National Geographic Video: Atocha: Quest for Treasure (1986)
2019 ж. 17 Қыр.
299 677 Рет қаралды
The last of the three National Geographic LaserDiscs is something different compared to the first two. Instead of looking into the ecosystem of some place, this time we're looking into the story of Mel Fisher, a treasure hunter, and his hunt for the shipwreck "Nuestra Señora de Atocha" (Spanish for "Our Lady of Atocha"), which sunk in the Florida Keys in 1622.
fair use mess with this video and ill sink your big boat
Video Information:
Title of Source: National Geographic Video: Atocha: Quest for Treasure
Distributor: Vestron Video
Original Home Video Format: LaserDisc
Original Video: CLV LaserDisc
Original Audio: FM Stereo
Conversion Type: SpeedSynth (WinTV recording, AviSynth/ffmpeg NVENC transcoding)
Direct Upload
I really hate those who believe that one should not have a right to own what they spent years to find. This treasure is the treasure of Mel Fisher and those who made it possible, and not we the people.
Agree 100%
I also agree 100%
The San José galleon is being called. the holy grail of ship wreck. All Spanish galleons were loaded with gold silver emeralds etc. They were so overloaded the conquistadors left there horses in the wild, that's where mustangs came
I agree totally. If the government is so interested in the monetary gain, they should have been looking for it themselves.
Exactly. These pompous asses sitting in their offices thinking they know every damn thing…why weren’t they or the government out there looking? Because they would’ve had to use public funds and nobody would’ve supported a wild goose chase like this. Good for this crew, this noble man, his wife and family…they did the work, they got the reward at a price. These archies and such are really really bad news in the way they stifle innovation and discovery. What’s theirs is theirs and what’s yours is theirs, they like to think. Get off your fat butt and go find it and share it with “the people” if that’s what you want.
It was the Time of my Life working with Mel ,Deo, and the main crew all those years! Today’s the Day … Capt RD LeClaire
Thanks for the upload. No one bothered Mel Fisher, no government or competitor or liar with a story, until he found something of value. I hate parasites.
Now, not everything is turned in so the blood, sweat and tears isn't given to the parasites we call government.
Net flicks t&e shipwreck of the unbelievable where hurst found Micky mouse .gives a bad name to real treasure hunters.
If you wanna get really technical. It was inca and or Aztec gold 1st. The spaniards Brought so much Gold from the new world ,they left there Jinete trained horses Behind .,so the ships can carry more Gold. The atocha treasure was probably a drop in the bucket. It was a carvan of ships loaded with treasure. Spaniards had there lPorts/forts pit stops in Cuba, PR St Augustine. Etc. To repair ships from a storm and Restock food and ammo for pirates . It's a long dangerous journey
I love the fact that america tried to take his findings but lost in court. America couldn’t get any more American than that and it’s awesome!
One of my favorite videos. I met Mel once at his museum in Key West. It's such a great story and Mel truly accomplished his life's dream and never gave up. He will go down at the greatest treasure hunter. Eugene Lyon passed not long ago, and we owe him a lot in the search for the Atocha. RIP Mel. Never forget you.
Amazing Treasure Hunter he was, started with a dream and hope. 16 so years later, and damn, the loss of life. But the man did it, and that makes it a real great hard to surpass story of a lifetime.
There's. Gotta be a documentary of another Spanish Galeon wreck with millions off coast of Columbia
Congratulations to Mr. Fisher and his team, they deserve all of it. A real adventure story. Today is the day!
I bought a piece of 8 from Mel's wife Deo at the Museum on one of many trips to Key West. Mel's story of perseverance, of tragedy and loss is incredible. "Today's the Day" is what he always said. I'm so happy for him and the divers and team they got to live this dream. I never get tired of hearing this story. Maybe the most important part of it is a lesson to all of us: never give up even in the face of defeat and great loss. Today is the day if we just choose to keep going. God bless you Mel. You've inspired so many people, myself included.
How much that set u back? Those 8’s are valuable. There are what less than 40 in existence?
What’s an 8
@@megalou6567 A 10 with a piece of steak stuck in her teeth (groans). lol. A piece of eight was a Spanish coin valued at a dollar and worth eight reales. It could be cut into eight pieces to make change. Cheers.
@@211212112 There were hundreds if not thousands pulled out of the sea so while they aren't ubiquitous they were obtainable at a decent price. They also came in various grades. Mine isn't a high grade I paid a few hundred for it. All the Atocha coins came with a certificate of authenticity from Fishers museum. Got mine in 92 and I have no idea what it's worth now. If you ever get a chance do stop in at the museum in Key West. It's incredible. Gold bars, emeralds, unbelievable gold jewelry. I always went there when visiting Key West. Cheers!
I was in key west 15 years ago . Met the diver that actually found the Atocha . Said it looked like a pile of ballast rocks . That lobster divers had been around for years
I met him months before he passed away in Key West at his museum. I still have the picture of us together, he came out of his office with this huge gold chain I got to touch and see the amazement on his face still.
Yippee kay-yay
@@F-1415 don't be jealous
@@joescott906 ya have a little brown spot on your nose Joe 👻. And, nah, I'm not jealous of your man crush. The entire family is milking their Dads lottery win, that's all it is. The fishers had to employ certified archeologists and modern labs in order to keep diving on wrecks or face being shut down by federal and state conservatory and heritage protection laws...they surely didn't do it by their own free will. If they didnt have money they would be living in a double wide trailer at the end of a Florida runway.
@@F-1415 yup definitely jealous...
@@joescott906 😘 you got me, but it's you that I'm jealous of, not him. 👻
Mel Fisher was the actual reason I became a SCUBA diver in 1986.
my dad worked with Fisher and Gang until 82
@@winzt9 I wanted to meet him when younger. Never got my chance.
Typical Florida corrupt government officials. What gives them the right to step in after Mel did all the work? I was in Florida in 1985. It was a magical year for sure. There was so much energy in the air it was like the universe was smiling down on South Florida. I have one of the Atocha coins around my neck. The stories behind it ever since I have it are pretty strange. I 've lost it twice in weird ways and it has twice come back to me. How does that happen with something so rare? It will be 400 years old in 2022. At least since the ship sunk. How old it really is probably more than that. It will last for many more years after I am gone and the stories will obviously continue behind it. I wish I knew what they will be? Maybe I will be buried with it and one day it will be found in the ground and traced back? Thanks for the necklace Mel..... I adore it. Oh and the guy at the end has greedy eyes. Go to the museum Grinch.
Haley Murray that dude really pissed me off.
Exactly.. That's why I didn't and never tell anyone about what I found years ago. I know the gov will wait for me to dig it up, then take everything away.
@@catclelland2447 He pissed me off too, would they have compensated Mel and his backers if they had failed, let alone the loss of a son and many many years. Of course they would. Fuck off.
As a kid growing up in Florida when all this was happening it made you want to go look for treasure yourself. Thank you Mr.Fisher for all the wonderful memories and bringing history to life. I'm stuck in Atlanta at the moment can't wait to get back home to Florida and get back in the water. This was a fantastic documentary loved it!
Yes, exactly! We all walked out on the sandbars at low tide, looking for treasure! Great memories.
Thank you so much for sharing! Beautiful to see this. These incredible people were (and remain) towering figures to me.
You any relation to eugene?.
Something about Gold, that is like hypnotizing. Conquistadores risked there lives for it. Even Fishers son died in the quest for the mother load 300+years later.
@@00tonytone Mel's son, Dirk, his wife Angel, and another crewman died on 7-20-1975, exactly 10 years to the day before Mel and crew found the Atocha motherload on 7-20-1985.
@@2corinthians989is
I'm so grateful for this upload! I used to watch this VHS tape at least three times a week for years on end, I'm amazed the tape still works. I can finally watch this again without worrying about the condition of my VHS. This has brought so many memories and comfort to me.
I saw this when I was much younger and it stayed with me. A classic video.
These tenacious people put in ALL the hard work to find this lost treasure and all the authorities want to do is steal it from them. Absolutely CRIMINAL...
That was amazing to watch. Have found silver roman coins metal detecting but nothing on that scale. The buzz of holding something knowing that the last person to hold it was 100s or 1000s of years ago is just unreal.
Maybe it’s because I grew up paying attention to this story or the fact that I’m now a man of a certain age that has child and grandchildren that it hits even harder the cost that Mel Fisher paid in finding that ship and then to have people that sit behind desks try and take it away after all he went through just pisses me off! But I’ve always liked his attitude “ Today will be the day” and when that day finally came he was out buying some swimming gear!
Circling Vultures!
Used to watch this all the time as a kid growing up! Thanks for sharing
Wow im speechless. I couldnt imagine finding the tail end of that let alone the mother load. It was there for anyone to find and he put his blood sweat and tears into finding it so why should he not have the rights to it
"ABSOLUTELY "
@Floyd1504 absolutely I gaurentee it
I very much enjoyed watching that. Wasn't expecting the sad part of loss of life. Took me for a loop. Brought me back. Through all the excitement and the adventure and all the emotions were all felt in that filming
Mel's son and wife were . murdered..no doubt in my mind that boat was sabotaged!
Man, I've been looking for this. We would watch this back in the day every chance we got. I haven't seen this episode anywhere in a long time, so I'm happy to see it. They had an exhibit of their treasure at a local jewelry store in Austin, Texas in the early 90s.
The sound of this video makes me feel old......I was 14 in 1986. Sigh....
I would have been 15 lol, I want to go back lol.
That memorial poem says it all.. Those willing to pay the price in sweat, heartaches and tears vs those that would sit in a armchair and piss moan and complain about something they had NO investment in. Well done Mel.
Around my neck hangs a silver reproduction of a coin, cast in silver recovered from the ATOCHA. Or so the certificate says…whether real or not, it sparked my interest in Mel’s story and for that it is priceless to me. My admiration and gratitude to Mel, his family, crew, and all who made the discovery of ATOCHA’s final resting place a reality. What an amazing and incredible adventure!!!
I was there, out diving and boating off of Woman Key when the radio calls came in. So cool and these guys worked for, they earned it and deserve to keep it.
Thanks for putting this on. So interesting and rather exciting too
Thank you for this video of discovery of the Atocha,and of a men that had a dream and all the sacrifice that he went thru .what a great story.
This is SO COOL. They were at Jamestown Mall in 1979, and I was sixteen, and I passed on this opportunity. Thanks for posting!
what a phenomenal piece of history, this documentary and the wreckage. i am only 24, but this footage is so incredible that it makes me nostalgic. so well-deserved it almost brings me tears. well done, mel fisher and company!!
The music when they show the treasure reminds me of the goonies. Love that 80s vibe. Old documentaries like this are the best. Nowadays they try too hard to make them over the top dramatic.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who kept thinking that!
Narration by Martin Sheen is pretty awesome too!
Haha I thought the samething about the Goonies 🤣
Amazing video. What endurance and long suffering this family and team went through. They deserve everything they found. Inspiring.
Legendary. Just legendary - the mustaches that is. The documentary was great too.
They made a few Atocha documentaries, this one is the Best💫
If Peter Neal, New York Meritime Museum was as sincere about the Atocha shipwreck as he says he was he would have gotten off his bearded but and gone looking for the ship itself. He is a good example of a government employee that sees nothing more then a paycheck for his efforts. He stated that at the end of the Indiana Jones movie once the Ark was found it was given to the people to enjoy. Again he sticks his over educated stationary foot in his mouth. At the end of the movie the government officials tell Indy the Ark is safe and the GOVERNMENT takes the Ark and hides it in a storage facility for eternity. Mel Fisher was attacked by 20th century pirates in the form of the State of Florida and the U S Government who tried to steal the Atocha from him. All I can say Peter Neal is be glad someone had the balls to invest 16 years and 3 lives in the search. What have you done lately.........................besides being a professional student.
This 10000000%. Mel and his family and his employees and investors are the ones who believed the treasure was there and put their money, sweat and lives on the line to prove it. It's ALL THEIRS. No effing museum or government deserves even a speck of that.
I know at the end he's like... you should give it back I'm like f*** you douche
I love history! What a great documentary that was!!
So beautiful, it shows the Key West I grew up with. 💚💛💚💛💚💛
What a real life story of perseverance those people who dived into the water countless times talk about determination
I was a mad diver from the mid 80s to the mid 90s and read, watched and dreamed of this treasure hunt but this is the first time I have seen this doco! Brings back so many memories and dreams, if in the right place at the right time I would have happily spent months or years sifting sand 50 feet down to help solve the mystery!
Been to the museum. Love the entire story! Truly magnificent, inspiring to say the least. Romantic and fairy tale stories do come true! 💚💙💚💙👌👌👌
Man on a mission, many men on a mission. Sure glad that the folks found what they were looking for. Thanks
i visited the museum, it is beautiful, his son is in charge now, mel was a great man
What a beautiful man and wife and kids. Spiritual man he knew deep in his heart that all seekers will become finders. He lived and died by it. Great kids too. Great wife his support team.
As an avid Metal Detectorist, I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary. Martin Sheen’s narration really added a sense of importance and legitimacy.
Love this story! decided since I am in colonial Quito ... famed for being the first UNESCO world heritage site ... I wanted to hear about all that was stolen out if these lands ... but luckily rediscovered - I have listened to other KZhead’s and it always thrills me !!! Such a killer story !!! I gotta go to key west just for the museum !!!
I agree.. I looked it up u can buy stuff. It’s just so expensive lol. 1 silver coin is like 3k. It’s gotta be wrth billion in today’s money
THIS SAGA IS WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF. HOORAY MEL & COMPANY,,HOORAY ATOCHA, THIS MUST BE THE "SECOND" "GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD" "TIMELESS TREASURE".......
Love this story, and the fact that it's real makes it all the more interesting.
I woulda done this job with these guys for free! 100% there is no job that is cooler or more amazing than to be able to hunt for real treasure hundreds of years old .
I have to grimace when I hear the curator from a museum talking about everyone having to hand over everything to museums....the museum in our town sold all its best paintings, donated years and years ago...so the museums staff could get massive raises in salaries, all voting themselves hundreds of dollars more every year....all for everyone's good,of course, with the president going from 200 thousand to 450 thousand. These are the real pirates, just like Florida seizing the wreck and trying to take it all. We should be able to be free...to find and keep gold included in our basic freedom.
I had the opportunity to visit Mel’s museum when it was operating out of a replica Spanish galleon back in the mid 70’s. At the end of the tour I got to hold a finger bar of gold from the Atocha.
So awesome! Amazing story!
incredible touching story, an example of humanity and faith.
What an adventure Mel and his family had. I can only imagine how fun that would have been for his children. Mel and crew paid for and worked hard for many years to find the Atocha. They deserve the reward. The state/ government should not steal treasures from the finders.
Wonderful documentary 👏❤
Shame he was hindered by govt officials. He was a great explorer and should be known as such.
Explorer?, I don't think he was, I think you meant a great treasure hunter.
Right? All the time and money he put into finding it.. his sons death... he deserves every bit of that treasure
I just got a necklace from the silver on this ship! Love treasure hunting.
I bought one in September. Set in gold. I wear it every day
A very enjoyable video but still feel sad for the family loss of loved ones!♥️♥️
Great video and discovery.
So exciting.......I have my little Atocha silver coin necklace. I love it!
I have always been fascinated about Atocha and have a memory of her voyage ✨coins and pieces it’s history I love ! And the ones who spent years to find her 👏🙏✨😊❤️⚡️✨🎧the spirit still breaths through her treasure and stories that lyes beneath
This is a dream !!! Wish i was a part of that crew 😆
Determination, faith and work..... Hard things to endure.The heartbreaking loss of his son and daughter-in-law....Yet Mr Fisher didn't quit...He was a very special individual.... Glad he found what he paid a heavy price....Glad he succeeded.... No jealousy... Just happy he was successful.....
As a private underwater treasure hunter, I can understand. Chase your dreams; you just might catch it!
This was quite a story! I am sure that not only Dirk was watching over Cain👼, he is immensely proud of him too! Still the loss of three young people will always be part of this story as well. May they Rest In Peace. 🌹😔🌹. 🌈🇨🇦☮️
I visited that museum the day after the space shuttle blew up in 1986. That was only about 6 months after they found it.
What an incredible man he was to believe and search for "Atocha" treasure which he eventually found worth millions of dollars.
Awesome video
Thanks for the goonie music ,I love it!
yes!! Great comment
I AM A CHARTERED MEMBER OF A ESTEEMED GROUP CALLED "HUNTER, GATHERS", WE ARE EVERYWHERE, IN ALL AGES ! I'VE HAD MY OWN SUCCESS'S OVER 30 YRS OF "QUEST" WE ARE ALSO ""DREAMERS"", BUT WITH EYES WIDE OPEN !!!
So very sorry about the loss of your boy and others
Great adventure. Mel and his crew very much deserved it. Hard ship heart breaks. Florida's Favorite Son. Mel Fisher
I've met Mel Fisher to Key-West in 1994 . We come into the bar to take a way food. À man coming ... i saw à Big man with a large smile i Said to me he look like John Wayne without long hair ans he come behind us to talk des minutes after the bardender say do You Know with who You talk ? I said no... he tell me he is Mel Fisher ! My Memory it was a Nice man he talk about Paris that he visit with his wife. We took a picture with my French friends ans its Big émeraude et sa grande chaîne en or. Never Forget this moment ! I love his détermination !
Love this film
Anyone have any idea what camcorder this was shot with? Betacam SP?
Hi. Those rescue rolling vessels, as they are in Northern Scotland and Ireland. My very best regards!
Incredible.
There happens to be a second Mel Fisher museum in Sebastian Florida
Nomadic fanatic just posted a video of it
Good for this family HARD work pays OFF COOL
This treasure is the product of the greed and stunning cruelty of the Spanish Colonial Empire. After conquering the natives, and almost wiping them out with small pox, the Spanish forced the natives to mine for gold, silver and emeralds in extremely dangerous mines and deplorable conditions. The Spanish burned natives to death, roasted their feet over hot coals, cut off their limbs, all to enforce their dominion and discourage escape. The Potosi mine in Bolivia, high in the Andes, and the mountain Cerra Rico was a literal mountain of pure silver laced with thick veins of silver, and the natives were forced to mine it all. The Cerro Rico de Potosí was the richest source of silver in the history of humankind. The extraction of mineral ores in Cerro Rico de Potosí began in 1545 by the Spanish Empire. Between the 16th and 18th century, 80% of the world's silver supply came out of this mine. Over 250 years the Potosi mine produced 150,000 tons of silver, and it caused inflation in the economies of Europe and China.
Interesting facts. Thanks for sharing.
Crazy seeing them put those coins in a rock tumbler with steel shot. Seems like it would ruin them.
What made people dislike him,,he claimed ALL SHIPWRECKS.
Envy and Jealousy.
R.I.P. Dr Eugene Lyon
It took 17 years to find the atocha.. BUT he would go into the oceans on april 1st for a few months. The irs agents on board quickly became bored and asked to be trained to scuba and help search. A family friend purchased a medallion from the treasure for his wife.
I could NOT imagine diving down there and being the first person to see BARS OF GOLD AND SILVER!!!! WTF! I'd 100% have a heart attack trying to get it all out, or drown from not wanting to stop collecting and looking for more. "Shawn passed away 100ft below sea level, his dive suit stuffed and weighed down with gold" Just the looks of those bars and jewelry is absolutely mesmerizing.. smh Just beautiful. Lol Lobsters down there like "my precious"
What a great life.. RIP
I needed money so I sold my COA gold coin from the museum for $2700. Had it for 12 years as part of a $8000 investment. Still have the sand dollars and sea biscuits from my dives. My wife has a mounted silver coin necklace.
If anyone deserved to find the treasure it is Mel Fishers team.
Anyone else watched this when they were school cause that’s were I first saw is video
This is my first time seeing this because I saw a map explaining the shipwrecks.
It’s funny to see them working on what looks like one of the first Macs for Analyzing at 46:48. I started on one of those. 47:06
Fascinating. Hundreds of millions in treasure must have been nervewracking to protect, both while diving for it, and after retrieving it . Wonder if any theft among crew members took place....few coins here, few there
I met this man. I had a boyfriend that captained his ship. He is mean. But I understand why. You find a treasure like this.... everyone is after you. If you haven't seen it,,,,it's mind blowing. There are gold chains, links, that are as big as your head. I lived in the keys. It was mind blowing. You have to see it to understand. The gold chains were amazing.
"He is mean!" Haha yup, was scrolling down thru the comments thinking I wonder if any here ever really met Mel? Apparently you really did cause he is strictly business, was when I met him to. I lived in coral gables for a few years and made friends with a Jack Mckutchet who knew Mel which is how I got to meet him.
Stud had 3 more studs. 80s cokefest and gold and rock.
Around 1992 give or take a couple yrs. I went to the mall in T.Haute, In. because the newspaper said some of the treasure from the Atocha would be there at this jewelry store. We stood in a fairly long line for about 1 or 2 hrs. We almost gave up. Glad we didn't because it was amazing! The emeralds, silver coins, long chains of gold, the gold emerald cross ( 8" tall or so, 1" or so wide), pieces of eight coins you could buy. The breadstick looking gold bars were different odd lengths. Looked like they all were stamped day before but they were abt 370 yrs old. The tour guide said,(Here hold out yr hand, now its real heavy, be ready" I'm thinking well its not going to be that bad. He laid the bar in my hand (it was abt 15" long) and my hand went down abt 3 or 4 ". I almost sh@# myself! Well it was quite the trip!
Why doesnt it give credit to the narrator ? Im positive that its martin sheen but it never shows in the credits who the narration was done by .
couldnt even imagine the absolute joy to find what youve been looking for, for decades, to even lose a son tryin to find it.
My good friend Jimmy Cardenas worked for Mel been to the museum a picture taken with Mel. The blood sweat and tears to recover the treasure is awesome. For that intellectual fraud to not realize that part of history is sooo sad.
Gov thieves....
Freaking Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
my heroe
2k uncut to get a small atocha emerald, what a dream. just to touch one worth as much!
I own two pieces of Atocha treasure .
That’s amazing! What do you have?
so the guy who wants the treasure to be given back, go find your own.
I hope his family can live well from his perseverance for generations