1733 Wreck Sites

[Xitesmai]

Does anyone dive these?

Are they fun dives?

 

[Rich Keller]

I have not dove any of these wrecks yet but have been told that there is nothing left at these sites other then ballast stones. There is one a mile offshore from where I stay in the Keys and I will probably get out there sometime when I have nothing better to do.

 

[divndoc]

I have been to several of the 1733 sites. Most have ballast stones and some have remains of timbers. Don't even bother if you are looking for treasure, anchors, cannons, etc. Nothing left. Not very exciting but from a historical perspective very interesting to realize you are at the site where a ship sank almost 300 years ago.

 

[DennisS]

If you are interested in the 1733 fleet get a copy of "Diving to a Flash of Gold" by Martine Meylach he was one of the salvors in the 60s. Someone has done a video of the sites, you might want to watch it before you set up a dive trip to the ballast piles, like others have said, there's not much left.

San Pedro

The San Pedro was one of the ships in the 1733 fleet.


DVD

GPS Avdentures Galleon Hunter DVD at Divers Direct

 

[jessemartian]

For those who have dove on the 1733 wreck site, did you use a metal detector when you were looking for artifacts? Some say the coins, treasure, artifacts and what have you would be located behind the actual wreck because they threw it overboard in hopes of saving the ship instead of the treasure. I'm sure there is plenty of history still waiting to be brought up! I have great interest in diving the San Jose and "Figurine" wrecks off the keys if anyone has any input it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DennisS]

THe rules are No metal detecting, no digging, no taking artifacts. You're about 50 years too late

Meylachs "Diving to a Flash of Gold" is a great book that tells all about the wrecks and the legislation. The state refused to give him a permit to work on the wrecks, in return he published his book with directions and maps to 100+ wrecks. The state tried to stop his publishing of all the sites and failed. This was back in the early 70s

 

[jessemartian]

THe rules are No metal detecting, no digging, no taking artifacts. You're about 50 years too late

Meylachs "Diving to a Flash of Gold" is a great book that tells all about the wrecks and the legislation. The state refused to give him a permit to work on the wrecks, in return he published his book with directions and maps to 100+ wrecks. The state tried to stop his publishing of all the sites and failed. This was back in the early 70s

Hey thanks for the info! as for metal detecting; i wouldn't be metal detecting say, on the wreck itself. More or less i would be detecting the reverse course of the ship to UN-cover anything that would have been lost before the ship actually went down to its final resting place. I cant imagine you cant detect ANYWHERE say 300'-400' behind, infront, or side of the wreck.

 

[DennisS]

The Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary pretty much covers the entire keys. There was an exception for an area known as coffins patch but that was revoked years ago.


Are shipwrecks in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protected?


[url]http://www.flheritage.com/archaeology/underwater/laws.cfm
[/URL]

 

[jessemartian]

thank you dennis.

 

[Rich Keller]

Hey thanks for the info! as for metal detecting; i wouldn't be metal detecting say, on the wreck itself. More or less i would be detecting the reverse course of the ship to UN-cover anything that would have been lost before the ship actually went down to its final resting place. I cant imagine you cant detect ANYWHERE say 300'-400' behind, infront, or side of the wreck.

I would think they would have dumped heavy items that were already above deck like cannons before anything else. My understanding from what little I have read would suggest that they did not know what hit them until it was too late so looking too far down range would probably be a waste of time.