Shortly after the coins had been spirited off to Florida, a Spanish warship forced the company's 250ft Odyssey Explorer salvage vessel into the nearby Spanish port of Algeciras, while it was searched. Dec 10, 2006. Amy. Brazil has allowed a small Iranian Navy task force to enter the port of Rio de Janiero and berth alongside, and multiple citizens photographed the warships' transit into Guanabara Bay. If you are looking to discover this treasure you would want to bring along a top-of-the-line metal detector and a good metal-detecting digging toolbecause you will be digging eight feet down. On August 15, 1559, the bay now known as Pensacola slowly filled with a curious fleet of 11 Spanish vessels, their decks crammed with an odd mix of colonists and holds filled to bursting with supplies and ceramic jars of olive oil and wine from Cadiz. This event is called "The Great Shipwreck" by historians. In 2015 a robot submarine discovered a shipwreck in the Caribbean Sea with a cargo thought to be worth as much as $17 billion - it was the San Jose galleon. The cargos value is estimated to be worth around $400 million. Historians have discovered large groups of Spanish shipwrecks around the areas where the ships would congregate. The fluke of a 10-foot-long wrought-iron anchor stuck out from the sandy seafloor nearby, a promising find when archaeologists dated it to the 16th century. "I was blown away," Brisben says. . The bulk of the treasure is still beneath the ocean, the newspaper reports. Groups of tough Spanish conquistadors had penetrated the Mexican interior and conquered the peoples of Mexico and Peru, but only a few expeditions had entered the lands to the north. Vero Beach, FL 32963. There was a treasure map that those who followed it did spot the kegs of treasure but the kegs vanished in the quicksand of the swamp before they could retrieve it. It is said that the Spanish had buried clay vessels filled with gold bars on the eastern end of the island near Apalachicola. While the Luna expeditions failure thwarted early Spanish ambitions to establish a major colonial presence in what is now the southern United States, 450 years later the long-lost traces of that expedition are now expanding our understanding of whatsave for a wrathful storm would otherwise have become the first permanent European settlement in North America. Divers pulled one such heavily encrusted object from Emanuel Point I , determining that it was an iron breastplate, known in Spanish as a peto, and worn by one of Lunas soldiers. Everyday he insisted, "Today's the Day"! In 1980, they discovered the wreck of the Santa Margarita (Atochas sister ship). The Swanee River in Florida By Mike Tilley, CC BY 3.0, Link. A hurricane strikes the east coast of Florida, sinking 10 Spanish treasure ships and killing nearly 1,000 people, on July 31, 1715. The duo dug up 22 Spanish silver coins believed to be from a shipwreck 305 years ago a discovery Martinez estimates is worth about $7,000, TCPalm.com reports. I know how to read the beach, and Im always trying to increase my odds of finding something, said Martinez. They carried unimaginable wealth from Spain to its colonies in the New World. Borrowers must qualify at closing for all benefits. The Spaniards worked for three years salvaging the ships and they were able to recover $12 million in treasure but they left approximately $4 million in gold and silver in the coins. SAN PEDRO In 1733, a hurricane raked the Keys and dispatched this 287-ton Spanish galleon to the shallows off Islamorada. If the treasure exists it may never be found because of the golf course. There are a few treasure stories associated with Wisteria Island that lies at the mouth of Tampa Bay. Thanks for sharing Shaun! He called Brent Brisben, co-founder of 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels to check out their discovery. There are many interesting facts about these ships that you may not know. "Its loss broke the Bank of Madrid at a time when there was 300 percent inflation in Spain, and it was in serious debt for its endless wars," Kingsley said. From pioneering the use of solar energy to helping to eradicating disease, here are just a few ways the 39th U.S. president has made the world a better place. (Read about another shipwreck that was part of the Tierra Firma fleet. Its said that the Spanish Armada Galleon wrecks off the Florida Coast are one of the most significant underwater archaeological finds in history. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Many of the ships broke apart, scattering the colonys valuable food resources. Did you know about the 1715 Spanish Fleet? Alex Lemaire is passionate about inland and underwater treasure hunting, and he believes that his hobby is an amazing way to learn more about the history of humanity. Motoring back and forth in the bays shallow water, they watched a primitive magnetometer for any anomalies, which would register on a tiny LED screen and a paper prinout. Be prepared to do some underwater metal detecting if you want to find any of these sunken treasures. Now a risky mission has. Early shipwreck salvagers, known as wreckers, inhabited Indian Key in the early 1800s. Spanish galleon shipwreck: Vero Beach man finds gold coin in Keys Gold pelican statue: Missing wing recovered from 1715 shipwreck Silver coins: 22 unearthed on Indian River County beach. Two exploratory expeditions marched inland to reconnoiter the countryside. The site was discovered in July of 1991 by the Florida-based marine salvage corporation St. John's Expeditions, during their survey of an area leased to them by the Bahamian government for the right to explore the remains of sunken ships. These groups of ships were heavily fortified against pirates, but there was little that could be done to protect them from bad weather. It is said that Black Caesar and Blackbeard had their headquarters at Caesars Rock which is a small island in Biscayne Bay. In 1733 there was a Spanish Armada of ships in the Florida Keys. Or if youd like to read more about this story, check out the 1715 Fleet Society official website. The Spanish treasure galleon contained tons of treasure. This is how so many ships ran aground and sunk here. "Typically we excavate empty holes and find beer cans," the shipwreck diver says. To their amazement, they discovered several ballast stones. Date: 2.00 am, Wednesday, July 31, 1715 Ships: 11 of 12 Spanish Ships Wrecked The winds blew the ships close to the Florida coast and in the wee hours of the morning of July 31st, the hurricane struck the doomed ships with all its might onto the jagged reefs. A British supply sloop en route from New York, wrecked off, A Union barge that was captured and burned by Confederates near Fort Brooke, This page was last edited on 22 November 2022, at 16:59. All the best in your quest for finding treasure. The vessel was said to be transporting gold, silver and precious gems collected in the South . With all these wrecks in the area, gold and silver coins from various centuries wash ashore here. It is believed that $110,000 was buried by John Ashley and his girlfriend Laura Upthegrove on the Southern end of Lake Okeechobee. They also carried dried and preserved plums and cherries. what a Game Changer that will be!! What is wind chill, and how does it affect your body? Besides treasure being buried in Santa Rosa Island which seems to be the most likely place many treasure hunters speculate that treasure from Rogers could be buried in a number of other locations including: In 1840 Rogers decided to get back in the pirate business. Mel Fisher did what many have not - he realized his dream during his lifetime. The ship contained $5 million in gold and silver coins. A bank robber is said to have buried $50,000 in paper currency here. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Several ships were lost along the dangerous coastline in stormy weather. The US Supreme Court ruled in his favor. Four or five of the remaining wrecked Luna ships await discovery. READ MORE:6 Famous Shipwrecks Still Waiting to be Discovered, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hurricane-sinks-spanish-treasure-ships. One such mystery is the 1733 Spanish Armada Galleon Wrecks off the coast near Pensacola Bay. In 1969, more than 300 years later, Mel Fisher started looking for Atochas treasure. 6 Famous Shipwrecks Still Waiting to be Discovered. Which travel companies promote harmful wildlife activities? See my books on Amazon! After making a top-secret delivery of the nuclear . Among the usual complement of shipboard food, such as hardtack, dried and salted meat and fish, cheese, beans, vinegar, and water, the holds contained the sweet smell of Caribbean persimmons, papaya, and sapote. Spanish officers sent a small sloop from Havana to investigate and discovered the survivors clustered in small groups taking shelter beneath debris that had washed ashore from their broken and grounded ships. Caravos Harmony left Port Elizabeth, South Africa on February 10 and got under way for Brazil. But this time, in 15 feet (4.5 meters) of water about 1,000 feet (305 meters) off a beach in Fort Pierce, Florida, the divers got lucky. For more than 20 years, Phil have been helping customers achieve their home purchase and refinance goals by providing them with invaluable resources and support. Copyright 1949-2022 American Heritage Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved. In order to control La Florida, the broad southeastern corner of the continent, Spains King Philip II directed the viceroy of New Spain, Don Luis de Velasco, to fortify Santa Elena (known today as Parris Island, South Carolina) on the Atlantic coast, a strategy that was to be accomplished by first establishing a settlement on the northern Gulf of Mexico, followed by an overland expedition to Santa Elena. Regular coins in those days tended to look a bit rough, Brisben says. Treasure hunters have searched his property but the gold coins have never been found and could still be there waiting for discovery. Black Caesars real name was Henri Caesar. Legend has it that his vast riches from years of plunder on the high seas is buried on Caesars Rock. If the legend is true there would be gold bars just waiting to be dug up on the eastern end of St. George Island in Florida! In short order the Luna expedition had transformed from a bold colonial venture into a rescue operation; all subsequent ship traffic between Veracruz and Pensacola focused on sending food and other supplies. Feb 28, 2023 7:49 PM by Historian and Marine Archeologist Dr. Donald Keith, President of the Ships of Discovery at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, notes that: "The 1554 shipwrecks are important for a lot of reasons. Specialists in the colonial coinage of Spanish America as well as shipwreck coins and artifacts of all nations. did they have that information in the historical records of ocala..i was thinking it was on my friends 600 acre property thats 2 miles nw of ocala it had stage coaches that went thru his property and he told me there was 5 houses on there from the early 1800s and one big mansion that was on the back of his property ..he told me i could detect the whole 600 acre property but would show me the exact locations of the homes its just i cant start metal detecting it for atleast another week and a half then i told him i would be out there. To enter the lagoon there is a large sand bar that must be crossed. In addition to the previous difficulties, the treasure hunter has to fight a court battle against the state of Florida who wanted ownership or at least a percentage of the treasure. The discovery of a 1733 Spanish Armada Galleon wreck off the Florida coast has shed new light on one of history's most enduring mysteries. Captain Riley and his men went and hid in the Everglades but when they came back to retrieve the buried payroll they couldnt find it. The ethnographic museum of the past is making its way to the exit.. Dive on a Spanish Galleon with world famous Treasure Hunters This is a must do for everyone who ever wanted to learn about Treasure Hunting or for a once in a lifetime experience diving on a Spanish Galleon in the Florida Keys Schedule June 17th 2023 August 12th 2023 Contact us for private workshop of 4 or more people. Good luck in your treasure hunt there! The government's decision to allow entry is a rejection of concerted American pressure to deny access to the sanctioned vessels. The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive. The fleet was traveling from Havana, Cuba, to deliver treasure to Cadiz, Spain, where Philip V ruled as king. Published The Luna expedition sailed in June 1559. Between February and June 1560, the bulk of the starving colonists moved inland to central Alabama, and in April Luna dispatched soldiers to the Indian town of Coosa in northwest Georgia in search of food. he believed it wasnt safe to store this much treasure on his ship so he set anchor near Santa Rosa Island and decided to bury some of his gold and silver ingots there. Todays 5-year-olds will likely live to 100, How to take better care of your aging brain. In 1558 a small fleet of reconnaissance craft scouted potential settlement locations along the northern gulf coast and returned with news of a safe haven in what would become Pensacola. Brent Brisben, 1715 Fleet. Once the British saw the ship had sunk they lost interest and took off. USS Indianapolis (1945) Alamy. Rogers and his group of pirates stole from Spanish ships that frequented the northern Gulf coast of Florida until 1838. A British freighter that sank during a hurricane. The San Pedro was a member of the 1733 Spanish treasure fleet and is the oldest wreck on the Florida Keys Shipwreck Trail. 260 people lost their lives in this accident. In 1733 there was a Spanish Armada of ships in the Florida Keys. After the storm, only two small barques and the expeditions only caravel remained afloat. Rogers was a member of Jean Lafittes pirate crew in 1812. All rights reserved. Why wetlands are so critical for life on Earth, Rest in compost? Not a whole lot of information on this treasure tale but supposedly a Spaniard named Don Felipe buried gold and silver Heirlooms and coins on his plantation at the time of the Seminole War. Locations . But "they made a certain number of coins perfect, called the Royals, which they would present to the king.". I write this to encourage other treasure hunters to look into their family histories. P.O. Ships in the early 1600s would have been smaller than ships in the later half. Rogers has amassed a fortune in stolen gold and silver during this time. Along with these 13 lost treasures of Florida, there are countless shipwrecks filled with treasure and ruins of old forts that have artifacts of old that litter Florida and its coastline. Two Ships Found Near Spanish Galleon Full of Gold Worth $17 Billion By Joseph Golder, Zenger News On 6/9/22 at 5:06 PM EDT World Europe Shipwrecks Colombia Spain Two previously unknown. Opinions expressed herein are the author 's and not necessarily those of the Santa Margarita ( sister! That $ 110,000 was buried by John Ashley and his girlfriend Laura Upthegrove on the high is. Ruled as king. `` detecting if you want to find any of these treasures. Heavily fortified against pirates, but there was little that could be done to them! 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