Key West Diary 3

Sunset Key is an island located a short ferry ride off the southern tip of Key West. The only way to reach the island is by Ferry. The island is small and houses part of the Westin Hotel Resort and SPA complex.

To visit the island you must own a home,(we hear Jimmy Buffet and Kenny Chesney own homes here), be a vacationer at one of the Westin private cottages, have a lunch or dinner reservation pass at the island restaurant or have an appointment at the SPA. 

Lucky me...my birthday gift from my son and daughter-in-love was an 80 minute massage on this beautiful island at the Sunset Key Island SPA. 

Island Ferry

Private Vacation Cottage

Door way to the SPA...

Chocolate for dipping strawberries while waiting for your massage. 

Ferry ride back to Key West. 

Another magnificent sunset in paradise. 

While Sara was enjoying her spa day on her private island, I was left to entertain myself, so what did I do???...... go to a treasure museum, of course!!!

One of the reasons I learned to scuba dive many years ago was that if I ever had the opportunity to dive on a wreck and search for treasure, I wanted to be prepared. One of my heros is Mel Fisher. A boy from Indiana that read Treasure Island and dreamed of becoming a treasure hunter. He turned his dream into a lifelong career and the highlight of his career was the discovery and recovery of the Spanish Galleon the Atocha. The Atocha sunk during a hurricane in 1622 laden with 40 tons of gold and silver and emeralds that were headed for Spain. Lost for over 350 years, it was Mel Fisher's diligent perseverance over 16 years that led him to discover the wreck, just 35 miles west of Key West in 55 feet of water.

He had to fight off the state of Florida and the Federal Government for the right of ownership, after he discovered the Atocha. His case was finally settled by the U. S. Supreme Court. They ruled that ALL of the treasure belonged to Fisher. All 400 million dollars worth!!

Many of the artifacts brought up belonged to wealthy Spanairds traveling on the Atocha, such as these chains and goblets.

The bulk of the treasure consisted of gold and silver bars and chests of gold and silver coins that had been freshly minted in Mexico.

 The amazing thing is that they are still recovering treasure from the site after the "Mother Lode" was discovered in 1986. According to the manifest uncovered in the archives in Spain, there was as much as 60 to 70 pounds of uncut emeralds on board and to date, only 7 pounds have been recovered.

 Across the street from the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum is the old Customs House that now houses the Art and History Museum.

It's a very beautiful and distinctive looking building.

With many larger than life and life size statues placed around the building.

That's me laying down taking a break under the statue after a hard day of sight seeing!

The ever popular and interesting Banyan tree.