possible new wreck.. do I have to worry about the State of Florida?

[zebraup]

Quick question.. if a wreck is discovered more than 3 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico does that put it outside of the State of Florida's jurisdiction? I recall reading something about the State making their "boundaries" different according to which body of water you were in (Gulf/Atlantic/Keys). Also, from everything I've been able to read a little guy like me with just a small boat has no possibility of getting a lease if the wreck is designated inside State waters, so what options do I have? I'd rather just do it the old-fashioned way like Martin Meylach and Bob Weller and others like them that I read about growing up (in other words just me and a couple of friends working our butt off and risking our lives/fortunes) and yes, it might not be all that efficient, but that's not the point.. all I know is that I'm never going to go back out there until I know that I'm legally able to recover anything I find.

 

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[Salvor6]

Zebra, state waters are 3 miles out in the Atlantic and 9 miles out in the Gulf. The days of Bob Weller and Marty Meylach are long gone. You don't have a snowballs chance in hell of getting a permit. Even the well financed professional salvors can't get a permit. Do like everyone else is doing and become a pirate!

 

[stevemc]

It is 9 miles and out for the Gulf. Within 9 miles is State waters. Check it out and look for any and all identifing features, like any anchor and type, cannons, ballast rock or iron bars, what type of bolts or nails and spikes. What type of sheathing-lead or copper, any bottles or ceramic jugs to date the wreck? Spanish, British, French,?? Sometimes you cant find out what country, or a certain time, but you can come close. If there is some of these features, they would help a lot. A whole lot must go on before you would even attempt to salvage the wreck. Also, see if there is anything of value around. If you need a hand, I can help.

 

[zebraup]

I appreciate the replies. Unfortunately for me, the State's 9 mile reach in the Gulf is more than enough. I had hoped that it was only 3 miles like I read in the old books, but I had a moment of clarity on our trip back and remembered reading somewhere else (probably here) that they arbitrarily made the limits different for different waters.

 

[FISHEYE]

You can get a exploratory permit from the state which is better than nothing.You will have to follow the states rules and jump thru their hoops to get a salvage contract later on.Oh and pay out lots of money for surveys.But even with the permit the state will tell you to bring up any gold or silver artifacts.You will have to have a conservation lab and conserve them before you give them to the state.The state will hold them for you for when you get your salvage contract from them in the future.I just got the permit app from the state on a new/old wreck i found in florida.


Just email dan and he will send your the permit app in a pdf file format
Daniel McClarnon
Archaeologist III
FL Bureau of Archaeological Research
1001 deSoto Park Drive, Tallahassee FL 32301
850.245.6335
DPMcClarnon@dos.state.fl.us

 

[zebraup]

Hey Fisheye,
Where can I find out more about this "exploratory permit"?? & what do you mean by " the state will tell you to bring up any gold or silver artifacts"?? & "You will have to have a conservation lab and conserve them before you give them to the state."??
Does this permit that you are talking about mean that I can start salvaging the wreck but I have to give the state all the gold or silver I find, and they MIGHT give a portion of it back IF they give me a salvage permit And what about other finds, like ceramics or jewels or hell, I don't know.. I get to keep those?
I'm confused as to what I have been reading on this site, referring to statements such as the state hasn't issued a new permit for a new location in over 15 years, and other similar remarks.
Any additional clarifications or pointing me in the right direction will be greatly appreciated..

 

[FISHEYE]

Zebra,

Email Daniel McClarnon or call him,hes out in the field alot so email would be better.Most of the info you need to know is on the permit application.Its a exploratory permit.But if you find anything like gold and silver or precious artifacts the state wants you to bring them up,conserve them in your own lab or use someone elses or pay someone to do it.If you find treasure.NEVER leave it on the bottom.Unless its so big that you have to leave and come back with a bigger ship with a crane and more help.Then it has to go to the state for safe keeping till you are granted a salvage contract whenever that may be.Or whenever you request it after you have done what the state wanted you to do,like dig and identify on the thousands of mag hits you got last season.Dont do any work out there till you get a permit,if they find out you will be denied the permit.Theres alot of info on the permit app,just request it from Daniel McClarnon,he info is up above.

 

[zebraup]

I got to say it.. the thought of giving everything I find to the State in the hopes that I MIGHT get a portion of it back IF they decide to let a guy with a little boat (21ft. cuddy) and no archaeology degree or salvage experience recover the wreck kind of sticks in my craw. Believe it or not the least part is monetary.. it's the thought that the State, with their humongous amounts of knowledge and fairness and honesty, can legally take anything I find (if there is anything!) and it can disappear never to be seen or heard of again. I've gone to dozens of museums and can honestly say that I haven't seen even 1% of the hundreds of millions of dollars of treasure the state has laid claim to (read pirated/confiscated/held for the citizens/whatever) and I wonder where it is? Shouldn't this wonderful state of ours literally have the greatest & most renown treasure museums in the world? Heck, just the State's share of the Atocha should be a museum of it's own... Now I haven't been to any of the museums in the Keys.. but I was led to believe these are private museums run by the families of the guys that hunted in the 60's, 70's & 80's. Have I been looking in the wrong place? Is there some great museum that I haven't even heard of that is literally awash with 2 or more FLEET'S worth of treasure??
I'm not going to "pirate" anything as I've been advised might be the thing to do, but as far as I am concerned my "find" can sit there for all eternity before I hand it all over to the State in the hopes that I might get something someday. I hope it's something even more valuable than the freakin NAU CHAGAS! I just don't give a dang. I'll just enjoy my spearfishing and recreational scuba diving and as I said when I first joined this board, be overwhelmingly happy IF someday I ever found a coin to make a necklace out of. Heck, maybe I'll just try beach detecting near the known wrecks..