TV show about Florida Treasurehunters/divers

[Bigdogdad]

Pete,in your pic i see 3 real t hunters.who is that goober with the funny beard on the far right?

FISHFRY-Come to the barbecue on April 20 and you can meet the goober and his funny beard in person. Pleae let me know what defines a real treasure hunter from a not real treasure hunter. I have risked my life, dug many, many holes, own multiple detectors, and have traveled thousands upon thousands of miles in search of treasure. I have been diving since I was 14, certified at 22. I have videos to prove all of it. Have I dug up treasure? How would you know? I was digging for gold just weeks ago. What have you been up to?

 

[ECS]

Pleae let me know what defines a real treasure hunter from a not real treasure hunter.

On various threads,BDD,you have stated that several TN members were not "REAL" treasure hunters-so please inform us of your definition of what makes a "REAL" treasure hunter.
Is a "real" treasure hunter one who chases undocumented historical legends and lore?Believes all is true in treasure magazines?Visited legend sites from treasure mags with a dowser and his well marked road atlas?Wants to be the next Ric Savage?
Curious minds want to know!

 

[Bigdogdad]

On various threads,BDD,you have stated that several TN members were not "REAL" treasure hunters-so please inform us of your definition of what makes a "REAL" treasure hunter.
Is a "real" treasure hunter one who chases undocumented historical legends and lore?Believes all is true in treasure magazines?Visited legend sites from treasure mags with a dowser and his well marked road atlas?Wants to be the next Ric Savage?
Curious minds want to know!

A real treasure hunter is someone that really hunts for treasure. How successful or what they hunt for is irrelevant. You have constantly made fun of me and my choices. I asked you point-blank to name one of your own more interesting hunts. You failed to name even one. That causes me to believe that you may not be a "real" treasure hunter and that all you may do is sit in front of your computer "researching" but never going out in the field to "hunt". If I am wrong please correct me and tell us all about your best hunt. Curious minds want to know.

No I don't want to be the next Ric Savage. In fact the producer that was here Saturday has already contacted me and is ready to move forward on the show tentatively titled "TimTV". I am sure this name will change but I kind of like it.

Seeing as how I have never read much in treasure magazines they are certainly not the inspiration or guidance for my hunts. Keep it up ECS, your making me look good, excuse me, GREAT.

 

[Salvor6]

Tim, don't knock Fisheye. He is a legendary diver. Dumpster diver.

 

[ECS]

A real treasure hunter is someone that really hunts for treasure. How successful or what they hunt for is irrelevant. You have constantly made fun of me and my choices. I asked you point-blank to name one of your own more interesting hunts. You failed to name even one. That causes me to believe that you may not be a "real" treasure hunter and that all you may do is sit in front of your computer "researching" but never going out in the field to "hunt". If I am wrong please correct me and tell us all about your best hunt. Curious minds want to know.

Horse Landing-west bank of St Johns River
Davenport Landing-south bank of Oklawaha River
CSA Capt J J Dickinson's Sunnyside Plantation-Orange Springs
CSA Fort Brook-Orange Springs
Lucas Line Metamors riverboat(sunk Mar 19,1903)-Near where the Oklawaha meets the Silver River
CSA Fort Fowle-near Sharpes Ferry
CSA Col Jehu Foster Marshall's Plantation-on the Oklawaha near Sharpes Ferry
All good hunts.

 

[Bigdogdad]

There now wasn't that easy. Of course I will assume your not just making it up. But did you find TREASURE? You make fun of me because of how and where I decide to go after treasure. You think I don't do research. ECS-You don't know me.

There are a LOT of people on T-Net that do nothing more than go to the usual spots with their metal detector looking for loose coins. No real research, no real stories behind it. I consider them to be real treasure hunters in their own right. ECS, do you think they are treasure hunters? There are members that dive anywhere they can hoping that pile of rocks has some treasure in it. There may be no story behind that spot they dive and maybe they did no research. I consider them treasure hunters, do you? Even that sad Fisheye diving in the dumpsters is a treasure hunter in my book. After all one man's trash is another man's treasure. I don't give anyone on T-Net a hard time unless they give me one first.

 

[ECS]

I will assume your not just making it up. But did you find TREASURE?

I never found a cesspool or the great lost treasures of legend if that's what you're asking.
Worst finds could be three shot glasses and several CARMICHAEL WHISKEY bottles or and old broken bottle,sealed with parafin filled with late 1700's PARYS MINING COMPANY copper 1cent tokens.
Anything else,I will neither confirm nor deny.
Does that answer you question,BDD?

 

[ECS]

Tim, don't knock Fisheye. He is a legendary diver. Dumpster diver.

A dumpster diver story.
A friend of mine who has a construction company was working in THE VILLAGES.He glanced into a construction dumpster and pulled out a old guitar.Knowing of my collection of vintage guitars(they weren't vintage when I bought them),he asked me to tell him what it was.
He found a 1959 GIBSON ES-335 natural finish.It had some wear problems,but they could be repaied at the Gibson factory.
I offered him $500.00 but he declined.That guitar is worth about $30,000 in that condition.He still has it,but is not selling.

 

[Bigdogdad]

I have never made a find like that but I have definitely done my share of rescuing "treasures" from dumpsters and stuff left for the trashman. There was an old VW repair shop in Bradenton ran by a guy named Wolfgang. He sold out and another guy moved in. This guy did not care about VW stuff. The county came along and needed to widen the street. They bought the guy out. I found out he was filling dumpsters with all the old VW parts from over 40 years of business. I immediately took my trailer down there and filled it up. I made more than one trip. I have a big trailer. There were engines, transmissions, used parts, OEM new parts in the boxes, etc. I ended up giving most of it away. I made a lot of people happy with the "treasure" I rescued.

ECS-There are many things that could be considered treasure. There are new shows coming out all the time. I may or may not know the locations of some very valuable treasures. Pirate chests, pirate silver bars, pots-of-gold, sunken ships with gold and jewels, 88mm shells full of diamonds, Civil War gold, and more. Maybe some or none of these exist. I am not trying to fool anybody. I believe a lot of it is still waiting to be found. I may be about to get the opportunity to find out. If I find it I want the whole world to see it happen. You can be a part of this. Others have taken up my offer. I need good help. You seem to be a pretty good researcher.

I will assume from your now vintage guitar comment that you might be up there in years. I am a young 57 and am ready to go. Come to the barbecue in Wabasso at the Pennwood. I think there is treasure buried on the motel grounds. It was built by Kipp Wagner. He was the founder of the Reale Eight company. I think he buried some cannons, silver, gold and more. Let me know if you happen to research this site.

 

[ECS]

ECS-There are many things that could be considered treasure. Maybe some or none of these exist... I believe a lot of it is still waiting to be found. I may be about to get the opportunity to find out. You can be a part of this. Others have taken up my offer. I need good help. You seem to be a pretty good researcher.

I will assume from your now vintage guitar comment that you might be up there in years.

I do have a few years on you,BDD.
Yes,I also feel there is still treasure waiting to be found,but not the large hordes of legends.Research has shown many are just that,legend and lore,with basic historical references to give plausability.
Case in point:CSA Capt John Riley and the swamp gold.Capt John Riley Bless McIntosh(April 5,1819-May 10,1901) WAS a blokcade runner for THE SOUTHERN MERCHANTS,KGC,CSA,did deal with the CSA Cow Calvary,but did not cross the Everglades with a 1/2 ton of gold,nor was he killed.He died of old age.
My research has conflicted with you theories,and probably will in the future,but I do wish you well in your endeavours.I think we both enjoy the debate. GODSPEED!

 

[Bigdogdad]

We actually dug for the swamp gold. Electronics had pinpointed a location near where my old man said it was. It was at but not under Cloud Mountain. Let's just say electronics are not 100% accurate. My money is still on my guy. This thread is supposed to be about a treasure show. I was contacted again today. My lawyer is working on a contract. All I have to do is say yes. We will then create what is called a "sizzle". This is a short demo of what the show will be about. I want it to be about all aspects of treasure hunting. The following are some of my ideas for the show.

1.Beach treasure-I have some interesting theories. This is on the treasure coast.

2. Sunken treasure-I think I know where numerous shipwrecks are hidden under the sand in less than 20 feet of water on the west coast south of Tampa.

3. Pirate treasure-I have numerous potential sites.

4. Civil war gold-I may have numerous sites, some being from eyewitness accounts.

5. Nazi diamonds from the U-853 sub. -I have two locations where I think they are.

6. Pots-of-gold-I think I have narrowed down the exact location of one or more.

7. A cave full of gold northeast of Atlanta-It is in the middle of a forest.

8. Treasure in a lagoon in the keys-I have inside information on this.

9. One of the undiscovered 1715 plate fleet shipwrecks-This may be known but I don't think so, it is not listed on the records I have seen.

10. The Beale treasure-A longshot, located in Virginia on a farmers property. I have dug once in the past.

I have lots of video that has already been shot, some amateur, some professional. There are lots more sites but this is enough of a start. The chances of finding any of these is hard to say. I am not sure if any one really expects me to. I believe in my stories and these locations. I am ready to go after them in front of a camera crew. I am not afraid of failing. I have other things that I am involved in that will make the show very interesting. Champion award winning English mastiffs, a hand built one of a kind 57 chevy that I run at Sebring and more.

I plan on using any and all means available to see what works. GPR, map dowsing, remote sensing, LRL's, all types of conventional detectors, lot's more reasearch, psychics, old photos, and more. I have access to new unknown technology. I plan on trying to work with the state and local governments. Everything will be legal. I also plan on trying to win the "Amazing Randi's" million dollar challenge. I have a plan for this.

Am I overly ambitious? We will see.

 

[Dell Winders]

BDD, I sincerely hope you get the job of hosting the TV show. You are outgoing and imaginative. Several of the ideas you have for the show I have already been there, done that, and enjoyed the experience. If you wish for me to play devils advocate for any of your adventures I will be happy to share my opinion. As you already know with regards to my display of skepticism of your obtaining approval from the State archaeologist to excavate for Treasure on State controlled land, that I can realistic.

I also advise you to forget your plan, or having any chance of winning James Randi's, Million Dollar Challenge. It ain't going to happen. It's a Randi promotion gimmick. No one has ever passed the pre-test criteria in over 23 years the challenge has been in effect. There is only one person that Randi, has personally invited to accept his challenge with out going through the pre-test criteria, and yes, that person is a Treasure Hunter.

I agree, that there is probably Treasure buried on the Pennwood Motor Lodge property, that logistics may, or not, be feasible for recovery. because it was buried long before Kip Wagoner's time.

It's possible, but not likely, that the producers of the show would have the money in their budget to obtain the Imaging equipment, permitting, and expense of a major excavation of the locations of the ideas you posted. Of course, just telling the tale, and the thrill of the hunt is usually sufficient to satisfy an audience but, the telling of a tale, and going through the motions for the camera is not really Treasure Hunting. A piece of tangible evidence that someone may have found will add credence to the story.

I spent a lot of money, and time to locate and investigate major KGC site in Alabama that appears to be spread out over 20 square miles. The research, the threats, and the physical challenges all make for a great story. Unfortunately, The only thing I have to show that it ever happened is a horseshoe that was buried with a piece of iron from a wood cook stove with it's serial # cast one it, (a KGC marker according to Bob Brewer) along with the GR image posted below showing one of the treasure locations I made with Dowsing & LRL buried 40 feet underground, and a lot of dis-believers.

With this knowledge, and $4, I can buy myself a gallon of milk, but it's been the pleasure of another great Treasure hunting experience. Dell

 

[Bigdogdad]

Dell- thanks for the reply. You are quite the character and would make a great addition to the show. If I had thought about it I would have invited you to meet the producer. I will reply to your points.

I took a chance applying for the permit for the pirate treasure at the Manatee river site. They had seemed quite willing to help when I talked to them 7 years ago. Management at FDOT has changed and they deferred to the state archies who don't want any treasure hunters playing in "their sandbox". I will try again as part of this show and really put them all on the spot. We will see what happens.

As to the "amazing" Randi's million dollar challenge, I have already passed one criteria as I have publicly published dowsing claims on a public forum. I have a plan for winning this but I am not going to go into the details. I will just say that any money won will not be for me.

As far as the Pennwood treasure I don't know when it was buried or if there is treasure there. My understanding is that Kip Wagner was a contractor and built the place. He would have had access to heavy equipment and motivation to do it. Cannons and such weren't really worth that much back then and neither was silver. Even gold was around $60 an ounce. I have a few spots on the property where I think some things are. I tried to get permission to dig. The owner was very sick and in the hospital. The manager of the motel thought it best to not bother him with any plans for a dig at the time. I think under the right circumstances I could make this happen as they would not have much to lose and it would be great publicity for the business.

When your refer to "going through the motions for the camera" let me make one thing clear. I have no intention of being involved in anything that is faked or contrived. I am not even interested in doing a re-enactment of a dig. Once the audience feels we are not real they will then decide to not believe anything. Crediblity is very important to me as I plan on using this as a means to get the state to cooperate with us and allow more digs and recoveries.

I have a somewhat similar recent scan of one of our sites. It takes an expert to interpret what it may be. I wouldn't bet on yours or mine being treasure but it is certainly possible.

Some of my sites may be KGC related. The pots-of-gold may have had some of their involvement and we recently recovered some railroad links that may have been placed as markers. I have read one of Bob Brewer's books. He is the real deal. I want to get his involvement in this show. At the end of his book he makes a statement that I can really relate to. Basically we agree on what should be done with any treasure recovered. I want everybody involved to get some but the majority will go to help children. We may set up a non-profit organization as a part of all this.

Dell- You may wish to buy milk with your knowledge but I have much bigger plans. You only go round once in life. You have to grab the gold ring when it goes by. We will see what happens.

 

[Au_Dreamers]

A dumpster diver story.
A friend of mine who has a construction company was working in THE VILLAGES.He glanced into a construction dumpster and pulled out a old guitar.Knowing of my collection of vintage guitars(they weren't vintage when I bought them),he asked me to tell him what it was.
He found a 1959 GIBSON ES-335 natural finish.It had some wear problems,but they could be repaied at the Gibson factory.
I offered him $500.00 but he declined.That guitar is worth about $30,000 in that condition.He still has it,but is not selling.

Moral to the story?... You offered a friend $500 for a $30,000 guitar?!!?

 

[ECS]

Moral to the story?... You offered a friend $500 for a $30,000 guitar?!!?

When I made the offer,I was not aware of the value.It did have serious scratches and other problems, and I never checked out the electronics.I don't think it was ever kept in a case.
If repaired at the GIBSON factory,that 1959 ES-335 could be worth up to $50,000.

 

[Dell Winders]

BDD, what I told you, "been there, done that" covers a lot of territory including working in the Motion Picture & Television industry. I hope you don't have the impression that the camera crew, light & sound techs, grips, and director, and AD, are going to just follow you around through the brush while you narrate and point out clues to the Treasure you are seeking?

Location shooting is expensive and has budget constraints you don't have in a studio. Weather, lighting, camera angles, terrain, background noise, transportation, food, lodging and a long list of other factors that have to be considered. For that reason. The scenes and actions have to be planned in advance, staged, and often with time consuming retakes to get it right. In this industry every minute has to count. Wasted time is wasted money. For these and other budget considerations you will be restrained to following a script and your actions prompted by the director. I'm sure this will be included in your contract. These people are Professionals and know what they are doing. The objective is to make money for themselves and their investors. For the show to succeed that will have to be your goal also. Other than making suggestions, any dissension, or rebellion, could result in your immediate termination.

Setting up a not for profit, Treasure related children's aid program sounds admirable, and the concept is well received by by most communities, and supported by the media, but when a friend and I attempted to do this, we were strongly advised by high echelon Feds, that was not the way to go and there would be consequences if we continued in that direction. I was informed that an organization based on greed and has taxable income that can be controlled with Government intervention is acceptable.

I don't want to see you get into trouble, so be cautious. Dell

 

[Bigdogdad]

Dell-Thanks for the advice. For the record I have some experience myself. I started my acting career at age 30. I soon acquired an agent, Dott Burns out of Tampa, at the time the biggest agent in Florida. I have been in numerous local and national commercials. I have acted in music videos, industrial films, and low-budget movies. I have created my own movie, Motorheads:An AUTObiography-motorheadsthemovie.com. I wrote, directed, starred in, shot footage, edited, wrote and published a song for it, performed with our band "Buddy and the Burnouts", built props and more. I wrote, directed and produced a DVD on how to cure dyslexia. I know I am tooting my own horn here but I am trying to make a point. I know what I am getting into. I have been planning on all this for a long time.

I think the production company I am currently talking to is going to be more likely to let me be myself and to a certain degree, let the cards fall as they may. After all it is supposed to be "Reality TV".

I am sorry things did not work out for you with your non-profit. I have some very good connections that have a lot of experience with this type of thing. I will keep my eyes wide open. Thanks again.

 

[Dell Winders]

If you didn't tell us, we wouldn't know. We now have the opportunity to appreciate and respect your experience and talent. Count me in as a supporter. Dell

 

[Bigdogdad]

Thanks for your advice and support. In the past I may have been my own enemy by wanting to do things my way. I hope to be able to work with professionals that can make the most of what I give them to work with. I am hoping that we will have a very small crew and keep things as simple as possible. Time, money and equipment have always been in short supply.

I want to keep everything as real as possible. Treasure hunting is far from glamorous. In fact it can be boring and a lot of hard work. I am the type that if we were digging ditches I could probably make it entertaining and that is what it all boils down to. Keep it fun and interesting.

 

[ECS]

Thanks for your advice and support. In the past I may have been my own enemy by wanting to do things my way. I hope to be able to work with professionals that can make the most of what I give them to work with. I am hoping that we will have a very small crew and keep things as simple as possible. Time, money and equipment have always been in short supply.

I want to keep everything as real as possible. Treasure hunting is far from glamorous. In fact it can be boring and a lot of hard work. I am the type that if we were digging ditches I could probably make it entertaining and that is what it all boils down to. Keep it fun and interesting.

Remember,BDD,in the entertainment industry,you will be considered "PRODUCT"...and when the product becomes "disagreeable"you may hear -"If you won't do it,there are many waiting to,and you can be replaced".
I have heard that said many times in my years-I may have even said it myself.
All is not what it seems in a contract-rights appear to be given on one page,then revoked on another deeper in.
As Dell said"Been there,done that" ,many,many times.
I have reviewed many entertainment contracts for others,and found things their attoneys not versed in entertainment law, missed.It is not all the yellow brick road.