1 day annual event MDing the waters on the Gold Coast

[JvilleHunter]

1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

Considering how much wealth the Fisher group has acquired over the years from the treasures scattered along Florida's East coast, was curious to know if they give to any charitable contributions to any organization? Well, was thinking of a very intersting way that maybe they could give or even give more and having fun doing it.
Let's say that for just one day a year they allowed MD'ing in all the waters that they have rights to. Just along the shores....nothing more than say chest deep water. Each participant would pay a registration fee of say $200 for 8 hours of detecting. All finds have to be recorded and documented...and....you could keep what you find! Was curious to know from all the experts in here if this sounds interesting. All proceeds would go to a specified charitable organization. Was curious to know if anyone in here would pay a registration fee of $200 or whatever to finally have an opportunity to actually find something! Yours thoughts..........

 

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[rgecy]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

JvilleHunter,

Thats a very interesting concept and would certainly attract a huge drawing of people. I would certainly pay my money. But here's the catch! Anything beyond the mean low water line is in state waters and the state of Florida owns the rights to all submerged cultural resources. The Fishers have to document each find and report to the state on what has been found. The state of course takes it's 20% and the remainder comes back to the Fisher's for division to the sub-contrcators.

So basically what I am saying is, the State of Florida will have something to say in this particular situation that would certainly complicate it!

But don't give up on the idea. I think it would still be worth a letter to Taffi Fisher-Abt.

The State may turn their head for this one day event, but my guess is they would say it would open the door for law breakers and they(the law breakers) would have a valid argument against the State if it went to court or something.

You know as I am sitting here typing this, I am thinking, why couldn't all the participants just be considered sub-contractors for a day. Like you said, everything could be recorded and documented. My guess at $200 a head, they could very easily raise $20-30k just from something like this.

Get the State to waive its 20% cut for charity! This could be doable! All thats left is for you to get the ball rolling!

Good Luck,

Robert in SC

 

[ScubaFinder]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

That's an interesting thought, I'm sure there are many who would pay to hunt in the shallows. I do happen to know that the Fishers donate Atocha coins for certain charity auctions...I was there when a friend of mine paid $1,500 for a 4 reale with cert. This was a benefit auction for a childrens hospital right here in Texas. I think that is the type of charity you will see from them, they have more treasure than they could ever sell. It works too, this guy from Texas is a diver and a shipwreck hound and would have probably paid twice that for it, to him it's worth a million dollars.

The only problem with your plan is, what if somebody finds the stern castle just of shore I think it's a cool idea, but I doubt you will ever see it happen. Too hard to control, and the state would likely never go for it either. Sub-contracts aren't THAT much money, and they allow you to work all year, anywhere you want. Maybe you could come dive with my group, pay us $200 and we'd donate it to the "Fill Our Diesel Tank Foundation".

Jason

 

[Peg Leg]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

I have sent several emails to the Fisher Group asking for information concerning SUB-CONTRACTING as to the cost for one year and YET have received NO ASNWER-WHAT IS THE PROBLEM.
I have access to a boat, and all the devices required.
Maybe I sent the message to the wrong place but I don't think so.
Does anyone have the correct email address and I will try again.
Thanks
Peg Leg

 

[Chagy]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

Peg,

Its 1,200.00 for a one year......you can go to Mel's museum in Sebastian and talk to Taffi she is usually there during the week except on Fridays...

All the best,

Chagy.......

 

[JvilleHunter]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

The only problem with your plan is, what if somebody finds the stern castle just of shore I think it's a cool idea, but I doubt you will ever see it happen. Too hard to control, and the state would likely never go for it either. Sub-contracts aren't THAT much money, and they allow you to work all year, anywhere you want. Maybe you could come dive with my group, pay us $200 and we'd donate it to the "Fill Our Diesel Tank Foundation".

The state could place provisions on certain artifacts found and make stipulations that they would have the option to keep the most unique item in the days finds and giving full credit and recognition to the person who found it....that would be fine and understandable. As far as controling it, I'm thinking maybe have say 7-9 monitored locations along the coast from Ft. Pierce to Sebastian that would consist of say no more than 50-100 people per location? A booth set up at each location for all hunters to bring their finds back to and to be documented. Just thinking out of the box here....trying to stir up the waters on the shoreline..

Jason, you made mention of subcontracting for $1200 a year.....true but not everyone is interested in going on a boat or diving for that matter. But im sure there are 100's and possibly 1000's of people all over the country who would love the chance to wade the golden waters of east coast Florida. Remember, this event would be for those who just want the chance to explore the shores...not buy a lease for all year. Anyone's thoughts?

 

[mad4wrecks]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

Water hunting in chest deep water will not give you any more advantages than hunting on the beach. Most of the area from the beach out to the 1st reef, is deep sand, much too deep for even the best metal detectors to find anything.

That is the problem facing many of the treasure salvors...how to get in to this shallow area and move the deep sand down to bedrock. Weather, vessel size and equipment all play in to this dilemma.

The contract with the Mel Fisher Center (even for a one day, shallow water hunting event!) requires the use of DGPS so that the exact location of every recovered artifact is recorded, you must keep detailed log sheets,even digging holes in their contract area (under water) with a sand scoop requires you to sign an Army Corps dredge and fill permit, as you are digging on submerged state bottom lands. (and there is reef, fish habitat, marine life in this zone that cannot be disturbed)

So I really don't see any advantage to the Mel Fisher Center in allowing an all out shallow water hunt, even at $200 a pop! Sounds like a big 'cluster F' to me.

If you want to find treasure, hunt the beaches after nor'easters and hurricanes or whenever the dunes are cut and black sand is showing......or get a subcontract.

My 2 cents

 

[Skimmer]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the TREASURE Coast

JJVilleHunter and Gdaddyflex
First off, can I please point out that this is the TREASURE Coast. A pet peeve of mine....People ask me regularly where I found the 8 that I wear 'round me neck.
I ask 'em....Do you know where you live Anyway...
Gold coast...jeeeze.
Gdaddy: Did you miss, somehow, the finds MO madein the 80's in chest deep water in "the trench" along the cabin site?? Look it up, spectacular. Also, I'd llike to point out the find my friend Capt Jon and Clyde Kuntz made in the same area IN CHEST DEEP WATER in 2002....you remember, ornate gold box, itself a spectacular treasure, containing a long beautiful gold chain, an emerald studded cross, and two way cool emerald rings? I was working just offshore of them on Goldhound...I heard em screaming GOLD!!!!
Anyway, to the point. Many of us working the 1715 fleet just WAIT for days that will let us back in to shallow
areas inside the breaker line, Corrigans and Cabin are a
great place to be on those days. I can remember once in 2000 when we had 4 days of flat calm seas and on the Endeavor we dug so far back into the beach at Corrigans that a couple kids were playing frisbee across our stern, no kiddin. We found a large perfectly preserved deadeye
that day.
As for the idea of having a moratorium, even for one day on searching below the low tide line, my personal take is no way. Granted, the charity aspect is virtuous,
and I applaud it. But, as far as convincing the state of FL to buy into it....ain't gonna happen. Rethink the charity take and I'll be the first one to sign up, beach finds, whatever, but expecting your average Joe to carry a gold box full of gold and emeralds to the "booth on the beach" and turn it in....well....unlikely in my opinion to happen.

 

[mad4wrecks]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

Skimmer, the original premise was to grant a bunch of beachcombers a day metal detecting in chest deep water. I stand by my original reply that the chances of them finding anything from the beach to the first reef are minimal, using a metal detector and a sand scoop. Thus, I also stand by my conclusion: if you want to find treasure, hit the beaches at the right time, or become a subcontractor.

You know Taffi would never go for a just one day a year they allowed MD'ing in all the waters that they have rights to. Just along the shores....nothing more than say chest deep water as Jvillehunter posted. Your $200 would be better spent towards a down payment on a coin in the gift shop!

You also re-confirmed something else I wrote: ...how to get in to this shallow area and move the deep sand down to bedrock. Weather, vessel size and equipment all play in to this dilemma

I didn't say it was impossible, I didn't say it couldn't be done, I said it is difficult if weather doesn't cooperate, if the seas are rough (that is the surf zone after all) and the vessel is too large to safely get in there. The chances we have to do this are few and far between.

Did I forget Mo's finds? Are you kidding? I was around then man!
http://www.hrd1715.com/gallerynf.html
Nice name dropping by the way.

 

[Skimmer]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

Hi gdaddy-...thanks for the ? "name dropping" sideways compliment. Yes the chances of ANYONE of us finding anything of value in the chest deep area of the treasure coast are, on any given day, slim to none, I agree. But we do it. And the gold box and contents were found just free swimming, in the surf line, concreted (cemented?) to
a patchy reef in chest deep water. Capt Jon's small boat was anchored just outside the breakers that day (uh-oh...there I go dropping names again...) and he and Clyde were just prospecting, no blowing holes, just detecting.
A fabulous treasure find, with a detector only, in the
surf area, where as you claim "you were there" , so you
should know. I'm just saying, that as much as I admire the "for charity aspect" of this proposition to allow everyone to legally search these welldocumented, and therefore easily found areas, I have to say I hope not.

 

[mad4wrecks]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

Uh oh, you did it now Skimmer...I was just trying to keep all of the pirates out of that area! shhhh!



I have been chasing off beach divers for years. We finally caught ole Bill E. in the act on our exploration lease and had him arrested.

By the way, you forgot to mention the best "bird dogger" in the business in my opinion, Chris James. Chris found the gold and diamond Venera jewelry pieces in 1993 at the Cabin wreck while reef roaming, using a very old Garrett VLF underwater detector (this was before the Seahunter was made into a pulse unit)

 

[Skimmer]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

Hi Gdaddy
Yeah, I know the Bill Elam story well...he made some bad decisions, huh? If we had only known, we could have done some profitable diving under his dock....like the state boys did. As for Chris....I don't know him other than to wave and say hi, but I did, with Greg Bounds, in
our anchor runnin boat, pull his salvage boat out of the surfline one day when he was aground. Greg was diving on corrigans, and I was topside workin blowers and anchors, when I saw his boat almost aground, waves breaking OVER the boat...and no one aboard (they were roaming north...I had been watching, alerted greg...and we sped over, threw a line aboard the bow and towed it out to deeper water where they could start the engines.
Whew. Nearly a Environmental Protection Agency huge fine...he had a big gas boat that day.
Another day, another 5 half reales, huh?
*&^%$#........I was name dropping AGAIN......bad salvor,bad

 

[Skimmer]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

Correction..........Cabin, not Corrigans. I don't think Chris is allowed on Corrigans, or so I understand. ? something to do with Marx having an interest in cabin, I think? I could be wrong, don't quote me on that.

 

[Darren in NC]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

I thought Chris bought Marx's share...but that could have been hearsay.

 

[mad4wrecks]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

You are correct Darren!

Chris James owns half of the Cabin Wreck along with the Fishers. I won't say what he bought it from Marx for, but it was a steal! Chris has made back in treasure many times what he paid for that salvage lease in cash. And Marx gave him a great deal of archival information and other documents that are probably worth a small fortune in themselves.

 

[ScubaFinder]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

What would you give to go through that stack of papers Those are probably worth what Chris paid for the lease. I didn't know that tidbit, thanks Darren and Tom.

Back to the original point of this post, how would a smaller charity event be all that different than all of us going and hunting on Scott's Jupiter lease last fall The state knew about that, and didn't mind that 11 guys came and worked a wreck on their coast, none of us were archies or lease signers.

Scott put a lot of work into getting all that set up, but he did it (and I still thank him for it everytime we talk). I think maybe we take the scale down a bit, and instead of getting 1000's of people, let's say a 100 (Tnet members first of course). You've still raised 20K for a charity, and 100 people could be confined to just one site...not scattered up and down the coast. It's important to remember that it is in the Fisher groups best interest for everyone to find as much as possible. This is true for the state of Florida as well.

Instead of saying why the idea couldn't work, why don't we look at ways that it could. First being scale it down a lot. Instead of a massive free-for-all...make an invitation only, controlled, confined, ORGANIZED event. That might work, and i still think it's a great idea that the Fishers and State of Florida would go for if approached properly.

Jason

 

[mad4wrecks]

Re: 1 day annual event MD'ing the waters on the Gold Coast

I guess everyone is going with the original assumption (based on questions is the first posting) that the Mel Fisher Center or Motivation Inc is doing nothing for charity. This is just not true. They support various charitable causes in Sebastian and Key West. Taffi and her husband have taken on an enormous task trying to get heart defibrillators in all the schools after the recent, unfortunate death of their son. I am pretty sure they are pre-occupied with this.

To me anyway, the first posting sounded like an attempt to find a way for beachunters to legally hunt in the water, even for just a day, using a charity event as a way to accomplish this. My advice is either keeping hunting the beach, which can be very productive if you know what you are doing, or take advantage of the generosity the Fisher family has extended to all the dreamers, and become a subcontractor.

Besides, what Mel fought so hard for in court, the freedom to search for and recover shipwrecks, for all of us, is enough charity to last a lifetime!