1715 cape canaveral wreck still puzzles me...

[ou8acracker2]

Ok..I just want some ideas here...one of the "unfound" ships of the 1715 fleet that was said to sink off canaveral on the shoals.
That doesnt make sense to me..three guys washed up on the beach of the cape...does anyone have accounts as to exactly how far they washed up north or south of the bite? I have surfed my entire life in hurricanes, after hurricanes, and before hurricanes...if those boys hit the outer shoals and sank, they would have washed up a really good far distance away from their wreck. Did they specifically say that is where they wrecked or?

I havent looked at my research for a good 6-8 months due to graduating college and the hecticness that came about due to that..but thats just still fuzzy to me. Also, it seems they got WAY further north than the most northern wreck at sebastian. Sailing within sight like the rest, it seems it would be been further south then the cape. Also, why was no salvage camp established on the beach if they knew just where that wreck was?

 

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[stevemc]

Some wreckage /dunnage was also found near St Augustine, but it could have drifted for a long ways. I dont think unless someone actually found some coins with the right date, that anyone knows for sure there is a wreck there. Cape Canaveral was well known, and if someone washed in there, I cant see them floating for 20-30-40 miles when the wrecks were right near shore. Maybe there is a 1715 wreck there. There have been a few wrecks worked over at the cape and seashore, before it was off limits. I am sure there are wrecks in the shoals off the cape, it is just not going to happen at this time. Maybe if they keep downsizing NASA it may open up. But I am sure the military will take it over if that ever happens.

 

[tarpon192]

Ok..I just want some ideas here...one of the "unfound" ships of the 1715 fleet that was said to sink off canaveral on the shoals.
That doesnt make sense to me..three guys washed up on the beach of the cape...does anyone have accounts as to exactly how far they washed up north or south of the bite? I have surfed my entire life in hurricanes, after hurricanes, and before hurricanes...if those boys hit the outer shoals and sank, they would have washed up a really good far distance away from their wreck. Did they specifically say that is where they wrecked or?

I havent looked at my research for a good 6-8 months due to graduating college and the hecticness that came about due to that..but thats just still fuzzy to me. Also, it seems they got WAY further north than the most northern wreck at sebastian. Sailing within sight like the rest, it seems it would be been further south then the cape. Also, why was no salvage camp established on the beach if they knew just where that wreck was?

Being a retired NASA employee - many shipwrecks are in the area. Many cobs/reales have been found on the beaches just by the naked eye. I have seen park rangers working the restricted beaches as well as the public beaches from the fence all the way past playalinda with detectors. Reports also exist of ships timbers sticking out of the dunes, along with several other ship parts being found (old stuff). Their is lots, and I mean lots of stuff to be found from the fence - south. Only employees can access these area's, and we were allowed to bring 2 other people with us (family/friends) back in the day. Need to get a permit to venture north of the nudist area today where other items have been found, but it is a hike. Also have to be out before sunset.
I don't even know if NASA employee's are still able to detect their. Times are changing in a bad way. It's a shame.
I honestly believe any AMERICAN should be able to use a metal detector on any beach in the entire U.S.A.

 

[mad4wrecks]

My understanding is that the wreck discovered by Rex Stocker and Heartland Treasure Quest a few years back off Melbourne Beach (Spessard Holland Park) may be the 1715 shipwreck that went down off Cape Canaveral. This location is about 27 miles south from the tip of the Cape. Shipwreck survivors could have very well floated this distance in just a few days time. I don't think the records are clear on where the survivors specifically landed as there were not any landmarks in the area (other than the cape itself and the "false cape" just a little north.

This webpage for FRRG (they subcontracted on the wreck site) shows some of the items recovered: Florida Research and Recovery Group

Regards, Tom

 

[FISHEYE]

Several years ago a mako fishing boat with 3 people on it went missing on the west coast of florida down near naples.A few months later the boat with 1 dead body was found on the south shore of Cape Canaveral.So this should give you a idea how far wreckage can float and end up at the cape.

 

[mad4wrecks]

November 2005 - MELBOURNE, FL - A flintlock pistol, a sword and a cannon possibly used by ancient mariners are making history teacher Tom Funk and his fellow ocean explorers eager for next year's diving season to arrive. They found the weapons in late August from a shipwreck about a half-mile off Melbourne Beach, north of the Sebastian Inlet, and plan to search the wreck more when diving conditions are at their best, usually about late May to October.
Funk and his partners hope the wreck is from the famed 1715 Spanish Silver Plate Fleet. The fleet of 11 galleons set sail from Havana in 1715 laden with jewels, gold and silver, but ran into a hurricane along Florida's east coast. "Ten of the 11 ships were destroyed," said Funk, an archaeologist who teaches history at Satellite High School, in Satellite Beach. "Seven have more or less been found."
The shipwreck sites include spots near Fort Pierce and Sebastian, and the ships' high-value cargo gave the Treasure Coast its name. For the past decade, Funk and his partners have been surveying, exploring and researching what might be another of the treasure ships, in 43 feet of water off Melbourne Beach.
While exploring the wreck in late August, they found several artifacts that boosted their hopes. "Our artifact collection is pretty interesting," Funk said. "We have enough artifacts, I think, to show what period they belong to." There's the intact, silver-handled pistol and what appears to be a boarding sword, which has a curved blade and was known to be used by fighting mariners. The collection also includes some cannon balls, pewter plates and a stack of silver platters, which Funk said are beautifully embossed. "They look like a big turkey platter," he said. "We're sending (the collection) to a conservation lab for more study."
In the meantime, Funk and his partners will work on renewing the salvaging permits they need from various state agencies, such as the state Division of Historical Resources. Permitted salvagers can end up owning items they find, but 20 percent of the value of found treasure goes to the state.
The dive site worked by Funk's team stretches diagonally for perhaps a mile. The team includes members of Heartland Treasure Quest, from Georgia and Florida; Amelia Research Co., of Amelia Island; and Florida Research and Recovery, a group of investors primarily from Georgia.
A principle of Heartland Treasure Quest is Sebastian resident Rex Stocker, who was a member of the Real Eight Co. The Real Eight Co. worked with the famed Mel Fisher's Treasure Salvors Inc. in the 1960s to recover millions of dollars worth of treasure from the 1715 Fleet shipwrecks.
Taffi Fisher Abt, Fisher's daughter and the director of Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum in Sebastian, said she's interested to hear more about the items found by Funk and his partners. "It's quite possible this wreck is one of the 1715 Fleet," she said. "I have not seen any of these artifacts, and I haven't seen their log sheets, so I don't know for sure."

 

[cubicleking]

Off-topic but my son was in Funk's AP History class last year. He also owns an antique shop and very much into history. My son really enjoyed his class.

 

[Salvor6]

Tom that article is 7 years old. Has Funk gone back to the site since then?

 

[Bum Luck]

My understanding is that the wreck discovered by Rex Stocker and Heartland Treasure Quest a few years back off Melbourne Beach (Spessard Holland Park) may be the 1715 shipwreck that went down off Cape Canaveral. This location is about 27 miles south from the tip of the Cape. Shipwreck survivors could have very well floated this distance in just a few days time. I don't think the records are clear on where the survivors specifically landed as there were not any landmarks in the area (other than the cape itself and the "false cape" just a little north.

This webpage for FRRG (they subcontracted on the wreck site) shows some of the items recovered: Florida Research and Recovery Group

Regards, Tom

from the FRRG web site: Florida Research and Recovery Group
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] An interesting element in FRRG's operation is a unique antenna system, designed and developed by Larry Turbeville. This antenna system can distinguish between gold, iron. silver, emeralds and diamonds. Actually, almost anything![/SIZE][/FONT]

Interesting, no?

Anyone else know anything about the detector? This seems like a huge breakthrough, if true.

While I think it's technically possible to exploit the RF properties of crystals, I can't see how it can differentiate between diamonds and emeralds - or silica sand grains for that matter.

 

[mad4wrecks]

The only thing we ever located in my time with FRRG was found with a magnetometer or metal detector. www.wreckoverysalvage.com/FRRG.html

Tom

 

[diverlynn]

Same while I was with them. They did do a test with a silver bar borrowed from Taffy. Supposedly it was successful but I didn't go out for the test off of ST. Augustine. Found 1practice bomb and a NASA rocket down off of the cape. Lol
Lots of encouragement from the owners.

Tom, To mention the antenna frequencies will open a can of worms here. I made that mistake years ago.

Diverlynn

 

[ScubaFinder]

FRRG was my first job in treasure hunting. Worked there for a few weeks back in 2006 and was present for another silver bar test using modern silver bars. Mad4Wrecks went in and found the bars after a lot of testing of the machine. I'm not one to judge, but what I witnessed of the tests was "inconclusive" and I think the captain and crew onboard would agree. Tom however, did prove that he can locate silver. :-)

Here's a pic of me on the back deck holding the bars.

 

[lockdownking]

Oh this is so hard to post. But, here it is...For All Who Doubted Me |
It can become very emotionally draining to watch the state of Florida take a site from you. There is an old saying "It takes money to make money". Unfortunately, I did not have enough to go and conduct Reconnaissance on my site.

 

[Salvor6]

Oh this is so hard to post. But, here it is...For All Who Doubted Me |
It can become very emotionally draining to watch the state of Florida take a site from you. There is an old saying "It takes money to make money". Unfortunately, I did not have enough to go and conduct Reconnaissance on my site.

I tried to warn you. Why didn't you get a permit? Well first of all you don't have a company. Second, you're not located in Florida. You don't have a salvage boat or crew and most important, you don't have an archaeologist working for you. Seafarer has all that. If I were you I would contact a lawyer and see what options you have. Maybe you could get a percentage but I doubt it!

 

[ARC]

The great K.W. (the guy who found and started it all) spoke of an area just South of the cape.
This in my opinion would be a good place to start.
It is also my opinion that the "Tip of the Cape" is the resting place for the lagest graveyard of shipwrecks in the world.
HENCE why we cannot go there.... they know it.... I know it... and any treasure hunter worth his wieght in salt knows it when they think about it.
furthermore... the location of the mightiest 1715 payload... yep that one ... it's there prolly next to all the rest...

You see... my final opinion on this matter is the fact I believe the ones found... were the first to go. And the rest.... fought it harder and farther. until..................... the cape. struck... then drifting and floundering struck again and again splitering along the way until final chunks slammed to smitherins onto the beaches and with the torrent were then swept away...to slink off and roll into the corals grip... where the "guts" snaked into the nooks and crannies of underwater exposed bedrock beach ....That same beach break now ... 200 yards offshore.

THE guys who "washed up on the cape"... were from one of the “Pines” (Sebastian), “Cabin” (Wabasso), “Cannon” (Wabasso), “Corrigan’s” (Vero Beach), “Rio Mar” (Vero Beach), “Sandy Point” (Vero Beach), “Wedge” (Fort Pierce), and “Colored Beach” (Fort Pierce) wrecks
The guys who WRECKED ON the cape... were swept out and north ....OR are still in the coral.
Past the cape the water would wash them north AWAY from land.... those wrecked south of the cape would have never been found again had there NOT been a cape to begin with... The out stretch of land saved them by grace of god.

MY opinions..
Oh one more thing... The fleet... aka Flota.. was not 11 ships.... eleven were lost.

 

[ARC]

Studying maps at Mclarty Museum at Sebastian Inlet till my lower back and calves hurt from bending wierd. in this pic i am actually looking at the Charolotte Harbor area... not the Cape Area ... I had already memorized that coast.
If you have not had the chance or had the chance and not taken it... take it now and take a roadtrip and visit these really cool folks who run this killer little known museum... well worth it.

 

[liverock]

Oh this is so hard to post. But, here it is...For All Who Doubted Me |
It can become very emotionally draining to watch the state of Florida take a site from you. There is an old saying "It takes money to make money". Unfortunately, I did not have enough to go and conduct Reconnaissance on my site.

In 1961 I found a ships mast way up in the dunes...digging a campfire pit....was about two feet deep..and 20 foot-long...and fractured......my neighbor in the duplex we lived in on base was Dan Thompson....I went and got him and he came down and said yup...old..looks like Spanish....lets bury it again, we don't want anybody to know where this is....there is a pic here of that day on the site here.....and this was directly across from the Cape hart housing and Melbourne High school..so ...makes a lot of sense of another wreck right out front left or right a bit ...of this location...

 

[Salvor6]

In 1961 I found a ships mast way up in the dunes...digging a campfire pit....was about two feet deep..and 20 foot-long...and fractured......my neighbor in the duplex we lived in on base was Dan Thompson....I went and got him and he came down and said yup...old..looks like Spanish....lets bury it again, we don't want anybody to know where this is....there is a pic here of that day on the site here.....and this was directly across from the Cape hart housing and Melbourne High school..so ...makes a lot of sense of another wreck right out front left or right a bit ...of this location...

Lockdownking's wreck is off Cocoa Beach.

 

[Au_Dreamers]

"Upon his arrival at St. Augustine Mendez testified to officials there
according to a deposition found in the Archives of Spain, "that although he
has sailed the seas for many years and suffered through many tempests he
has never seen another like it in violence, and his ship and all the rest were
lost, some before and some after Palmar de Ays, at 28 degrees 10 minutes
(north latitude) ... in an area nine leagues (27 miles) from north to south."

That would be about Satellite Beach.

"Others" have stated archival documents with the wreckage of the Fleet being that far north also.

The scatter of debris would have been massive. There were reports of debris on the Virginia coast.

Does it translate that ships were lost in or on the high seas, or in or on the high waves?

Completely swallowed by the high waves could possibly put ships elsewhere than completely swallowed on the high seas.

An anomaly of the Hurricane 1300 miles offshore of the Treasure Coast and a high pressure system pushed approximately 10 foot waves onto the Cabin wreck this afternoon. The forces of nature those ill fated days was monstrous!!

 

[Salvor6]

The wreck that Seafarer Exploration found has nothing to do with the 1715 fleet. They think it is the wreck of Pedro Mendenez's son's ship.