. . Some of you may have had the opportunity to see Mel Fisher’s treasure divers at work, so perhaps you have an idea of what a portion of their day is like, but for the rest of you let me give you a first-hand account of what a day in the life of a treasure hunter is like. I just came back in from a seven-day trip, spending time on both M/V Dauntless and the M/V Magruder that are currently working the Atocha site. (How am I fortunate enough to get to do this? Well, maybe it’s because I’ve been “Grandmothered” into the ‘system.’ I’ve been an active, working investor since 1996, and I hopefully know the boat routine well enough to be able to help when needed and to stay out of the way at other times. Maybe its because some say I have brought a fair share of good luck to the boats, or it could be just the privilege of being one of the “Golden Girls.” Whatever the reason, I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity of being able to work with these great guys.)

. .I want to tell you about the Dauntless crew (Capt. Mike, Jack, Jim and Joe) and the Magruder crew (Capt. Andy, Jeff, Dave, John and Matt) and what their working days are like. The engines start promptly every morning at 7 am. This is the sign for the crew to jump in the whaler/skiff and run out the stern anchors and then return to the boat to lower the mailboxes and begin blowing the first hole of the day. Three anchors (one bow and two stern – port and starboard sides) are used to hold the boat securely in place while the engines are cranked up. Water is than forced down through the propellers and down the mailboxes to clear away the sand and mud below, leaving the heavier artifacts exposed on the hard ocean floor. It takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half to “dig a hole,” depending on the depth of the sand. So there is usually time for the guys to grab a quick bite of breakfast before the first dive of the day. The moment the engines stop and the captain gives the okay, two divers are in the water, racing to the bottom hopefully to be the first to see that elusive gold bar or sword that might be lying in the middle of the hole. A methodical search than begins. One diver takes a metal detector and thoroughly covers the bottom of the hole and the sides of the berm. The other diver does a visual search of the hole and helps move rocks and tear down the bottom edge of the berm for one final swoop with the detector. (A typical hole is anywhere from 20-50 feet in diameter and look like a big crater with sand, shell or rock sides (the “berm”) which can be as high as 12-15 feet. It takes anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to search each hole, depending on its size and whether or not any metal detector “hits” have to be dug out of the berm.

. .As soon as the divers are out of the water, the captain gives the orders to either winch in or slacken the anchor lines in order to reposition the boat for the next hole. An extremely accurate GPS plotting system is used and holes are positioned to slightly overlap each other so that every inch of the bottom will be covered. Throughout the day, the procedure is then repeated, with teams of divers working in a dive rotation. While the holes are being dug, the divers have other duties such as filling air tanks, checking engines, cleaning bilges, splicing lines, and a host of other things to insure that the boats stay clean and in good working order. The crew often has to deal with very strong currents, rough seas, occasional storms, and also performing their duties on a rolling deck calls for extra caution to prevent injuries. Divers prepare their own lunches each day and take turns cooking dinner for the rest of the crew at night. If all chores are done, there may be an occasional few minutes to do some reading between dives, but overall, these guys work extremely hard and are kept very busy from sunrise until well after sunset each day. Dinner is generally eaten after the sun has dropped below the horizon, and by 10 pm most of the guys are in bed and on their way to a well-deserved night’s sleep with dreams of treasure.

. .Trips at sea can last 2 1/2 weeks or more, depending on weather and how long the food supply, water and fuel hold out. Days can get long, and sometimes divers can dive in many holes without finding anything. It can be difficult living in such close quarters for days at a time with the different personalities of the crew members. Occasionally tempers may flare, but since 30+ miles is a long swim back to Key West, these spats generally end as quickly as they began, and overall, the divers get along with each other very well. One thing that helps keep everyone together is the common goal that they all share. Just when spirits may be getting very low, a diver will come up the dive ladder and scream, “Gold! I found gold!” It could be several silver coins, or an arquebus (a Spanish rifle) or some other unique and interesting artifact, but whatever it is, spirits soar and the next dive team can’t wait to get in the water; they’re back on the trail!

. .When the boats come in to port after a long trip, the guys typically have two days off, and then they’re right back to work – doing necessary repairs and maintenance, buying groceries and supplies and then heading back out to sea – to find more treasure! It’s hard work – very hard work – and I respect, admire, and appreciate the captains and crew more than I can adequately express. I hope the next time you are in Key West and have a chance to meet one of our “Front-line Troops” that you’ll give them a pat on the back and a thank you for a job well done.