San Miguel Anchor - 1715 Fleet

[old man]

@old man

Getting ahold of a side scan to put on the boat won't be an issue. With a wreck that old will anything actually show up on side scan though apart from cannons that haven't sunk into the sand? I'd like to stay away from involving other people until I know what exactly it is that I stumbled across so any equipment that I need to search the area I'll either purchase or borrow.

Lago, if it is a sandy bottom? A side scan might pick up anything sticking above the sand. Timbers that may have been uncovered after the last storm, bronze cannons, if there are any. Silver bars, if there is a pile of them etc...
If you do find a good wreck. I would go to kellyco in Orlando and buy a pulse star ll, with a 100 ft extension cable and a 1 meter search coil. Then I would build a pvc sled to mount the 1 meter coils and tow it over the bottom. It is the deepest seeking pulse unit I have ever used. It will pick up all next non ferrous or ferrous targets and the unit will tell if the target is ferrous or non ferrous. It will not pick up small targets of single coins with the 1 meter coil, but it will pick up clumps of coins or a single silver bar. The 18 inch coil will pick up a single coin. I've used the 18 inch search coil on the beach and have dug down 3 or 4 feet to only find a single non ferrous aluminum can.
If you want a demo of the unit. PM, salvor6, I sent mine down to him in Tampa last week.

 

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[Lago]

@old man

Thanks for the info. I'll keep the pulse star II in mind if it ends up being a wreck.

 

[ropesfish]

A couple of caveats...and I do hope you have found something new and interesting in this 300th anniversary year.
There is said to be a shipwreck for every mile of Florida's Atlantic coast. There are many, many wrecks. There is only a small percentage with treasures that have other-than-historic value and only 1 or 2 left missing from the 11 lost in 1715.
Anchors can end up in unusual places for unusual reasons apparently. I've been in Sebastian for about 10 years and have heard several stories of one or more 1715 anchors being dumped in the lagoon. Today at the marina, I was told the 'location' of another "old timey fluked anchor with a ring and about an 8' stem". I'm going to go poke around for that one in the morning.
Good luck! Check to make somewhat sure of the lease situation. They are nearly continuous from the Cape to well south of Ft Pierce.
If you do happen to be looking for something metallic with your metal detector (like your truck keys that you accidentally dropped overboard when the Marine Patrol boat rolls up, be sure to keep your story straight.

 

[diverrick]

There are a a ton of anchors in the Bahamas I think they must have been the poor mans mooring points back in the day. I have seen tons. I have found at least one by my self. But the one that gets me the best is the one with anchor chain running off in to the deep.. WTF is that? One has to wonder how that chain got there, Why'd they leave it? going out into the sea and it is not a small chain at all. Probably 6 to 7 inch links. Must have been a big ship. Way too deep do follow it, as it runs of into the deep off the reef the anchor is hooked on. I don't recall exactly where the one with the chain is, but I know I have dove on it numerous times on dive boats, so it is not a secret spot. I just would like the rest of the story.

 

[Lago]

@ropesfish

I'm remaining cautiously optimistic. The anchor is identical to some of the 17/18th century Spanish anchors linked on here, so it is at least from the right time period and it is quite some way from the wrecks near the Cape. It could very well be a lone anchor but I'll know more when I go back to check it out. Is there a comprehensive list of marine casualties on the Atlantic coast from the 1600-1700s? I'd be interested to see what other ships it could have potentially come off of.

 

[Black Duck]

[QUOTE="ARRC, post: 4507305, member: 86307"]Wood part would be gone.

ARRC
Just for the record
I would have to say you are incorrect about the wood thing as you call it (Stock) it just depends on where you find it under mud, silty sand, or on a reef as I guess you assume
In fact the anchor below from GME's find off Cale Canaveral in Permit area 2014-01 did have an in tach stock in just about perfect condition
GME would never and has never made a false statement and we can reference any thing we quote or publish

Wood part would be gone.


View attachment 1155940

 

[SADS 669]

Lago, concentrate more on the Physical side at the moment, there are hundreds of wrecks, some on top of each other,

Once you find other things than just an anchor, then hit the books, or search all summer then check what you have or have seen against research in the winter....

 

[ropesfish]

Books, you say?
Oh yes...
Steven Singer's "Shipwrecks of Florida: A comprehensive listing" Pineapple Press, 1998 and Robert Marx's "Shipwrecks in Florida Waters" but I'd get (and have) his "Shipwrecks in the Americas" - Shipwrecks in Florida Waters" in just excerpted from the larger volume.
There are several others, but while the others may have a few details that these two volumes did not include, I believe these two books have all that were known at the time of their publication.
Enjoy!

 

[ARC]

ARRC
Just for the record
I would have to say you are incorrect about the wood thing as you call it (Stock) it just depends on where you find it under mud, silty sand, or on a reef as I guess you assume
In fact the anchor below from GME's find off Cale Canaveral in Permit area 2014-01 did have an in tach stock in just about perfect condition
GME would never and has never made a false statement and we can reference any thing we quote or publish

Ehhh ? This picture was used for "reference" ...
For Lago...
Never even saw the GME affiliation...
This Picture was taken from a simple google search...
And its intention was for reference.
AND...
I stated that the "wood would be gone"....
WHEN I should have stated "the wood MIGHT be gone".

BEINGS the ones I have seen raised... do not.

BLACK - No Assumptions... misstated and should have used "another" pic. ... heh.

PS> Posting of "your ?" will be deleted.

 

[G.I.B.]

ARRC
Just for the record

Hey Black Duck, didn't I meet you in Boca Chica Bay in the DR last August?

Is this you? An 'el Presidente salute to you if it is.

 

[Black Duck]

Its all good

Its all good
No offense to u or taken

Here is One we found in State waters off Cape Canaveral

Ehhh ? This picture was used for "reference" ...
For Lago...
Never even saw the GME affiliation...
This Picture was taken from a simple google search...
And its intention was for reference.
AND...
I stated that the "wood would be gone"....
WHEN I should have stated "the wood MIGHT be gone".

BEINGS the ones I have seen raised... do not.

BLACK - No Assumptions... misstated and should have used "another" pic. ... heh.

PS> Posting of "your ?" will be deleted.

 

[Black Duck]

It must have been someone else
I was here in Tampa or Cape C
Maybe next time

 

[BVI Hunter]

There are a a ton of anchors in the Bahamas I think they must have been the poor mans mooring points back in the day. I have seen tons. I have found at least one by my self. But the one that gets me the best is the one with anchor chain running off in to the deep.. WTF is that? One has to wonder how that chain got there, Why'd they leave it? going out into the sea and it is not a small chain at all. Probably 6 to 7 inch links. Must have been a big ship. Way too deep do follow it, as it runs of into the deep off the reef the anchor is hooked on. I don't recall exactly where the one with the chain is, but I know I have dove on it numerous times on dive boats, so it is not a secret spot. I just would like the rest of the story.

I know that one

 

[SADS 669]

Smaller anchor from 18 something? I was shown near here, sadly for me but great for the crew the chain points at Cuba about 100 miles away so they had lots of sea room after it parted but must have been under immense pressure to make such a big snake

.......

 

[Au_Dreamers]

Lago,
You wrote "might have found something worth diving on."

Have you not seen this in the water yet?

Here's my first tip an probably the most important.

What you "may have" done already could be considered "exploration" by the state. Which can only be done with a permit.

As you read through this forum you will see that all most of us have in treasure hunting is our reputation. So do not make the mistake that only those that personally seek treasure are the only ones that read these forums.

A return to the anchor, again "could be determined" as exploration by the very entity that will issue the subsequent permits needed. Other groups have been denied permits for locations because the governing body determined they had previously illegally explored the site without proper permits.

Secondly, do some research to determine if this is out of a permitted area. It's been posted on these forums before but there have been some changes since that information was current...

Just my 2 reales...

 

[Lago]

Lago,
You wrote "might have found something worth diving on."

Have you not seen this in the water yet?

Here's my first tip an probably the most important.

What you "may have" done already could be considered "exploration" by the state. Which can only be done with a permit.

As you read through this forum you will see that all most of us have in treasure hunting is our reputation. So do not make the mistake that only those that personally seek treasure are the only ones that read these forums.

A return to the anchor, again "could be determined" as exploration by the very entity that will issue the subsequent permits needed. Other groups have been denied permits for locations because the governing body determined they had previously illegally explored the site without proper permits.

Secondly, do some research to determine if this is out of a permitted area. It's been posted on these forums before but there have been some changes since that information was current...

Just my 2 reales...

Thanks for the advice. "Might have found something worth diving on" was poor wording on my part. I've already been down but I didn't stumble across the anchor until the last few minutes of my dive and haven't had a chance to go back yet.

I was under the impression that permits don't need to be pulled so long as you don't disturb the bottom. I haven't touched anything and plan on sweeping the area with a mag when I go back. Do I need to pull a permit for this or should I be alright so long as I'm not actually doing anything on the bottom?

I've already done some searching and it looks like the area that the anchor is in is well outside of the lease areas near the Cape and isn't in restricted waters.

 

[ivan salis]

clearly your talking about the tobacco hauling NAO San Miguel---one of the 2 "missing vessels" from Echeverz fleet along with the French prize vessel "El Ciervo"

there is also the 3rd vessel Conception --that is thought to have gone down somewhere close to the cape -- exactly where? no one knows..

its highly possible you found an anchor from the Conception *

 

[Lago]

clearly your talking about the tobacco hauling NAO San Miguel---one of the 2 "missing vessels" from Echeverz fleet along with the French prize vessel "El Ciervo"

there is also the 3rd vessel Conception --that is thought to have gone down somewhere close to the cape -- exactly where? no one knows..

its highly possible you found an anchor from the Conception *

How large was the Concepcion? The anchor I found seems to be quite a bit smaller than some of the other anchors found on the 1715 wreck sites though it is undoubtedly from the same time period. If memory serves the Concepcion was also believed to have gone down south of the Cape. My anchor was found to the north.

 

[ARC]

View attachment 1155931

JUST so you know...
This picture IS NOT a 1715 Fleet anchor...
This is a picture from The Queen Anne's Revenge... BB's ship...
BUT...
It is from the same time period.

 

[SADS 669]

Lago,

PM Au for advice, the situation you are in is a bit like calling a real estate company and getting the receptionist who just happens to have a selling licence then when you but a million dollar house she wants her commission cos you spoke to her on the phone first and she claims you are her client. A veritable minefield.....

I know Au and he's a great guy, he will guide you how not to shoot yourself in the foot......" State or Federal wise" I agree that seeing something on the seabed "should not" be cause for A, B or C but Chris will know........