Archipielago Los Roques

[Galleon Hunter]

Hello: Will be doing a survey off the coast of Venezuela. The Archipielago Los Roques area in particular. Does anyone know of any shipwrecks in the area?
Thanks

 

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[Mackaydon]

If you get any spare time, you may wish to check out Aves Island; in particular, the wreck site of the French Fleet of 1678. Nothing is visible but if you have the right survey equipment, you might spot some interesting artifacts. The story is fascinating: The lead ship fired its cannon, the trailing fleet thought that shot signaled the lead vessel had spotted the enemy fleet--so they rushed ahead. Unfortunately, the signal meant 'Caution, we have discovered a reef'. Sure enough, most of the vessels of the fleet were destroyed on that reef.
When my boat, the R/V Explorer, was there about 15 years ago (in search of goodies from the 1678 fleet), we were told we possessed only the second salvage permit in Venez. NWS, no wrecks/wreckage was visible in the area except pleasure craft enjoying the area.
Don....

 

[Oceanscience]

If you get any spare time, you may wish to check out Aves Island; in particular, the wreck site of the French Fleet of 1678. Nothing is visible but if you have the right survey equipment, you might spot some interesting artifacts. The story is fascinating: The lead ship fired its cannon, the trailing fleet thought that shot signaled the lead vessel had spotted the enemy fleet--so they rushed ahead. Unfortunately, the signal meant 'Caution, we have discovered a reef'. Sure enough, most of the vessels of the fleet were destroyed on that reef.
When my boat, the R/V Explorer, was there about 15 years ago (in search of goodies from the 1678 fleet), we were told we possessed only the second salvage permit in Venez. NWS, no wrecks/wreckage was visible in the area except pleasure craft enjoying the area.
Don....

You must have looked at the wrong place. There is wreckage of the French fleet scattered over a large area, besides maybe a hundred shipwrecks of different time periods.
Were you on the right Aves?

 

[Mackaydon]

Yes, next to (east of) Bonaire.
Strange that you would ask about shipwrecks in the area if, as you state, there are "maybe a hundred shipwrecks of different time periods", supposedly in the same area. Perhaps you are referring to another Aves Island just to the west of Guadeloupe, also claimed by Venez.
Don.........

 

[Salvor6]

Hey Don, I heard Barry Clifford was in the same area searching for pirate ships that sank on the reef off Aves Island. Was he the first to get a salvage permit in the area?

 

[Mackaydon]

Salvor6,
I don't believe Barry had a permit before we did if, indeed he had a permit (no harm intended).
I believe the first permit was issued to a group looking for a pearl ship off Margarita Island, NE of Cumana; that's my recollection.
Don...

 

[Oceanscience]

Yes, next to (east of) Bonaire.
Strange that you would ask about shipwrecks in the area if, as you state, there are "maybe a hundred shipwrecks of different time periods", supposedly in the same area. Perhaps you are referring to another Aves Island just to the west of Guadeloupe, also claimed by Venez.
Don.........

I made an expedition in 1984 to Aves de Barlovento and Sotavento, and another expedition in 1997 to a different part on Aves de Sotavento.

There are 3 different Aves islands: the Windward Aves, The leeward Aves and the Aves way further north, nearer to Martinique.

There are hundreds of shipwrecks on both the Aves de Barlovento and Sotavento. The area of the salvage camp of the French fleet of 1678, Count D'Estrees, was worked over by the guano harvesters. Possibly there could be some stories found in some USA guano harbor newspaper of the time.

 

[Mackaydon]

Yes, the French fleet wreck site of D'Estrees was first salvaged by the French themselves, then the (lucky) Dutch. I don't know if any cannon remain.
Don.

 

[Southern_Digger]

Salvor6,
I don't believe Barry had a permit before we did if, indeed he had a permit (no harm intended).
I believe the first permit was issued to a group looking for a pearl ship off Margarita Island, NE of Cumana; that's my recollection.
Don...

I, being only a few years out of school, almost joined up with a salvage expedition to South America. I still have their correspondence somewhere in my files. Do you remember Fathom Expeditions Inc.. $500 would have gotten me on board and participating in a salvage expedition. I could not raise the money quick enough and needed to become a certified diver--no more borrowing others gear, I gave it up and decided to pursue the possibilities of a wreck at Jupiter Inlet instead. Regarding Fathom Exped., I believe they had some type of government authorization to salvage a wreck off of Venezuela, however, last I heard, they got into some type of trouble with the V-govt. and was kicked out instead. I don't recall the full story but I was happy that I made the decision not to go-for-broke and join up with them.

 

[Oceanscience]

Yes, the French fleet wreck site of D'Estrees was first salvaged by the French themselves, then the (lucky) Dutch. I don't know if any cannon remain.
Don.

There are lots of anchors and iron cannon left. From time to time there is a rumor about a bronze cannon, but I never saw one there.