TREASURE COAST BOATING
LIVING HISTORY
89
Fismer worked on the 1715 wreck site for a total of 17 years
and has collected more than 5,000 coins and other artifacts.
He recalls diving at the Cabin wreck with Jack Haskins in
1984. They came across a cannon, turned it over and found a
glimmering surprise.
“When we brought the cannon out of the hole, I said,
‘Geez-ooo-wee!’ There were 200 pieces of eight, stuck on the
bottom,” he said. “All of the coins were in excellent condition
because iron oxidizes faster than silver. If the coins had been
laying around on the ocean floor unprotected, they would
have oxidized. That cannon protected those coins.”
A TROVE OF STORIES
Brandon has worked on the 1715 Fleet for more than 47
years uncovering many stores of gold, silver, and artifacts.
He recalls a particular day in 1988 when he and Moe Molinar
were at the Douglass Beach wreck site.
“We followed a trail of gold coins for a half a mile. Between
Moe’s boat and my boat, we found just over 1,000 gold
coins,” he said.
Having a discerning eye, he also found 2,000 pieces of eight
at the Cabin wreck, just south of Wabasso Beach in 1979. The
coins were postdated no later than 1618 and have been tentatively
linked to the San Martin, the almirante of the Honduran
fleet that sank in 1618.
Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum in Sebastian highlights
Fisher’s best find. The Nuestra Senora de Atocha sank in a hurricane
somewhere near the Florida Keys in 1622 with one of
the richest New World cargoes ever assembled. Beginning in
1969, Fisher made searching for the Atocha his top priority.
Led by Eugene Lyon’s research of archival Spanish manu-
Hours: Weekdays 8am - 5pm
Saturday By Appointment
Sunday Closed
>>
WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED FOR ALL YOUR BOATING NEEDS
www.centralmarinestuart.com | 200 Northwest Alice Ave. | Stuart, FL | Phone: (772) 692-2000
RICK CRARY
Spanish archival documents like this one shown at the Mel Fisher Museum
were researched to learn details about sunken galleons.
/www.centralmarinestuart.com
/www.centralmarinestuart.com