Spanish Galleons

aquanut

aquanut

Bronze Member
Jul 12, 2005
2,162
1,579
Sebastian, Florida
Detector(s) used
Fisher CZ21, Tesoro Tiger Shark
O.K Guys,
It's time we got together and shared our information. A lot of us have info that we are either not equipped or have the resources to follow up on. Why not share that info and form a group where we all can enjoy a treasure hunt /salvage operation. Is there anyone out there with a lead that needs to be followed up on??? I've got some contacts, equipment and divers available... maybe we can get together and come up with a plan.
Aquanut
 

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Aquanut, this is certainly a path that should be considered. With appropriate screening of all involved, a combined team would be able to accomplish more than a few could do on sporadic weekends. Perhaps begin a group that could have dues, strategic planning, and most of all - strong leadership. Money is not the key (although definitely needed), but having a few that will lead confidently works best.

We have already seen the need for this in the legal realm of our hobby/profession. As I spoke with Jim Sinclair at the Treasure Expo, he noted that most treasure groups are small and exclusive, rarely working together. If we stay this way, then the bureaucratic system will make it impossible for us to do anything at all. It would be awesome to see more collaboration among our own.
 

This sounds like a good idea but in my area of florida we find shipwrecks all the time,and if you even try and look at them under water the marine patroll is right on you .. The only thing we can do is watch the barnacles grow on the cannon.I know that the dream of finding a shipwreck treasure in my area is gone.Do they give you a permit anywhere in florida?For me i have to look for treasure on land...Count me in if you need some help and can get legal paper work!!!!!!!!
 

I'm completely all for this. I can most certainly devote alot of time doing research and can even make as many road trips necessary for actual diving and/or exploration operations.

I've got an offshore boat but I wouldn't dare consider it worthy enough to be a salvage boat by any exaggeration, but it may be useful for shuttling people/supplies to a larger salvage boat or doing some spot checking. I also have a side imaging unit like the one RGECY and SCUBAFINDER use - granted it wouldn't be all that useful for anything totally buried in the sand.

Like Relicdude said, we've got many, many of "age of discovery" and colonial wrecks in our area awaiting official discovery but I'm affraid that most if not all have been conveniently placed in the "back pocket" of the UWF UW Archaeology Department. You couldn't get a permit on one of these unless a nuclear weapon vaporized UWF ;D. Besides they are mostly historical in nature anyway - not much known treasure to be had up this way unless you buy into some of the more imaginative pirate legends.

I am most seriously interested in any venture that time and money will allow. Please save me a spot if you move forward.

Pcola
 

aquanut, Put it together my friend. By the way I'm back home and will be back down in May for that project we talked about.
 

O.K.,
First I'm going to talk to my partners and then a few of the treasure hunters I know personally. To those of you that responded, I've read many of your posts and am pleased that you guys in particular are interested. I'm not much of an organizer, but I'll see what I can put together.
Aquanut
 

Great thread aquanut! This is not too far off from how ARRG started, and if nothing else, we all learned a LOT from the experience. Darren hit the nail on the head with the leadership comment, we had ten chiefs, and ten indians who could work sporadically when real jobs and families allowed. When we had good plan together, it seemed like something always came up and thwarted it. However, the days we got out on the water were some of the best in my life.

Don't forget funding completely, I remember times when we ha good targets, plans, boats, divers, and no money for the gas tank. It's not a cheap business, we had ten guys trying to chip in and when the economy fell, so did our productivity. ARRG will likely put something news-worthy together someday, and there's certainly room for another group to do the same. A boat full of dedicated guys could spend 5 years just verifying leads that are well known to many people. They aren't all just stories.

Best of luck, and any assistance I can provide will always be available to you.

Jason
 

Thanks Jason,
I see you're having a great time in the DR. Best of luck to you. I'm sure you'll be there for a while longer!
Aquanut
 

Count me in Aquanut, organizing and implementing are always the toughest part, finding the treasure is not really that hard if everyone does there homework!
 

Aquanut did you get my PM? Set up a meeting and we will all be there.
 

Aquanut,

Right now I’m involved in my own project and trying to get ARRG back in the water. But I would love to help in any way I can. You never know, something good may come out of this.

Right now since you are in the planning stage all I can do is give you some good advice based on my experience. Like Jason well said one of the more important things is funding. There were days in ARRG when the boat was ready the crew was ready but there was no money for gas. And believe me we have a great crew and tons of equipment, in 2007 we spend close to 50,000.00 in ARRG but our company was funded by our self’s and when the economy went down so did the pockets of the members that were funding ARRG. Another thing that didn’t help us was the fact that we didn’t have a target worth looking for or worth for investors to invest.

Today after many years of research and after joining forces with another researcher finally we have a well documented target worth finding and we have prepared a proposal package that will be send out to potential investors who are already interested in the subject. Hopefully this year will be our year!!

*So I would say that the first thing you need is a target worth looking for.
*Then you would have to do research to find documents to proof that your target really exists and that you can proof that your target is in a general area or better yet locate your target.
*Then you would need permits.
*Once you have accomplished everything mentioned above then you will need a plan to conduct the salvage.
*You will need a crew
*Equipment
*Boat
*And money to fund the operation.

Believe me when I say that planning is the key. For every dollars you spend in land planning and preparing you will save 20.00 in the water.

Think about it, an athlete spends 4 years preparing for an Olympic game when his performance in his event only takes 30 seconds.

Treasure hunting with out a well defined plan is like gambling. And to keep a small salvage company out or the red you most find treasure every time you go out other wise the company will fall in the negative every time you go out and don’t find anything, Until you are out of funds and broke.

I don’t mean to burst your bubble or to sound negative. But like my good friend Capt. Dalton says; “It is what it is” Can it be done? Yes...I’m still trying to make it happen!!!!

Let me know if I can be of any assistance!!!

All the best,

The Chagyman
 

First, Thank you Chagy for your advice... I'll try to keep everything in perspective here.

Now for all you guys that are interested, I am offering to sponsor a cookout at my house in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, May 23rd to kick off our new
partnership. I hope all of you, both, whom I know personally and those of you who will become friends during the cookout can attend. Anyone interested is welcome. I sincerely hope those of you that have encouraged me to get this off the ground can come. After a few beers, we can do some creative planning and with everyones input, set the gears in motion. This will be an informal meeting/get together, so any ideas will be welcome. What I would like to see at the end of the night is a workable plan and something for every attendee to see to. We may even wind up with a target or two. Who knows?
Now I'd specifically like to hear from Relicdude, Pcolaboy, old man, sabre15, scubatreasure, scubasalvor, Darren in NC, and Deepsix.
Bigcypresshunter, if you're awake, let me know.
All you guys, tell your friends to join us , especially if they can offer some input/help.
Let me know what you think and if you can attend! I'll post an address , phone number and map after a while...
Aquanut
 

"If you build it, they will come"
 

thanks for the invite.-- the down side ---I'm not rich . no boat. and healths shot --

-but on the plus side -- I got 27 years of actually living on the sea * as a merchant mariner traveling all over the world under my belt --- I'm the "last of a long line of a seafaring family that goes back many many years "---grandfather chief eng, dad --bosuns mate, uncle radio op,brother --fowt (eng room). cuz -ab, me chief stewarsd--and thats just the "recent" family members -- so I have a deep knowledge of old seafarering traditions and ways passed down father to son --over the years .---- I am a good decent research type person ---with an above adverage IQ and a strong logical probing mind .
 

Thanks for the invite, Aquanut. I REALLY would like to be there, but I have some major projects in NC and the Caribbean that are keeping my spare time tied up. Hopefully I can live your adventures through my ARRG buddies that get involved.

Now for the hard advice. It's not popular, but great leadership does the hard things. I encourage you to set a probationary period for membership. Everyone gets a shot, but after a year, the key leaders choose who the permanent members will be. Inevitably you'll attract loose lips, half-cocked dreamers, and incompetent guys and gals who will derail the project for everyone if not weeded out in due time.

So who should the key leaders be? I recommend this checklist:
1. Humble, not arrogant or overly insecure - the loudest and most opinionated CAN"T be allowed to lead (weed him out)
2. Has the group's best interest in mind, team player - not a gloryhound out for himself
3. Has money to contribute or can effectively raise funds
4. Can hate gov't some :wink:, but is willing to work legally with gov't and archaeologists
5. Wants history to be preserved with archaeological integrity, not to simply rip through a site looking for precious goods.
6. Competent in either of these areas: research, boat mechanics, surveying with SSS and mag, or recovery techniques
7. Is very tight-lipped beyond the leadership - the crew and divers don't need to know everything
8. Spends wisely. Has a long term appraoch to the group's efforts - no goals of get-rich-quick
9. Both character AND competence - you can trust a person's intent, but you must trust their abilities, too.


Here's an example of a great group:

Key Leaders
President - has funds or raises funds for projects, decides best projects to pursue. Is a "benevolent dictator."
Director of Operations - coordinates all those involved with survey and recovery
Captain(s) (not necessarily licensed for smaller vessels) - has vessel(s) and access to mechanics, blowers
Survey tech(s) - in charge of sidescan and magnetometer surveys
Researcher(s): Bookworm who loves history more than greed

Others in the group beyond key leaders: divers, mechanics and crew

Some of these roles may overlap or you may want to add to it, but this is a template group idea for you to work with. If you'll do this, you'll practice what great leaders practice and have yourself an awesome group who trusts each other implicitly.

I'm cheering for your new venture!
Darren
 

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