Mel Fisher facts for kids

Mel Fisher (born August 21, 1922 – died December 19, 1998) was a famous American treasure hunter. He is best known for finding the amazing treasure from a Spanish ship called the Nuestra Señora de Atocha. This ship sank way back in 1622 off the coast of Florida.

Mel Fisher's Early Life and Family

Mel Fisher was born in Indiana. He later moved to California and opened the first diving shop there, which he called "See Da Sea." In 1953, he married Dolores Horton, who everyone called Deo. She became his partner in his adventures. Deo was one of the first women to learn how to dive, and she even set a record for staying underwater for 50 hours! Mel and Deo had five children.

Sadly, on July 20, 1975, a terrible accident happened. Mel's oldest son, Dirk, his wife Angel, and another diver named Rick Gage died when their boat sank. This happened while they were searching for treasure. Mel Fisher spent many years looking for sunken treasures in the Florida Keys.

Discovering the Atocha Treasure

Mel Fisher found the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, a large Spanish galleon ship. It was named after a church in Madrid. In 1973, Mel's team found silver bars from the wreck. Then, in 1975, his son Dirk found five bronze cannons. These cannons had special markings that proved they belonged to the Atocha. Just a few days later, the tragic accident happened where Dirk, Angel, and Rick Gage lost their lives.

The treasure found from the Atocha is called "The Atocha Motherlode." It was worth an estimated $450 million! This huge treasure included:

• 40 tons of gold and silver
• About 114,000 pieces of eight (Spanish silver coins)
• Many gold coins
• Beautiful Colombian emeralds
• Gold and silver artifacts
• 1000 silver bars

Even with all these amazing finds, this was only about half of the treasure that sank with the Atocha. The back part of the ship, called the stern castle, which holds more gold and emeralds, has not been found yet. Also still missing are 300 silver bars and 8 bronze cannons.

The Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum in Key West, Florida

The area where the Atocha sank is called "The Bank of Spain." It's a sandy spot about 22 feet deep. Divers are still working there, and more treasures are slowly being found. The emeralds from the Atocha are some of the best in the world. They come from the Muzo Mine in Colombia, known for their amazing color and sparkle.

At first, the State of Florida claimed that some of the treasure belonged to them. They wanted 25% of what Mel Fisher's company, Treasure Salvors, Inc., found. But Mel's company believed the treasure should be all theirs. After eight years of legal battles, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed with Treasure Salvors. On July 1, 1982, they ruled that Mel's company had the rights to all the treasure found from the Atocha.

Other Discoveries by Mel Fisher

Mel Fisher and his company, Treasure Salvors, found parts of several other shipwrecks in Florida waters. One was the Santa Margarita, which was the Atocha's sister ship and sank in the same year. They also found parts of a ship called the Henrietta Marie, which sank in 1700.

Mel Fisher's Legacy

Mel Fisher's work helped create new ways to find and protect underwater historical items. His company's divers became experts at recovering and saving artifacts from the sea. Mel Fisher's passion for finding treasure also helped people realize how important it is to protect underwater archaeological sites. This led to new rules and agreements, like the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, which helps protect treasures hidden beneath the waves.

See also

• Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum
• Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum