Hunting the 1715 Plate Fleet

aquanut Topic starter

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I have 18x24 signed Giclee Stretched Canvas prints are available for $200 each. The entire set will go for $700. This is the demise of the 1715 Spanish Plate (silver) Fleet in a Hurricane and has been two years in the making. I hope you like it. This didn
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Fisher Impulse, Tesoro Tiger Shark

	Re: Hunting the 1715 Plate Fleet « Reply #40 on: March 18, 2009, 08:42:28 pm »

JCP,
The one in the middle is Art. I just wish I was as handsome as one of the other guys! Unfortunately the word on both of them is that they have both joined Mel Fisher and Art McKee in that place where all the treasure locations are known. I knew Mel , but never met Art, though I've been associated with a few treasure hunters who were friends of his. All spoke well of him and I understand he left us long before his time should have been up.
Respectfully,
Aquanut

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JCPinCt

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	Re: Hunting the 1715 Plate Fleet « Reply #41 on: March 20, 2009, 05:48:43 pm »

I think he died too soon too, was a shame, but at least he lived a dream most will never live. He was lucky he got into it before all the state garbage came up. Of course he had his problem with claim jumpers for some time. I spent some time on the Chavez wreck which was only in about 8 feet of water, and I still have some pieces of stuff incased in coral from those days. Nothing good though, just old iron hardware or fittings. I never did get the spot right where he told me to find the Capitana. I must have went over it and just couldn't see it. It was around 20 feet deep and blended too well with the bottom, or I just didn't get right over it. I was alone the whole time and looking at the bottom from a moving boat with goggles, it was getting me sea sick so I had to quit after about a half hour. Tongue

I had fun anyway, except for, I got sunburned so bad that my nose had a white coating like plastic on it, and I couldn't wear long pants or a shirt for days. I loved every minute of it though.

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	Re: Hunting the 1715 Plate Fleet « Reply #42 on: March 20, 2009, 06:05:19 pm »

I was married to a Irish lady at the time.

They used my house as a permanent stop over to Disney world.

My spare bed room had some one in it most of the year.

I told em all not to stay out more them 15 to 30 minutes on the beach.

Haaa! They all got toasted and spent most of there time in the house chilling.

What a Hooot!

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aquanut Topic starter

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	Re: Hunting the 1715 Plate Fleet « Reply #43 on: March 20, 2009, 09:54:44 pm »

JC,
From what I read in 'Diving to a Flash of Gold" ( the author's name escapes me at this particular Captain Morgan moment) along with the pictures, even experienced treasure divers would have swum right over the site of the Capitana. It was buried under the sand with a heavy growth of grass on top. Art described an incident where, when he was using an airlift and digging under the grass, he had a cave-in.(Not a happy thing). So I'm not surprised it slipped by you when you looked for it.
Aquanut

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JCPinCt

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	Re: Hunting the 1715 Plate Fleet « Reply #44 on: March 21, 2009, 06:18:45 am »

That is all I saw, sea grass and coral, so I probably went right over it. I was only a 20 year old kid at the time and really didn't know much about what to look for except cannons and ballast stones, and there were none showing on that wreck, Chavez had plenty of ballast stones showing and some cannons were still on it. I had my first incounter with a Moray eel there, I was swimming close to a reef and when I went around a corner I was about a foot away from one and face to face. I backed up real slow and so didn't he. I didn't do any idiot moves like that anymore. I had brought a 15 HP outboard motor with me, and rented a 16 foot boat and that was me the treasure diver, fully equipped. Cheesy

Oh, I had some scuba tanks too, but when I was out of air, that was it for them. I was able (back in them days) to hold my breath for about 2 1/2 minutes, that helped. I sometimes wish that I had gone back after the Army life, but the call of love and building street rods had me pretty occupied for too many years. I think a shark would have eventually ate me anyway, or took a good bite and spit me out. I had a knack for finding things out the hard way. On that same trip I got stung by a Portugese Man of War jelly fish, down on one of the lower keys (Boca Chia I think) while searching for conch shells, I stepped over a tenacle stretching way out in ankle deep water and when I put my foot down, I saw another 2 just behind my ankle, a little wave hit them and I got hit in the back of my ankle. I must have run across 50 ft of water before I touched the bottom again. I was shaking and rattled like when you get a electrical shock. I used a shell to scrape the tentacles off, burned like hell and swelled up my ankle to 3 times its size. I kind of felt after that that I wasn't too likely to come away from treasure diving with good health. Years later in Port Aransas, Texas, I saw a young girl and a young guy get hit across their chests and arms with a Man Of Wars tentacles, they both had to be rescued and almost drowned, they went to the hospital. I imagine you have some simular stories.

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	Re: Hunting the 1715 Plate Fleet « Reply #45 on: March 28, 2009, 04:11:36 pm »

I would like to hear all about your experiences. I went through commercial diving school years ago when Harbor Branch at Fort Pierce still had a commercial school. I remember seeing a treasure boat come into the docks at Fort Pierce on several occassions, I believe that it belonged to Molinar. I was young, no money, just a few clothes, trying to get through school to land my first job, starving. I wanted to hunt for the wrecks off Fort Pierce beach but no time. So I would like to hear what you have experienced. I now have the funds and resources to TH in Florida.

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Cornelius

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	Re: Hunting the 1715 Plate Fleet « Reply #46 on: March 28, 2009, 04:35:39 pm »

Captain be extremely carefull with investing any money in a venture . Because of what you wrote in your post the vulchers will be upon you Devil

. Do some homework first and read up on the treasure fleets . Besides it will take a permit to dive on a wreck in Florida . Consider yourself warned . Get to know the people that approach you before believing their stories . I have been there and went through the whole thing . Regards Cornelius

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	Re: Hunting the 1715 Plate Fleet « Reply #47 on: March 28, 2009, 04:57:27 pm »

Thanks for your concern. Believe me, after working around the waterfront in five states over 30 years, I have heard every story, lie, gamble, proposal, etc. You know the picture....third drink in a waterfront bar and there goes all your info to the guy that bought the most rounds. My funding would be for my own operation with my own people and small scale. I thought about my home state of NC but here the sand is too deep without the limestone and coral like in FL waters. I hear stories from time to time about some group that claims to have "found" a treasure galleon here but you know the rest of the story..... Safe hunting to you.

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Cornelius

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	Re: Hunting the 1715 Plate Fleet « Reply #48 on: March 28, 2009, 05:06:09 pm »

Captain forget about Florida . The SC coast is far more important now-adays .The coasts of Northern Florida and Southern SC are the spots to investigate right now . I wish you all the fair wind you are going to need . Cornelius

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Christian

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	Re: Hunting the 1715 Plate Fleet « Reply #49 on: March 31, 2009, 01:21:56 am »

Hello Captain,

I think Cornelius gave you the key advice. Please keep us posted about your ventures!

Best wishes,

Christian

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