Persistence and 'a little bit of craziness' keeps Treasure Coast shipwreck salvor afloat (link to story)

On any given day in the summer, when the water is calm and clear, Perna and his first mate Milan "Choppy" Kalelkar can be seen just south of the Sebastian Inlet on The Mighty Mo, an ex-Navy utility launch that was used as a dinghy for a battleship.

Treasure hunting is in Michael Perna's blood.

"There’s just really no doing anything else,” the professional historic shipwreck salvor said.

Years ago, he researched how to get out on the treasure salvage boats that dotted about a 35-mile stretch of ocean off the Treasure Coast. It's where the 1715 fleet of 11 Spanish ships sunk in a hurricane July 31, 1715, later inspiring the Treasure Coast’s name. The treasure-laden ships are now strewn about the ocean floor from Sebastian to the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant. 

He’s been scouring the ocean floor ever since, for more than 20 years. He's found 1,500 coins, a candelabra set and a solid silver lion, among many other artifacts.

“It just takes guys like us to really go out there and look for it, because it’s a needle in a haystack," he said. "It takes a lot of diligence, a lot of persistence and maybe just a little bit of craziness to keep going.”