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Found this surfing the net. Interesting article.
http://www.sefas.org/news1.html
Excerpt as follows:
Q&A with Joe Crankshaw
Tommy Gore, Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research
February 19, 2007
Tommy Gore was born in Fort Pierce, graduated from the old St. Anastasia High School and went on to become the first marine field agent for what is now the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research. In that position, he supervised the salvaging of millions of dollars worth of gold, silver, jewels and artifacts from more than 100 Spanish treasure ships in Florida waters. Finding he couldn't support his family on the state salary, he became the first nuisance alligator hunter for St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
Q: How did you get into the treasure business?
A: After graduating from high school, I worked for my father in his shoe repair shop, and also did work on diving equipment. A friend offered to back myself and some friends searching for treasure in 1964. We found it impossible to get a lease for a salvage operation. Then I learned the state was hiring field agents to monitor treasure hunting activities under the new division of the State Internal Improvement Fund. I was hired and started working with Kip Wagner and all the other treasure hunters for the next 36 years.
Q: What was your job?
A: I was the salvage and exploration field agent. I monitored treasure salvaging operations. In the early days, the state required a state agent on board any licensed treasure contractors. I inventoried all treasure brought up, tagged it and made a note of the coordinates where it was found.
Q: What was the first treasure you found?
A: The first treasure was on Kip Wagner's Real Eight salvage operation off Sebastian called the "Cabin Wreck." It was a 1715 ship. We found tons of silver over two years, almost two tons, and many thousands of artifacts from gold coins, swords, cannons and cannon balls, china, jewelry, just about everything you would find on a treasure ship.
Q: How was the treasure divided?
A: The treasure was kept in a Vero Beach bank. In 1967, it was the first division on treasure by the state between Kip Wagner and Mel Fisher. Karl Claussen, the state underwater archeologist, told me to bring a shotgun, and we went up there, roped off the parking lot, brought the treasure out in wheelbarrows, dumped it in piles on the ground and divided it. The state received 20 percent. I walked the perimeter with my shotgun.
Q: During your 36 years, how many wrecks did you supervise?
A: I'd have to say in the hundreds from Daytona Beach to Key West.
Q: You said the state pay was low. How did you survive?
A: I heard about the new nuisance alligator control project. I thought that would be a fun way to make some money. I became the first nuisance alligator trapper in St. Lucie and Indian River counties. It turned into almost a full-time job. I have trapped thousands of alligators and that helped make ends meet.
Q: Now that you are retired, what are you doing?
A: I have a treasure hunting company, Tradewinds Salvage Co., and we work under Mel Fisher's Treasure Salver leases. I don't hunt alligators any more. But I have written a book about it all called The Rainbow Chasers: The Great Florida Treasure Hunt and it is in the St. Lucie County Historical Museum gift shop and several other places.
Comments: email [email protected]
Copyright 2007, TCPalm. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission.
http://www.sefas.org/news1.html
Excerpt as follows:
Q&A with Joe Crankshaw
Tommy Gore, Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research
February 19, 2007
Tommy Gore was born in Fort Pierce, graduated from the old St. Anastasia High School and went on to become the first marine field agent for what is now the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research. In that position, he supervised the salvaging of millions of dollars worth of gold, silver, jewels and artifacts from more than 100 Spanish treasure ships in Florida waters. Finding he couldn't support his family on the state salary, he became the first nuisance alligator hunter for St. Lucie and Indian River counties.
Q: How did you get into the treasure business?
A: After graduating from high school, I worked for my father in his shoe repair shop, and also did work on diving equipment. A friend offered to back myself and some friends searching for treasure in 1964. We found it impossible to get a lease for a salvage operation. Then I learned the state was hiring field agents to monitor treasure hunting activities under the new division of the State Internal Improvement Fund. I was hired and started working with Kip Wagner and all the other treasure hunters for the next 36 years.
Q: What was your job?
A: I was the salvage and exploration field agent. I monitored treasure salvaging operations. In the early days, the state required a state agent on board any licensed treasure contractors. I inventoried all treasure brought up, tagged it and made a note of the coordinates where it was found.
Q: What was the first treasure you found?
A: The first treasure was on Kip Wagner's Real Eight salvage operation off Sebastian called the "Cabin Wreck." It was a 1715 ship. We found tons of silver over two years, almost two tons, and many thousands of artifacts from gold coins, swords, cannons and cannon balls, china, jewelry, just about everything you would find on a treasure ship.
Q: How was the treasure divided?
A: The treasure was kept in a Vero Beach bank. In 1967, it was the first division on treasure by the state between Kip Wagner and Mel Fisher. Karl Claussen, the state underwater archeologist, told me to bring a shotgun, and we went up there, roped off the parking lot, brought the treasure out in wheelbarrows, dumped it in piles on the ground and divided it. The state received 20 percent. I walked the perimeter with my shotgun.
Q: During your 36 years, how many wrecks did you supervise?
A: I'd have to say in the hundreds from Daytona Beach to Key West.
Q: You said the state pay was low. How did you survive?
A: I heard about the new nuisance alligator control project. I thought that would be a fun way to make some money. I became the first nuisance alligator trapper in St. Lucie and Indian River counties. It turned into almost a full-time job. I have trapped thousands of alligators and that helped make ends meet.
Q: Now that you are retired, what are you doing?
A: I have a treasure hunting company, Tradewinds Salvage Co., and we work under Mel Fisher's Treasure Salver leases. I don't hunt alligators any more. But I have written a book about it all called The Rainbow Chasers: The Great Florida Treasure Hunt and it is in the St. Lucie County Historical Museum gift shop and several other places.
Comments: email [email protected]
Copyright 2007, TCPalm. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission.
