TRIBUTE TO TREASURE HUNTER MEL FISHER SET FOR JULY 15

Schooner Wharf Bar To Host Festivities

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office expects Fourth of July traffic to be heavy throughout the Florida Keys — on and off the water — starting this week.

• Deputies will be on the roads watching for impaired and unsafe drivers. Don’t pass in no-passing zones or in center turn lanes, as you are likely to get a ticket. If you plan to drive anywhere in or out of the county, plan extra time. Expect delays from the 18-Mile Stretch to Key West.

• Designate a sober driver — for your car or your boat.

• The Sheriff’s Office will have extra deputies on the water as well in an effort to keep mariners safe. Be patient and courteous at sandbars, other gathering areas, and especially at marinas and boat ramps as they are expected to be busy.

• Please leave the fireworks to the professionals.

• Discard trash properly. It isn’t fair to leave it on the ground or in the water for someone else to clean up and you could be charged with littering.

• Have a safe and fun Fourth of July!

UPPER KEYS TRAFFIC NOTE

There will be a parade in Key Largo on July 4 that is expected to cause traffic congestion. Northbound traffic will be temporarily closed at MM 99 from 9:30 to 9:45 a.m. All traffic will then be diverted into southbound lanes starting at 9:45 a.m. The parade starts at 10 a.m. and will last about two hours. The highway is expected to return to normal by 1 p.m. Motorists should avoid the area during those times if possible.

— Contributed

Mel Fisher Day in Key West is an annual tribute to the rumand-Coke drinking, gold-chain-adorned Keys character remembered as “the world’s greatest treasure hunter” whose discovery of the Nuestra Senora de Atocha shipwreck and whose life and motto, “Today’s the Day,” inspired people worldwide to follow their dreams. This year’s celebration is set for Saturday, July 15 at the Schooner Wharf Bar, 202 William St., at the Key West Historic Seaport.

A favorite Mel Fisher’s Crew annual reunion event, festivities will begin at 4 p.m. and include live music, Mel Fisher trivia games, a 50/50 raffle, the ever-popular “X Marks the Spot Cupcake” game of chance — one lucky winner will score a piece of authentic treasure — a huge online silent auction, a live on-stage auction for a piece from the “Taffi’s Treasures” jewelry line, and presentation of the annual Mel Fisher Lifetime Achievement Award.

Author Wendy Tucker will be on hand to sign copies of her recently published book, “Today’s the Day – The Mel Fisher Story.”

The online auction component, which opened for bids on June 15, offers savvy treasure hunters the opportunity to compete for more than $25,000 in tangible booty and adventurous experiences.

The net proceeds of the 2023 Mel Fisher Day event will benefit Wesley House Family Services, a nonprofit organization whose programs provide crucial support to child welfare and family preservation throughout the Florida Keys; and the Michael J. Abt Have a Heart Foundation, whose mission is to ensure that all schools are equipped with automatic external defibrillators and that school staff and students are trained in their use in the event of a cardiac emergency. More information and an online auction link are at melfisherdays.com.