El Salvador shipwreck in NC

Darren in NC

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sailaway7

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Alan lost his claim on the area he was searching. There's a new group in Morehead now looking. They have a website but I can't remember it right now. It's deepbluesea or deepblueocean.com but the boat is at Russell's marina in Morehead. Actually they have 2 boats there.
Steve G
 

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Darren in NC

Darren in NC

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Hey Steve,

Welcome to the forum. Rik Luytjes' group hired Deep Blue Marine to help in their search for the El Salvador. DBM is negotiating/buying one of Rik's boats. As of a few days ago, the Spanish wreck is claimed to have been found. Time will tell if it's the real deal.

All the best,
Darren
 

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Darren in NC

Darren in NC

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All you can do is ask :)
 

MMAG

Greenie
Apr 9, 2006
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So in 2001 my group working under contract for Rik L. found what may be the remains of the Henry/ El Salvador. May not be ,but we found Ship timbers that match English manufacture from the right period along with Spanish artifacts. (No coins)
We have been in court on and off with Allen R. since then. We have just recently prevailed in Fed Court. My group bought the 75 ft Ocean Star to finish digging up the 2001 site.
I've been waiting 5 years to see what we uncover. I hope the weather lays down soon.
Mike Maguire
PS. DBM did buy the R/V Deep Scan and is working with Rik out side of my 2000 ft circle, (1000 ft From Center). As of this time neither myself or my group Maguire/Pearson salvage LLC. has any contracts or deals or any business dealings with DBM. If the remains of El Salvador lay in my exclusive area , DBM will not involved in the salvage.
 

cryptodave

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MMAG said:
So in 2001 my group working under contract for Rik L. found what may be the remains of the Henry/ El Salvador. May not be ,but we found Ship timbers that match English manufacture from the right period along with Spanish artifacts. (No coins)
We have been in court on and off with Allen R. since then. We have just recently prevailed in Fed Court. My group bought the 75 ft Ocean Star to finish digging up the 2001 site.
I've been waiting 5 years to see what we uncover. I hope the weather lays down soon.
Mike Maguire
PS. DBM did buy the R/V Deep Scan and is working with Rik out side of my 2000 ft circle, (1000 ft From Center). As of this time neither myself or my group Maguire/Pearson salvage LLC. has any contracts or deals or any business dealings with DBM. If the remains of El Salvador lay in my exclusive area , DBM will not involved in the salvage.

Mike, you and Allen and Rik are all good at what you do, isn't it possible you could all kiss and make up and work on this project together? It seems like with all 3 of your expertise and experience, it would make finding a historical find like the El Salvador easier. I know in your alls business its all about the fame and fortune, but I think there is by far enough fame and fortune for all three...
By the way, wasn't Mike Daniel involved in this project at some time?
Oh, and isn't the area your searching in about the same place they are doing the QAR (Queen Annes Revenge) recovery work at?
 

MMAG

Greenie
Apr 9, 2006
12
1
I put X marks the spot on the map 5 years ago. If the site proves not to be the El Salvador, I really don't have much heart left to continue . I started a construction co. that is really doing well. I seem to have found treasure inland in the concrete biz.
As for Allen, we offered to work with him 5 years ago . He declined. As of this time we have no interest working with him. I heard he is working with Spence in SC. Anyway I have the best equipment and people i could ever imagine having, involved.
I just hope the weather cooperates soon.
Mike Maguire
 

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Darren in NC

Darren in NC

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Thanks for the update, Mike. I sure hope you guys have found it. How will the new rulings with Spain affect your recovery process?

All the best to you,
Darren
 

MMAG

Greenie
Apr 9, 2006
12
1
The El Salvador/Henry was a private merchant vessel. Not a Flagged War ship. Our Attorney is Bill Vandercreek. The rest we just have to wait and see.
I'll be up in Moorehead late next week.
Mike Maguire
 

jeff k

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Mar 4, 2006
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Could next big find be the El Salvador?
May 08,2006
PATRICIA SMITH
DAILY NEWS STAFF

BEAUFORT - A Florida-based research company thinks they might have found a long-lost sunken treasure ship off the North Carolina coast.

Aqua Gems of the Treasure Coast has applied for a dredge and fill permit with the N.C. Division of Coastal Management to excavate a couple of sites off Cape Lookout it believes could be the El Salvador.

Both pottery and wood samples from the site date to the correct time period, said Aqua Gems owner and president Rik Luytjes.

"We actually found the whole hull structure," Luytjes said.

However, Richard Lawrence, head of the Underwater Archaeology Branch of the N.C. Division of Archives and History, cautioned that there have been many ships that have gone down in that area.

"To say that they have found El Salvador, it?s too soon to say that," Lawrence said.

And Phil Masters, president of Intersal, another research company that has been looking for the shipwreck, noted there are three different companies that claim to have found at least part of El Salvador.

"Nobody's found a coin yet," Masters said.

Masters has zeroed in on a site in Beaufort Inlet near what is believed to be the wreckage of the Queen Anne?s Revenge, which his company also located in 1996.

The El Salvador would certainly be worth finding.

According to historical records it was carrying 16 chests of silver and four of gold when it went down in the area of Cape Lookout during a 1750 hurricane. A conservative estimate would put the value at $124 million in today's money, Masters said.

That makes El Salvador one of the richest shipwrecks to be found along the American East Coast, Masters said.

"North of Florida, there's nothing like El Salvador," Masters said.

The Spanish merchant ship was one of a fleet of vessels traveling from Colombia to Spain when it was pushed ashore between North Carolina and Maryland during the August 1750 storm.

Some historical references say the El Salvador went down near Topsail Inlet (Beaufort Inlet was known as Old Topsail Inlet at the time), and other accounts put the wreck near Cape Lookout, Lawrence said.

The other ships sustained varying degrees of damage, but their crews and most of their treasures were saved, according to Intersal's Web site. That was not the case for El Salvador.

Of the more than 30 people on board, only three sailors and a boy survived, according to Intersal. Within a few days, the shipwreck had been covered by sand.

Luytjes said his company has been researching and searching for the El Salvador for 10 years. Last year, the company resolved a legal case with Alan Reevy, the third party searching for El Salvador, that had kept it from working for a time, Lawrence said.

Aqua Gems has a state exploration and recovery permit which allows them to search a specific area around Cape Lookout for the El Salvador and collect samples of artifacts, Lawrence said. Should the company actually find the ship, it would be required to develop a proposal for excavation to be approved by the state, he said.

Under standard policy, the state would receive 25 percent of the value of the artifacts recovered, Lawrence said.

Luytjes said he hopes to begin excavation sometime this spring, but it will depend, for one on the weather and on getting the environmental permit.
 

MMAG

Greenie
Apr 9, 2006
12
1
Thank Jeff For posting that article
. I got a call today about it. Were still waiting for one last OK from a gov. org. The 75 ft Ocean Star is standing by to start digging as soon as the paperwork clears and ocean lays down. But like Masters said nobody's got a coin yet. We found the hull section in 4ft of water(LowTide) 200 yards off shore right in the breakers. The hull seems to be in 2 pieces about 100 ft apart.
All is covered with 20 ft of sand. I've been waiting since 2001 to put this one to bed one way or the other.
Mike Maguire
 

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Darren in NC

Darren in NC

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Wow, Mike. 20 feet of sand. Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you. Thanks for keeping us up to date on the project. Many of us are cheering for you guys.
 

Charles Oak Island NC

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Darren in NC said:
I have heard that numerous crews have found the El Salvador. Names include Mike Maguire, Alan Reibe, Phil Masters and Rik Luytjes. Seems like this would be in the news for such a sought-after vessel. Anyone know the real deal?


their just to far north.
 

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Darren in NC

Darren in NC

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Oh my! Welcome back, stranger!

So do you believe that the El Salvador is near the newer Topsail Inlet or at the other place I think you may know of? ;)
 

Chagy

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Naaa....not at the new Topsail.....that's why so many people are so confused..... ;)
 

Charles Oak Island NC

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Darren in NC said:
Oh my! Welcome back, stranger!

So do you believe that the El Salvador is near the newer Topsail Inlet or at the other place I think you may know of? ;)

I still think it is with in 4 league's of where I spent my summer working.

PS
Sent you an email earlier today about Uwharrie and the lat and long on all the old gold mines.
 

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Darren in NC

Darren in NC

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If anyone finds it, Charles, I hope it's you :)
 

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