pre 1769 wreck site--30degrees 29min 58sec N by 81 degrees 25 min 45sec W

[ivan salis]

located in north east florida --the nassau sound area between the southern tip of amelia island and the northern part of talbot island--- behind bird island and in front of the smallish sand island --that was known in the 1769 map by capt. william fuller as "sandy isle" ---note --there is no "bird island" on the 1769 map---it was a oyster bar in front of "small spring"- creek that silted in since then-- most of the sand came from sandy isle as it has shrank in size over the years.*** note the 1769 fuller map is in the university of alabama online web site---part of the rucker agee collection. in this case "x" really does mark the "spot"---by the way the spot is in a preserve area and needless to say all "legal" rights have already been claimed. comparing a modern NOAA map to the old map "pegs" the wreck site within 200 or so yards.----not bad huh? ---now to found out what it is -WRECK MUST BE PRE 1769 TO BE ON A 1769 MAP----1740-43 period -war of jenkins ear --spanish / brits? a brit/ spanish merchant ship or ship raider 1740 thru 1735 ? a spanish treasure ship / dutch raider 1715 to 1733's. ? which is it I wonder? I thought you would like the info ---Ivan

[benny]

Yes, there IS a wreck off Bird Island, actually two wrecks, one on top of the other. Sometimes covered by the always shifting sand of the island, I saw them in 1989.
BEWARE that this is a state-protected Aquatic Preserve. NO salvage in the area is allowed, although there have long been reports of piracy.
While identities of the wrecks are inconclusive the top wreck appears to be late 1800's the bottom 1700's.