The 6th clue came out this morning. We got the paper at 5 and were in the car on our way to Fort Walton by 5:15.
The kids weren't interested in getting up so early so we left the Island Girl in charge and the Island King and I went in search of the treasure.
The clue mentioned the Blessed Lady which we knew was a statue of the Virgin Mary at the site of the original St. Mary's Catholic Church on 1st Street.
There was also mention of a rough lot so we decided to start our hunt where the old school house used to be. It's on the same latitude as the statue (also in the clue) and it is just an empty overgrown lot so it sounded like the place to start.
We got to the park and started yet another intense search of every nook and cranny we could find.
Another man showed up and after talking to him for a minute he tells us he found the treasure last year.
We talked for a while about the clues and he's come to the same conclusions that we have and believes the treasure is close by.
The school district building is on the next corner and he said that he and 3 Ft Walton Police Officers searched that area this morning around 3am with "those big Q-beam cop lights" with no luck.
He got his newspaper at the first stop the newspaper truck makes after leaving the building and so did the police officers he said.
Wow - it's only 6am and we're really late LOL
After saying goodbye it was time to hunt some more. We walked on down and checked the school board grounds just in case they missed it this morning.
It wasn't there.
We walked back down to the statue and hunted all over that area.
As we were hunting car after car pulled up and groups of people piled out and began combing the area. By 7:30 there must have been over 50 people walking up and down 1st Street.
We could see the Sound from the statue so we decided to walk that way. We had to cross Hwy 98 and let me tell you that's a scary thing to do! We made it across safely and searched all over the Chamber grounds.
The president of the Chamber is a friend of ours and the Island King went in to say hello and see if Ted had any inside info he could share.
Needless to say he wasn't telling. Hmph!
We've asked a squirrel, 2 cats, 2 frogs and now the president of the Chamber and no one is talking - I guess we're on our own.
As we were walking down 98 the Island King says "I hope no one sees me".
"Why?"
He tells me that he should be at home working instead of chasing pirate treasure and that he hopes none of his clients see him walking the street instead of working.
I laugh and tell him he's crazy and that no one will see him.
Famous last words.
Not 5 minutes later we hear someone honking at us and it's his brother driving to Mary Esther.
The Island King just gave me a look.
We walked back over to 1st Street and now there were LOTS of people swarming all over the place.
I asked a woman who was standing in front of the old city hall if she knew where the coin was and she said "I'm from Sandestin - I don't know anything"
I tried not to laugh too hard.
After searching every possible place on 1st Street we went to the library and then the public parking lot and searched those places really well but still no coin.
We found a homeless camp under the cannon and a guitar pick in a bush but no treasure.
By now it was after 10 and he really did need to get to work so we called it a day and came home - empty handed.
I can't imagine where that coin is.
The next clue comes out Saturday morning and I'm not waiting for the paper to get to Destin - we'll be at the Waffle House waiting with the police when the paper gets there.
Maybe they'll share those "big Q-beam cop lights" with us.Labels: Done