KEY WEST - I just got off the phone with Captain Andy on the salvage vessel J.B. Magruder and he told me they just found two gold bars today!!! They’ve been working an area in the Quicksands just West of the Emerald Cross area and had found about 15 silver coins so far, then today our newest diver Kent and “Wild Bill” went down to check a hole and soon after arriving on the bottom Kent saw a 7” long gold bar laying exposed on the bedrock. It was a very solid bar nicely marked with six or seven tax stamps. He took it over to show Bill and he motioned for Kent to take it up right away to let Andy and Jeff know what they had found. Kent took it to the surface and after celebrating for a few minutes they decided to go back down and take some underwater pictures of it. Before getting in the water with his camera Jeff said, “I sure hope Bill finds one too.” Well, wouldn’t you know it, after Jeff and Kent had taken a few pictures Bill comes swimming over to them with another gold bar very similar to the one Kent had just found. Soon after these great finds the winds start kicking up and forced the Magruder to take shelter in the Marquesas. The forecast doesn’t look good so the guys will be coming in tomorrow. What’s very interesting about this find is that most; if not all of the gold bars found in this area in the past have been contraband bars with no tax stamps. It’s quite possible that the guys are on to a new “stash” or chest of gold that was on board the Atocha. We’re hoping they find a lot more of them in this area next trip. Congratulations to Captain Andy, Jeff, Bill and Kent. Check out these photos: