it's relative compared with costs associated with the hunt.
"It costs you $20,000 a season to go find nothing some years," Milne said.
Still, salvagers say millions of dollars in loot waits to be recovered from the 1715 fleet of Spanish ships that sank during a fierce storm between Fort Pierce and Cape Canaveral nearly 300 years ago. Each year since 1963, when there was a major find, salvagers have found enough booty to keep interest high -- although finds lately have been rarer than mermaid sightings.
"I guess all the treasure will stay right where it is," state archeologist Ryan Wheeler said.
Still, there is plenty to stoke that gold fever: the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, documentaries about treasure hunting, traveling exhibitions and news media reports of treasure finds.
Milne's 100-foot boat, New World Legacy, also brought up copper coins, pottery shards, grenades, a whalebone eardrum and what are believed to be prehistoric stone tools. "We thought they were ballast stones, but the conservator thinks they're tools. So collectively, we found a little bit of everything this season."
Divers from other ships found gold rings, coins, a bronze cross, pottery shards, an anchor, cannon balls, ship rigging and other artifacts, said Taffi Fisher-Abt, manager of the Mel Fisher Treasure Museum in Sebastian.
Another hunter, Greg Bounds of Sebastian, found a gold-banded ring, a silver fork, a silver buckle and 20 or 30 silver coins.
"No gold coins this year," he said.
Ed Perry of the McLarty Treasure Museum hasn't seen any of this season's loot. Many divers, especially those who work the wreckage behind the museum, routinely show their finds.
"There were a few good days when there were as many as six or seven boats at a time behind the museum," he said.
At least one ship believed to be from the 1715 fleet remains offshore from the museum, and visitors to the museum can watch divers.
After the hurricanes of 2004, seasons have been less productive for divers. But in the days after the storms, coins and jewelry valued at $500,000 were recovered by beachcombers with metal detectors.
But beach restoration projects after the hurricanes have left these seekers with few finds.
The diving season generally runs from about May 1 to Oct. 1. This season had a late start because of a late "cleaning" cycle in the ocean that kept visibility low, several contractors reported in May.
Most contractors already have ended the season. But some, like Milne, search year-round on calm days, preferably with westerly winds.
"That improves visibility from 1 to 2 feet to 10 to 15 feet," Milne said.
Abt, daughter of the late famed treasure hunter Mel Fisher, said there were few clear, calm-water days this season. She said a hurricane warning in August ended the season for many.
This year, 14 subcontractors worked a total of 292 days. In 2005, 27 subcontractors worked 308 days, Abt said.
In 2005, half as many subcontractors found three times as many artifacts. In 2005, only 520 artifacts were recovered and 74 of them were turned over to the state, which is entitled to 20 percent of what is found. That's because the state owns the offshore waters where they were found, and strictly oversees contractors.
"The state took a piece of a gold rosary, a silver jewelry box top, an intact silver fork, a sword pommel, an ornate candlestick, silver cross, bottles, a silver coin, iron tolls, a grinding stone, copper buckle, part of a gold flower chain, musket ball, clay pipe stem, copper coins, and other items," Abt said.
The rest, she said, went into museums or were sold.
Since 1963, she said, Mel Fisher operations have provided more than 38,000 artifacts to the state under its "take" program.
State archaeologist Wheeler said items found locally are included in a Plate Fleet shipwreck display at the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee, at the McLarty Museum near Sebastian Inlet and in the St. Lucie County Museum.
"We are interested in ensuring that the public can view and enjoy these items," he said.
http://tinyurl.com/yknntg
_________________
