Rich Spanish galleons, their holds gorged with gold and silver from the mines of Hispaniola, once made their way north around Great Inagua island on their way to Imperial Spain. This route took them past the deadly hidden reefs of the Hogsties.

It is unknown just how many ships have been claimed by the "Dragon's Teeth" but dozens, some nearly 450 years old, are believed to have perished there. Tales among treasure hunters and historians tell of a bounty of lost treasure waiting to be recovered from the ocean floor. Credence was given to this belief when, in 1964, scientists from the University of Miami on an expedition to explore the origin of the reef, found bronze cannons and a jewel-studded ring.

Spanish registry listings from the early 16th century are dotted with lost ships that departed Santo Domingo. Many of these losses are thought to have foundered on the jagged Hogsty reefs. Their cargoes included early Santo Domingo copper and silver coins, considered very rare. The potential value of some of these coins has been estimated to be as much as $6,000-$7,000 each.

Of the multitude of shipwrecks to be found on the Hogsties, not all are considered "treasure ships". Yet nearly all carried some hard currency, and amongst their crews would have been at least a few small "treasures". World renowned archivist, Jack Haskins, has said that Hogsty Reef is one of the Western Hemisphere's premier treasure hunting grounds.

The Hollywood version of sunken ships lying intact, their bowels replete with chests full of gold and jewels, couldn't be further from the truth. At best, the only visible clue to the presence of an old shipwreck is a pile of ballast stones or, rarely, a cannon or anchor. The years destroy the hull and planking leaving only metal behind, which then becomes covered with not only inches, but sometimes several feet, of sand.

So how do we find these long lost treasures? The answer is "magging".

Every metal object minutely disturbs the earth's magnetic field (a magnetic anomaly). SMTC uses state-of-the-art magnetometers to detect these slight disturbances and so find the metallic remains of a wreck. True, the ships were often made of wood, but the cannons, fittings, cargo and many personal effects were metal. By dragging the magnetometer (called the fish or the mag) in precise routes, its computer is able to log each anomaly. This is a long, laborious task, but absolutely necessary. Without it, few wrecks would ever be found.