Maravilla

[dmccaw]

Hey, has anyone heard any recent info on the lost Madonna & Child gold statute lost
on the Maravilla at the Bahamas? I've read Robert Marx's story and a couple of follow up
hunters, but there is very little info available.

[Salvor6]

Hey DMCCAW, I have a friend that worked the Maravilla. He says the Madonna statue is a myth. My friend had a contract with the Bahamian govt. on another wreck but was thrown out along with all the other THers three years ago. There is a moratorium on salvage in the Bahamas right now.

[stevemc]

A friend of mine, Chuck Boyd, worked the Maravillas about 20 years ago legally with Humphries. There was a book written, I think it was called the search for the golden madonna or something like that, by Humphries. They found quite a bit of treasure for the few holes they blew, and the vast areas they hit. They did not find the gold life size figurine. As far as I know it has not been found. Most of the stuff is in deeper water, around 90 ft and that is about as deep as the Humphries crew worked at that time. The drop off starts just out from where the gold bars were found so it should be in deep water if its still there. Steve..

[stevemc]

Cornelius, I will have to check that one out. I have read exerpts from it. Thanks, Steve.

[stevemc]

The book that my friend is in is ?"In Search of the Golden Madonna" by Lee Tippen and Herbert Humprey Jr. ?Its mainly on the search for the treasure and the recovery. ?Good pictures. ?My buddy has a whole bunch more pics blown up with all the jewels and gold bars etc. ?Steve.

[mad4wrecks]

I heard the same thing, that the Golden Madonna and Child was made up, possibly by Marx himself as lark against some other salvage group. There is certainly no historical record of it that I am aware of.

[bohala]

Well I worked on the Maravillas during the early 70s with Marx. We brought up allot of treasure before being shut down by the Bahamian government, and bad feelings between Marx and investors and Bahamian Government. We were all told about the Madonna from Marx, but from my experience and being there .. There was never a Madonna found and also I believe it is a myth..