 Gary Randolph
is the Operations Manager of the Atocha & Margarita Salvage Project and Captain of
our new survey vessel “Huntress”. Gary was born in New Jersey and grew up along the
Jersey Shore. According to his mother, he has always loved the water and could swim
before he could walk. After graduating from high school, he pursued a BS degree in
Mechanical Engineering but left college early when he was offered a position he
couldn’t refuse. For the next eight years he was Assistant General Manager for a
chain of 20 stores that sold high performance automotive parts. Gary’s hobby also
involved cars. Race cars that is; he built motors and raced dragsters with a few
friends up and down the East Coast.
Gary’s next career move was to the computer business. He was Operations
Manager for a computer company that built high performance UNIX Systems.
After 2 ½ years of dealing with this high-stress position, he decided to
take a year off to pursue a career that he really loved. During this time,
he took a 45-foot sport fishing boat from New Jersey to the Bahamas, and in
January 1995, he found himself visiting some friends in the Keys.
At this point, Gary’s story resembles that of many of those who have since
found themselves working for Mel Fisher. Gary had visited the Mel Fisher
Museum in Key West and was in the gift shop talking to one of the sales
associates. Gary was amazed to discover that the Atocha and Margarita sites
were still being worked and asked what it would take for him to get involved.
It was suggested that he wait a few minutes and talk to Mel. Gary bought a copy
Duncan Mathewson’s book about the Atocha and waited for Mel to come in and sign
it. As Mel was signing the book, he asked Gary if he could weld and dive. After
hearing a little bit about Gary’s background, Mel said," We could really use a
guy like you." The rest, as they say, is history. Within a few weeks, Gary and
his soon-to-be-bride, Linda, had sold his house in New Jersey, packed all
belongings in a U-Haul, and were living and working in the Keys.
Gary became the Captain of the “J.B. Magruder” on December 1, 1995, a mere
eleven months after signing on to its crew as a diver. On his first trip as
captain, they recovered a gold coin and a gold chain – which was the best gift
this talented young captain could hope for on his December 11th birthday!
He and his wife, Linda, both lived and worked on the boat for a while. People
who work with Gary have said on many occasions, he is definitely not afraid
to make the sacrifices it takes to pursue his dreams.
In 1997, Gary’s hard work and dedication earned him the position of Operations
Manager. Right away Mel gave Gary the “5 minute job” of working with NOAA and
the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to work out the problems he was
having in getting salvage permits for both the Atocha and Margarita wreck
sites. Within a few short months and many meetings to create good working
relationships with the local NOAA officials, overcoming a few major obstacles,
the Atocha permits where secured. A short time latter, the Margarita permits
where in place as well.
Gary’s previous experience with computers has made him invaluable on land, as
well as on sea, as the network administrator and computer guru for the office.
He is also responsible for the conservation lab and is diligent in assuring the
careful preservation of all artifacts recovered. Again, his computer background
has assisted him. He has used the Microsoft Access program to develop and format,
as Dr. Eugene Lyons put it, “one of the most comprehensive Marine Archaeological
Artifact Databases in existence.” Recently Gary has teamed up with our new
database and programming expert Cliff Sirman to convert this database to a
much more powerful SQL based system as well as creating the extensive
on-line “Historic Shipwreck Research Database” which makes all of these
incredible artifacts available to the general public and the world.
Gary has also been converting site charts from the old DelNorte System to the
DGPS System (differential global positioning system). While doing these
conversions on charts in the area he had been working during the summer of
1999, Gary realized another trail was forming to the Northwest of the
“Bank of Spain” area. This trail looked as though it should continue much
farther to the Northwest beyond any work previously done in this area over
years past. He also believed this trail was not just a small section of the
Atocha as previously thought but a major part of the lower hull and the
prized stern-castle because of the artifact scatter pattern. Gary took this
information to Kim Fisher and together they formulated a plan to do an intense
survey of this area.
During the fall of 2000, the “Jasper” survey was done. This survey was an
intense survey using the latest in magnetometers, sub-bottom profilers and
pulse induction detectors all combined into one unit or sled known as “Jasper”
to thoroughly search the area. Once complete, Gary and the crew of the “Magruder”
started digging targets in the area and as suspected, the trail continued on,
to the northwest. Seeing the need for much more, highly technical survey work
to be done, the decision was made to setup a new survey boat with the latest in
this high tech gear to continue developing this and other areas of the wreck
site. Out of this need, the new survey vessel “PinPointer” was born.
In 2002, Gary has shifted his focus to running the “PinPointer” and developing
the computer controlled survey equipment and mapping programs in an effort to
help locate the elusive stern-castle and the remaining lower hull structure of
the “Atocha” and “Margarita” along with their valuable cargo.
In 2005, the “PinPointer was sent to Ft. Pierce to start surveying the 1715 Fleet
sites for Taffi Fisher Abt. A new 28’ Parker was purchased for the 1622 Fleet
project and again Gary was called on to install and configure the latest in
marine survey technology on this new vessel. Within a few months the “Huntress”
was born and ready for service on the Atocha site.
Gary is extremely well liked and highly respected by all who work with him.
He and his wife Linda, now the Mel Fisher Treasure Sales District Manager,
have become a much-loved and integral part of the Mel Fisher team.
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