Galleon In Gulf

[Salvor6]

A few years ago Bob Spaeth of Madeira Beach Seafood snagged a large galleon anchor in his net about 70 miles west of Clearwater Beach in 165 feet of water. The anchor still had some wood on the stock and it was radio carbon dated to 1640, + or - 40 years. A professional treasure hunter came down from N.J. with his boat (Ithink it was Gary Gentile) and searched for 8 weeks but found nothing. This was all published in the local papers. Last year a spearfishing buddy of mine found a rock pile 60 miles west of St Pete Beach that had a lot of Amberjack on it. He thought it was bridge rubble from the old Skyway Bridge. I told him they would never dump it so far off shore. Upon closer inspection, all the rocks are round and there is no rebar sticking out. Bridge rubble ALWAYS has rebar sticking out. The location is about 50 miles south of where the anchor was found. I think the anchor was thrown overboard to lighten a sinking ship! I could find no records of any galeons lost in the Gulf around this time, 1600- 1680. Does anyone else have anything? Does someone have a boat big enough to go 70 miles offshore?

[oldfart]

lifting the anchor depends on the type of fishing vessel, a 50 ft bottom trawler would easily lift a large anchor, I had one in scotland remember that a bottom trawler or a beam trawler both pick up large collections of rubbish and stones and so are designed to lift large weights.

[mad4wrecks]

It is very possible that the anchor remained covered or partially covered for 400 years. The wood stock portion may have been buried under several feet of sand (preserving some of it) and the flukes exposed, enough to catch a fisherman's net. Too, it could have been uncovered by a recent storm. A hurricane or powerful tropical storm will easily move sand in 165 feet of water. It was reported in the papers several years ago that an intact ship sunk in south Florida as an artificial reef in 200+ feet of water was moved and broken in two by a hurricane.

I will post a picture soon that I have of an anchor that was found in roughly the same area by a fisherman out of Tarpon Springs.

[SeaProbe]

I have found anchors and they had no wood left on them some were from the 1800 es. This does not mean that the anchor was not buried and the net caught a fluke and pulled it from the bottom. Ship worms work very fast however and they eat wood like candy. This wreck is in deep water trying to salvage it would cost thousands per day and a big research type vessel with a full crew and ROVs ect. It could be surveyed with nitrox but would be a pop dive or you would have to have a chamber to do it with.To be safe young meat in top condition would be needed. Us old half used up guys have no reason to risk a dive like that. No not even for gold.

[boatwatch]

hmmm galleons in the gulf,, know of one or two , maybe , 70 miles of clearwater, lets see now , if my memory still works , back in my commerical fishing days out of mad beach and clw beach , that would be right about where the fla middle grounds would be or there about , then you steam south 50 knot miles that would roughly put you off my beach here on Anna maria , do a little math and i find something does not add up , i do however know of a ballast pile a bit west of my postion. it is said to be part of the 1715 fleet , but still i have a problem with that due to the fact there course was north of Cuba and along Fla's east coast , but then again one book will say totally diff then another , same as archives , they too can be a bit off, well good luck and hope something comes of it , boatwatch

[mad4wrecks]

Here are the pictures I promised of an anchor found in the Gulf of Mexico recently. Anybody care to take a guess at the date/origin of the anchor?