Diving for Treasure

Clay Blair gives a very detailed summary of the discovery and extraction of artifacts from a shipwreck discovered off the Yucatan Peninsular in Mexico.

Initially Blair, Bob Marx and another friend dive on the wreck, finding a significant number of small artifacts (none deemed particularly valuable) and determine that the wreck has never been salvaged /plundered / searched before.

Various discoveries lead them to believe the ship is a wealthy English merchant ship from approximately 1740. This is an evidence based assessment, with some additional speculation and assumption in the mix.

Arrested suddenly, and then proven to have broken no laws, they are nonetheless still not permitted to return to the wreck and continue work, as a political situation arises where events take on a life of their own, and the general public believes they are recovering treasure and not paying their (50%) tax. This is rumour only, and falls in line with historic stories of buried treasure at the adjacent stretch of beach.

Eventually, politics take over and the only way to obtain a government permit (suddenly required, due to a law or interpretation of law) was to partner with a well known Mexican dive / salvage operator - who would get preference over an American team. In the end this was satisfactory, and neither party sought to cheat or hide salvage from each other.

The second half of the book is the eventually discovered evidence found in historical archives, and the extensive research carried out to finally identify the ship, her origins, her owners, her route and the details of her demise. Suffice it to say that this was not an English ship, and that assumption had thrown them off the trail. I won't spoil the outcome for other readers.

This was a well organised, thorough and spirited book. It contained a great deal of detail about the methods and techniques (both of diving and researching) and offers up lots of process for other treasure hunters to follow - generously and in an unguarded manner. It clearly provided all of its evidence and is an interesting and informative read.

4 stars