Bill Myers - March 22, 2008

It was one of the greatest single concentrations of wealth ever assembled in one place.

Mostly gold and silver bars, gold chains, newly minted gold and silver coins - - loaded onto 12 wooden ships sailing from Cuba to Spain, on July 24, 1715.

Five days out, a tremendous hurricane struck the fleet, sinking all but one of the ships, and scattering the treasure into the sea - just a few hundred feet off the coast of present day Florida.

All that gold and silver, sinking to the bottom of the ocean . . . just waiting to be found.

This past week I was in Florida and camped within a mile of where the treasure was lost.

And yes, I walked the beaches looking for gold and silver.

I really didn't expect to find treasures, but I wanted to see how many other people would be out there - looking for lost treasures.

And there were none.

I suspect that most people visiting the area had no idea that billions in lost treasures were just a few hundred feet offshore.

We are all probably that way. Not aware that we are surrounded by 'lost treasures' just waiting to be found.

Whether it be a product waiting to be developed, a talent unrecognized, or a technique yet mastered, we all have treasure nearby.

All we need do is dig for it.