LIVING HISTORY
RICK CRARY
Spanish coins like this one shown at the Mel Fisher Museum were
recovered from the Atocha
94
TREASURE COAST BOATING
“It was indeed his last scuba dive,” Fismer said. “It was an
honor and a privilege to film Sir Arthur on his final dive.”
NEVER BACK DOWN
With the undersea as their office, treasure hunters frequently
encounter predatory creatures like barracuda and sharks.
Undaunted, Fismer deals with them like it’s a natural part of
his job.
“People talk about sharks — we see them almost all the
time and big ones!” he said. “I’ve had only two of them turn
in a hostile manner. I just stood my ground and they swam
off. I’m not running, and I’m thinking, ‘You’re going to eat
this tank.’ ”
So what then really frightens him?
“Congress,” he said without hesitation.
Fismer knows how to stand his ground when dealing with
Washington. He is an outspoken advocate for the rights of
treasure hunters. He exercised his democratic right back in
1987, when Congress was seeking to pass The Abandoned
Ship Law. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen of Texas was one of the politicians
who sought to curb treasure hunting activities. Fismer
received a personal invitation to address the senator, after
giving Bentsen’s lawyer a winning argument.
“I said, ‘In the case of the 1715 Spanish Fleet shipwrecks,
how can a government tell me that I can’t dive on a ship that
sank 17 years before George Washington was born in 1732?
As for the Atocha, that’s even more years before our first
president was born.’ The lawyer’s answer was, ‘I’d hate to
have to argue that in court.’ ”
CARETAKERS OF HISTORY
The hallmark of a treasure hunter is simply refusing to give
up the hunt. Perseverance and patience are key to stay in the
game.
“You’ve got to know that you’re on the right track and that
it will eventually pay off,” said Brandon. “You have to stay
focused. And you can’t quit — you can’t give up.”
Nothing is more thrilling to treasure hunters than the
adrenaline rush of spotting that rare find. Yet, they see their >>
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