Has anyone done Mel Fishers Treasure Dives?

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I was just curious about the treasure dives. I love the idea but they cost a lot. 2500$. Can you go home with what you find or do your findings go to the museum? Are they worth anything? If anyone has done those dives could you please share your experience?

Thanks -


Sinbad

 

[Chugwhump]

WOOOOKKKIIIEEEE!!!!!!!
A little help on this please.

IMHO.....
$2500 is insane.
I think you get a credit towards whatever you find, should you want to purchase it.
This is because when you work there, you get a limited, or even no wage, and are classified as an investor.
Take that $2500 (if that is what it actually costs), and go to some other place and work with genuine archaeologists elsewhere that are actually enriching human historical understanding and culture.
I think we have the Spanish Treasure fleets of 15th and 16th centuries pretty much figured out at this point.

Chug
Went to the museum right after the big find in Key Weird before all the loot got sold and the goodies were given out to the investors, and it was AWESOME!

 

[bilsant]

Hmmm.

From looking at their website, for $2500 it appears you get:

1 week's stay at a home in the Keys

No commentary on whether meals, drinks, or entertainment are included

Training on treasure hunting from the staff

Access to the areas where they prepare their finds

And an echoing silence on who gets to keep what you find (I'm betting that means no - they aren't gonna risk you finding a zillion dollar holy grail whatchmacallit on their wreck site and getting to take it home)


I've spent more money on things with a lesser payoff, but not often....I won't go as far a Chug did and say it's insane, but do think there are better bangs for your buck vacation-wise...

I am also interested in hearing from someone who actually attended one of these vacations...

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have the investor packet from them. The buy in on that is considerably more than $2500. Not sure where it's at around here as I don't seem to have 10 grand to just toss in on it. My understanding is that you can keep certain items up to a set value. Can't recall the number. Big finds go in the kitty and get distributed according to the investors agreements. You do have to show them what you find and let them appraise it before they decide if you can keep anything. But it would be tempting. I met Shawn Fisher (Mel's grandson) at Scubafest in Columbus last year. He brought a small pelican case with him. I got to hold a chunk of gold worth about $300,000.00, wear a chain made of 2lbs of gold, and hold an emerald worth more than all the gold he brought with him. There were some smaller chump change pieces worth between $30K and $60K as well.

 

[Wookie]

The $2500 Atocha Dive Adventure trip is run exclusively through SingleDivers.com, or at least it was. They take up to 6 folks out on the Magruder or the Dare and actually use the mailboxes and blow lots of sand everywhere so it can settle on the reef. You may keep up to $2500 of what you find, if it is worth more than $2500 you can buy the rest. HOWEVER - what you find must be conserved. You wouldn't want a $2500 emerald because it would be powder by the time you got it home, so you may not see your find for many years. It also has to be registered with the State, run through the process, etc.

These guys are genuine archeologists. Yes, Mel was a cowboy/pirate, but the boys and the folks in charge now do it in a much more archeologically satisfactory fashion.

The 10 grand buy in is for a share of the treasure as an "investor". It does get you an opportunity to dive as "crew", and when the proceeds are split at the end of the year, you get paid out in cash or treasure for your share. There are still lots of kids in Key West waiting for their turn as crew on the Mel Fischer boats. I know quite a few folks who have done the SingleDivers trip once.

You know how treasure hunting works, right? The treasure is in your wallet unless you give it to a treasure hunter. If you have the $2500 to blow on what is undoubtedly a unique vacation, go for it. If you expect any return besides memories, well, you're just who they are looking for.

 

[Reck Diver]

Sounds like a lot of money, but if you can afford it.... why not. For many, a big part of diving is the sense of adventure. People pay a lot of money to dive on artificial reefs that have been completely sterilized before they hit the bottom. I have read up on a lot of "adventure" vacations where outcomes are as authentic as the Disney Jungle cruise. No you aren't going to get rich, and chances are you aren't going to find something that pays for your trip. I'm guessing most authentic diving expeditions come up relatively empty. I know when I dive I am always keeping my eyes open for things, and I dive areas that see more divers than anywhere.

Either way you can't go wrong with a week of diving in the keys.

I can think of worse ways to spend that much money.

 

[Reef_Haven]

Either way you can't go wrong with a week of diving in the keys.

Unless, the whole week gets blown out. I wonder how that would work out?

 

[tridacna]

I can think of worse ways to spend that much money.

I can think of much BETTER ways of spending $2,500 than diving a crappy wreck in the Keys. Diving Indonesia, Truk, Fiji. A live-aboard somewhere exotic. That's a lot of money for Florida diving.

 

[Lee Taylor]

This is an interesting thread. But I just have to say. I just love those 3.4 carat Atocha emeralds. MAN what a beautiful stone!

 

[DennisS]

Head over to the treasure net forum if you are interested in working treasure ships. You might be able to hook up with the Jupiter wreck people or someone working the 1715 fleet. You get to dive, you don't get to keep what you find.

http://www.jupitercoins.com

WHO WANTS TO DIVE FOR TREASURE There's 12 pages to the thread, last one 10/11/11. It might be worth
checking out



A subcontractor would get 2 coins out of 5 working the 1715 fleet. The state gets 20%, the contractor and subcontractor split 80%. The subcontractor is paying for dockage, fuel, boat and repairs. They are not going to give someone coming out for the day a share. Then again, $2500 buys a lot of fuel or some coins.