Underwater Excavation of PM's

Cloud, I most definitely concur that this is not cost effective, at this time nor will it likely be cost effective in the foreseeable future (foreseeable in the sense of most of our life times.) I'm not suggesting anyone invest a cent in this field precisely due to this factor. I certainly wouldn't put my own money there. :thumb:

I also know you like to bust chops on little points to deconstruct arguments , and when I suggested feasibility I would like to clarify that I was thinking beyond the future of our life times. It can be argued that that very long term future may not concern us since we will not be there to see this point through, but I simply do not close the door on the future of feasibility because of our current factors.

 

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Thats the problem with finding treasure in someone elses back yard
They always want a big chunk of it!! Or all of it:headbang:

 

The treasure was recovered in international waters with no ship wreck in site.
According to Spain the treasure was from one of their warships (mercedes I think) that was in a naval battle w/ a British war ship when the ammo magazine exploded scattering treasure on the ocean floor. Spain claims the treasure is from their warship. Of course they don't state they stole it from the Aztecs and the people from Peru. After they enslaved them and destroyed their culture.

 

If it was international waters, Why was the hearing held in
Spain? Seems a little self serving to me!

 

Peru did file a claim for the treasure in 2008.

Peru wants a piece of the Black Swan [illicit-cultural-property blog]

£254m Battle of the Black Swan [Guardian.co.uk]

 

It has to be held somewhere relevant but International Maritime Laws apply not only a biased Spainish, US or Peruvian court. There was also a case filed in Florida regarding the Black Swan. I'm sure every side of such a case want's to host the dispute in their home turf. Black Swan Controversy [Wiki]

 

The first two hearings were held in Tampa Fl and the disputed treasure is held in a secret location in the States. Last time I checked all of the hearings are Federal US court actions. (I haven't follwed the case in about a year so the treasure could've been moved off shore and recent court hearings could have been held in Spain) There are a mind numbing number of int'l treaties re: sunken treasure and it's only going to get worse.

Bye bye OMEX business model.

Meanwhile fishing trawlers are destroying ship wrecks shattered around the ocean floor.

 

Ok, If your looking for treasure why tell someone about it!! Seems thats
The problem, Keep it under wraps and no ones the wiser!

 

Odyssey were very secretive but the Spanish Coast Guard got suspicious and they were flying out buckets of coins on private jets from the area. They are also secretive due to high seas pirates. They mention as much of their efforts at initial secrecy at a given site for personal security in their documentary.

 

They shipped the coins to Gibraltar from there they were flown to the States.
Spain also arrested both Odyssey ships as they were leaving Gibraltar are different dates/times.

Talk about monumental stupidity on the first arrested ship Spain took a laptop computer containing information about the Mercedes wreck.

During the late 70's or early 80's I was drinking in a local downtown hotel bar when I noticed (at the time) an older guy three sheets to wind. It was Mel Fisher he was in town promoting his traveling exhibition of the Atochia (sp?) We talked about treasure hunting for a couple hours. Before I left him at the bar he gave me a free ticket to the exhibition. I never went. He was interesting guy. tryed many careers at one time he was a chicken farmer.

 

Cool story! I remember watching his diving /salvage films when I was younger. Fisher's discoveries are what first captivated my attention to shipwreck stories and probably why follow Odyssey news and films to this day...

Nuestra Señora de Atocha, 
Santa Margarita 
Spanish Galleons of 1622

 

I agree he was a very interesting guy. The night I met him he was wearing a very large piece of gold around his neck suspended by a very thick gold chain. I was fascinated by his TV shows as well. His recovery methods at the time left a lot to be desired. He invented a system that some how used boat prop wash to remove sand from the ocean floor kinda like a giant vacum cleaner. Tough on the environment and dangerous to be around. Some years ago my brother and I went to the Fisher museum in key West. Well worth the admission fee.

 

I went to the Mel Fisher Museum also, wish I had brought my camera with me to take some pictures. We also went to the Pirate Museum, it was a neat day. I also bought a 1783 silver 1/2 reale from a store called "Mel Fisher's Treasures", it was from the El Cazador wreck.

 

I don't remember the Pirate Museum. Was it a M. Fisher museum?

 

I vote for pearls.

 

No, just called the Pirate Museum I think, though I'm sure some of the stuff on display was brought up by Mel Fisher. Me and the family hit all the museums that day and I was just recalling my three highlights of it.