Gorda Cay Wreck

[Red_desert]

From what little I do know based on practical experience having only been over to work within the Bahamas 3 times in the last several years...I simply do not believe that the Bahamian government has either the resources or the knowledge to engage in any real search or recovery operations....I also think that the level of corruption prevalent within the political structure has made it impossible to mount any type of meaningful effort...layers and layers of bureaucracy, dept after dept, and multiple people, all requiring a "fee", and buy the time you reach a high enough rung on the ladder, you've spent millions of dollars, months and years, and than....nothing...new government, new depts, new people, and start the process all over again from square one.

Of course...this is just my opinion...I'm sure that the reality is much more streamlined if you just contact the "appropriate" minister or what have you... just ask them...

Have they started issuing the permits again?

 

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[Old Bookaroo]

Gorda Cay is where the famous Bahamas Silver Bar was found.

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Where is that bar today? I've tried to research the answer and didn't get very far.

There's a little pamphlet The Lost Treasure of King Philip IV; A Brief History of SUNKEN TREASURE in Bahamian Waters and a Report on its Origin - Research by Andrew J.S. McNickle [NP: ND] that tells the story.

My copy has a printed addendum tipped in on the final page:

"Further research leads Rascoe Thompson to believe that the wreck near the island of Gorda Cay, where the silver bar was recovered, was in fact one of hte 6 small vessels sent from Puerto Rico to salvage the wreck of the Maravillas, which sank off the Little Bahamas Bank."

I believe this site is discussed in Sir Robert Marx's book Shipwrecks of the Americas and possibly in The Homewrecker - I haven't looked lately.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[WaveJunky757]

These super shallow wrecks intrigue me the most. Lucayan wreck also comes to mind. Can only imagine how many wrecks like this are scattered in the Bahamas. And how many have been found but kept quiet.

 

[agflit]

Have they started issuing the permits again?

Not to my knowledge as of this point in time....

 

[Red_desert]

Not to my knowledge as of this point in time....

So, it is still the same old story... slower than slow, trying to get a permit going.