The shifting sands at the bottom of the sea are sometimes compelled to reveal new secrets, and Florida’s Treasure Coast is no stranger to this. Encompassing the counties of Indian River, St. Lucie, and Martin, this area is believed to be the final resting place of a 1715 Spanish fleet, wiped out by a hurricane — but not all the ships have been found. Could diving Florida’s Treasure Coast lead to new discoveries?
In July of 1715, a fleet of nearly a dozen Spanish ships left Cuba bound for home, bursting with a heavy cargo that included millions of dollars in gold and silver coins. As they moved along the Florida coastline, the ships were caught in a massive hurricane, and the entire fleet was lost to the sea. While the Spanish government recovered roughly 80 percent of the cargo, a large amount of the coins were never found, and are thought to be scattered along the Treasure Coast.
Treasure hunters and historians have been searching for these ships for centuries, and to date, there have been seven confirmed finds, with two more that are awaiting positive identification. There are still at least two ships unaccounted for. Many of the wrecks lie along the coast, from Vero Beach down to south of Fort Pierce. While it is unconfirmed, some believe the missing ships might be as far north as Amelia Island, near Jacksonville.
While salvage rights to the identified wrecks have long since been granted, you can still explore some of these historic sites. One of the known vessels that is easy to access is the Urca de Lima. This ship was discovered in 1928, and is just off the coast of Fort Pierce. Having already been picked clean by the Spanish shortly after its sinking, the ship was made into an archeological preserve. The wreck was completely mapped in 1985, and the underwater preserve was officially opened in 1987. The site is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
Florida waters have been filled with sailing vessels for hundreds of years, many of which remain off the coast of this peninsula. With the recent passage of Hurricane Matthew near its coastline, there’s no telling what new secrets may have been revealed. Consider diving Florida’s Treasure Coast and find out for yourself!
