Florida divers find new treasure from famed wreck” is an interesting article written by Michael Haskins about a “Ring” and two “Silver Spoons” found from the sea in Key West, Florida. Michael says the large emerald ring and two silver spoons believed to come from Nuestra Senora de Atocha, a shipwrecked Spanish galleon that has already yielded one of the greatest treasures ever recovered from the sea. Michael also says that, “Employees of Mel Fisher's Treasure, the salvage company that has worked the shipwreck site since 1969, believe the latest haul signals they are close to finding the sterncastle, a key missing portion of the ship.” According to the article "The sterncastle is where the clergy and elite were with their personal items," said Sean Fisher, spokesman for the family business and grandson of its late founder, Mel Fisher. The Atocha was headed back to Spain with a load of gold and silver from the New World when it sank and broke up in a hurricane not far from Key West in September 1622, the author says. He also says, “After a 16-year-search, Mel Fisher and his crew found the "mother lode" of the shipwreck in September 1985. They hauled up more than 40 [tons] of gold and silver, including more than 100,000 Spanish silver coins known as "Pieces of Eight," along with Colombian emeralds and other artifacts. The company estimated its worth at nearly $500 million.” Michael says, “Since then, Sean Fisher said the crew has made many other discoveries within a ten-mile (16-km) spread of the original site, and in a straight line.” According to the article Sean Fisher said, "This tells us we are moving in the right direction," and "We have virgin territory around our search area and will be in there next." After the original wreck, currents and additional hurricanes moved the broken parts around, according to the articles. Therefore, Sean Fisher said, "It broke in two and then banged around for hundreds of years and that is why what we are finding is scattered". The ring initially valued at $500,000 according to the article. Tim Meade is the diver who came up with the large square emerald mounted in a gold ring, two silver spoons and other artifacts on June 23, when he was on the company's salvage ship JB Magruder, according to the article. Unlike the gold ring, the other items are encrusted and a value can't be placed on them at this time, the article said. "I think one item is a hinge and another is a lid, so it's possibly pieces from a jewelry box," Fisher said. The author says that Fisher has a copy of the Atocha's manifest and going by it, he expects to find at least 100,000 coins, 400 silver bars and personal jewelry at the sterncastle location. Fisher says, “We have already found more gold than is on the manifest," he said with a smile. He also says, "There was a lot of smuggling so the clergy and nobility wouldn't have to pay the king's tax. We expect there will be many items around the sterncastle that are not on the manifest." Then Fisher described the thrill of seeing and touching the treasure, and being the first person to do so in almost 400 years. Fisher says, "I was 15 when I found my first silver," and "I was 17 when I first found gold. Silver is great, but gold shines, even after more than 300 years in the water." According to the author Fisher said, “The dive for treasure is a group effort. Two divers search the selected area at a time, while other crew members stay on deck. The whole crew participates and when the value of the search is determined, bonuses are given out.” Fisher said 90 percent of treasure hunting involved finding out where the treasure isn't, according to the author. Fisher said, "Technology has helped us above the water," but "Below the water our search hasn't changed much over the years." Michael says, “The company uses "mailboxes," large round tubes on the stern of the salvage ship that force air below the waterline to blow away the top layer of debris and sand on the bottom.” Michael also tells us that, “The Magruder pulled into its slip at Safe Harbor Marina, outside Key West, last Thursday after discovering the ring and other artifacts about 35 miles away.” At the end the author says that, each ship has a crew of six or eight and stays out about 10 days at a time, weather permitting.
Link to the Article: http://news.yahoo.com/florida-divers-treasure-famed-wreck-151015129.html
