Fast forward about twenty years later and I was finally ready to go to the Florida keys and buy a boat and start living my dream. It was right at this time that Peter Leo, a local lifeguard in Jupiter,Fl found the wreck believed to be the San Miguel de Arcangel. Peter was not allowed to use mechanical means of excavation for the first couple of years and was spending most of his available money on legal fees in the endeavour to finalize his claim to the shipwreck. Since I lived on the river close to the shipwreck it seemed logical to just help him and not have to move to the keys.

The first couple of years I did everything I could to help. I provided as much equipment as I could such as magnetometers, metal detectors and hookahs and dove every chance I could. Some days we would dig for six or seven hours with shovel heads to find treasure for half an hour. It was exciting and I could not get enough. I would ignore my business and dive for days on end, all for free just because I loved it. After several years he was allowed to use boats with blowers and a friend of his cousin was the famous treasure hunter Teddy Tucker who very graciously provided a steel twin engine diesel boat outfitted with a blower and a deflector. This opened up a whole new world. I can remember laying under the boat with the blowers running with a hole being created and it would just keep getting bigger and bigger. Sometimes you would just see coins falling out of the walls as they got bigger. Some days we would bring up dozens of coins and the occasional artifact also. I did not see Peter for about ten years after that and I started thinking about it a lot and remembering that those were the most enjoyable times of my life.

When I saw Peter again I asked him if he would sell me the shipwreck company so I could dive whenever I wanted. He had decided he was ready to move on and we were able to reach a agreement where I could take over for him and he would be available to consult and yet be able to persue his love of sailing. Peter and I went to the west coast of Florida and bought the boat we now call the "Seahunter" and spent a great weekend driving back across the state to Jupiter.This had always been my dream and without realizing it I had created my retirement plan where I could spend the rest of my life diving for treasure. A lifelong dream come true.

Now I want to invite any of you who share this dream with me, to come share the reality of it with me and help me find the rest of the ship which has not yet been located.

Seahunter (Scott Thomson)