Treasure Island - Mel Fisher and the Treasure Salvors
During the next two days we visited some
compelling local attractions. One of them was the Mel Fisher Museum.
Mel
Fisher is a treasure hunter whose dream it was for over 16 years to find
the "Mother Lode" of the sunken Spanish galleon, the Nuestra
Senora deAtocha which had sunk around the waters of Key West in September,
1622.
The Atocha was part of a 28-ship convoy that sailed from Havana harbor
bound for Spain. The fleet became caught in a fierce hurricane for two
days. Eight ships, which included the Atocha (the one with the most treasure),
were slammed into the reefs of the Florida Keys. Of more than the 265
crew members of the Atocha, only five survived.
Many
have searched for the Atocha and it's buried treasures, but only Mel and
his "Golden Crew" were successful, through many years of hard
work, perseverance and personal loss. They uncovered jewelry, silver,
pottery, weapons, gold link chains as long as 60-feet, navigational tools,
cannons, anchors and even some of the ship's timbers, that had been hidden
in the ocean's depths for more than 350 years. The find was an incredible
glimpse into 17th century Spain.
JoBeth, my traveling companion, had been approached in the 1970s by the
Fishers on 
Spanish
Wells island, an island near Eluethra, to invest in the treasure hunt.
JoBeth and her husband had to decline at the time, due to financial challenges.
Now here we were looking at all the priceless and pricey treasures in
Mel's museum! Ah, for a time machine.
July 20, 1985 was the day Mel's big dream came true. Mel's son Kane, radioed his father from the vessel Dauntless, of which Kane was was captain, and told his father, "Put away the charts. We've got the Mother Lode!"
Besides an incredible display of articles found from the Atocha in the Museum, the Museum's gift shop sells some of the original artifacts found. The pieces, which include gold, silver, coins and loose gems, come in a variety of price ranges. Certificates of Authenticity accompany your purchase. To see much more of the Atocha's Treasure and a price list on several available pieces to order by mail go to www.melfisher.com. Mel Fisher Museum, 200 Greene Street, Key West FL 33040. Toll Free: 888-577-6995.
There's
so much to see around town, you need to find a way besides hoofing it,
to see everything!
A couple of options; scooter, trolley, Conch Train, piggy-back. We opted
for the Conch Train Tour. The Conch Train takes you all around
the island while a knowledgeable conductor narrates the trip by pointing
out all the historical monuments and places of interest as you wind in
and out of Key West's narrow streets. We passed the Oldest House/Wrecker
Museum, the City Cemetery, St. Paul's Church, Lighthouse Museum, the Southernmost
Point, the Harry S. Truman Little White House and many other attractions.
The Train is open every day with tours from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and
boards in Mallory Square or Roosevelt Boulevard. For information call
(305) 294-5161.
All
this traveling makes you hungry! Although
Key West has many great little places to eat, I picked four we visited;
each for something outstanding.
The first
one was the Hard Rock Cafe. I know you're probably saying, "Another
Hard Rock Cafe, big deal." I understand—I'm not one to go for
the run of the mill either, but JoBeth told me this Hard Rock had thee
most delicious pig sandwich you ever ate in your life.And she was
right. Succulent, juicy barbequed pork piled high on a bun, accompanied
by mouthwatering baked beans and cole slaw. WOW. And the restaurant is
in an old two story house decorated, of course in rock and roll memorabilia.
But the velvet drapes, hardwood floors and high windows, not to mention
the long staircase with it's oak bannister, really give this eatery a
special charm and character. "Love All, Serve All". The Hard
Rock Cafe, 313 Duval St.,Key West, FL 33040. Tel: (305) 305-293-0230.
Next, was
the International Buffet. If you like seafood, this is the place.
Get ready to 
throw
on a feed bag. For $21.95 it's all you can eat. And not the crappy "all
you can eat food", you find at a lot of these places either. This
quality buffet had mounds of fresh shrimp, king crab legs, mussels, squid,
sushi, conch fritters, salmon, and my favorite; stone crab. The accompanying
salads, vegetables and ribs all looked fresh and delicious. I guess they
were good. I don't know. I ate so many crab legs and stone crabs I'm surprised
I didn't sprout pinchers. Accompany all that seafood with a nice cold
bottle of Key West Sunset Ale, and you're singin' with the mermaids. Fruits
and ice creams for dessert. International Buffet, 221 Duvall St., Key
West, FL Tel: (305) 292-0090.
On
to Kelly's Carribbean Bar Grill & Brewery
Kelly's,
owned by actress Kelly McGillis, is in the original home of Pan American
Airways and is decorated with an interesting aviation theme that includes
old photographs and artifacts. Kelly's is a restaurant and microbrewery
that features great tasting beers and a diverse menu. Their flagship beer
is "Havana Red Ale" a copper-colored top fermented beer, followed
by "Southern Clipper" a rich-full bodied beer and "Key
West Golden Ale" a premium, medium bodied beer that's mellow and
refreshing.
The menu consists of a variety of Caribbean food as well as standard fare
that includes steaks and chops. I recommend the Seafood Saute; a medley
of shrimp, clams, bay scallops and local fish sauteed with plum tomato,
basil, white wine and garlic. It was perfectly cooked and the sauce was
delicate enough to enhance, yet not overpower the taste of the seafood.
JoBeth 
had
the Coconut Shrimp which was also delicious and chock full of coconut
coating. The veggies that accompanied her meal were extraordinary; tasting
fresh and again, perfectly cooked. Our waiter who was simply known as
"Z" (that's his real name) was attentive, efficient and made
our dining experience one I would highly recommend to my readers. You
can dine inside or outside in their beautiful tropical garden. There's
also a good sized bar inside if you just want to hang out and enjoy some
of the freshly brewed beers. Kelly's Caribbean Bar, Grill & Brewery,301
Whitehead Street, Key West, FL Tel: 305-293-8484.
For
maybe the best breakfast place in town (just ask the locals) it's
the Deli Restaurant. The charming seahorse doors are the first
sign that you're in a place with imagination and character. The menu offers
all the usual breakfast fare with a wide assortment of omelets pancakes
and accompaniments.
The Deli is a family run business established in 1950 and some of the
waitresses have been working there for over 20 years. They tout themselves
as the "last holdout of old Key West where you dine with hippies,
pirates, artists, treasure hunters and lawyers...where people who work
and live in Key West eat and socialize".
It really does have a welcoming family feel when 
you
come inside. The wait staff is friendly and the food is excellent. Fishies
in the form of stained glass and mobiles are everywhere as well as paintings
by local artists. Go there hungry, because you'll get a nice sized portion
of whatever you order. The best grits with cheese and home fries you'll
ever tatse. The Deli Restaurant, 531 Truman Ave., Key West, FL 33040.
Tel: (305) 294-1464.
How can we forget Key Lime Pie?
And
what would kind of food critic would I be if I didn't give you the best
place to get some great Key Lime Pie? It's The Blond Giraffe Key Lime
Pie Factory that holds the title in my opinion. And i'ts not just
me—they won for best Key Lime Pie in Key West, they're known as "the
sublime Key Lime Pie". And rightfully so! The pie is light and tasty
with that perfect level of tartness. Plus it has a luscious fluffy merangue
on top. Yum-o-Rama. You can buy it by the whole pie or the slice. They
also sell great Key Lime cookies and other gourmet Key Lime products.
Key Lime Pie Factory, 629 Duval St., Key West. Tel: (305) 293-6998.
Woo! After all that food, we need a little excercise. Let's mosey over to Mallory Square and see what's going on...more>>
