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[mnm]

I have heard from two different people about a recent shipwreck found by a surfer several years ago that has of late uncovered itself in the Hutchinson Island area , does anyone know anything about it ? A link or anything would be great .

 

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[mad4wrecks]

Hunt begins off Stuart for lost 1715 treasure ship

By SUZANNE WENTLEY
TCPalm.com
Posted February 13 2007, 2:45 PM EST


HUTCHINSON ISLAND -- Treasure hunters arrived on the Treasure Coast on Monday in search of what they hope might be a ship from a gold-filled fleet that gave the area its name.

The four-person crew of a lift boat named the Polly-L expects to reach Tiger Shores Beach, located just north of Stuart Public Beach, this morning and begin looking for historical artifacts associated with a shipwreck possibly from the 1715 Spanish treasure fleet.



LocalLinks

The search begins four years after officials with the Amelia Island-based Amelia Research and Recovery team first surveyed the shallow waters off Hutchinson Island for a stack of cannons that a local surfer discovered almost 30 years ago.

"I'm excited and ready to go," said Dave Jordan, a former Palm City resident and surfer who kept his discovery a secret for 25 years until his wife triggered the memory. "I want to see what's there."

So does Doug Pope, the president of Amelia Research and Recovery, who on Monday captained the four-story-high boat down the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Pierce.

Pope and Jordan worked with the state to secure necessary permits to "dig and identify" the 42 targets they found during a 2005 survey about 200 yards from the beach.

Starting as early as today, professional divers will use metal detectors to rule out which of the targets are "modern junk" -- bridge parts or other metal debris -- picked up in the initial survey, Pope said.

Then they'll use a 6-inch vacuum dredge to determine what the remaining targets are. If they uncover an artifact of potential historical significance, the treasure hunters must first receive a permit to "salvage" the material.

"When the treasure gods start smiling, then we'll say we found something," Pope said. "They don't smile that often."

If Jordan's memory turns out to be accurate, Martin County historians say the shipwreck could be part of an 11-vessel Spanish fleet that wrecked in a hurricane in 1715.

So far, the ship from that fleet discovered farthest south was the Urca de Lima, found north of Fort Pierce's Pepper Beach Park, which now contains a state underwater archeological preserve around the wreck. Other ships from that fleet have been discovered in Indian River County.

While it is unlikely any gold will be uncovered in the search, officials with the Historical Society of Martin County are hoping historical treasures will be discovered and eventually displayed in the new Elliott Museum planned just yards from the possible shipwreck site.

Jordan, who has family in Martin County and is in the process of moving from North Carolina to Gainesville, said he will likely stay on the Polly-L for a few days as the work begins. The project is expected to take about a month.

"It's important for me to find the cannons, but it's not about me," he said. "I'm excited Martin County is getting a chance. There's tons of history here. It's unbelievable."

TREASURE HUNT TIMELINE

October 1978: Dave Jordan, former Palm City resident and surfer, rides a wave off Tiger Shores Beach and, underwater, sees cannons stacked in the sand. He keeps the memory to himself for years.

September 2003: After a discussion with his wife prompted his memory, Jordan works with treasure hunters with the Amelia Island-based Amelia Research and Recovery to begin searching for the cannons. Archeologists believe they could be from the 1715 Spanish treasure fleet that sank nearby.

May 2005: Treasure hunters return to continue surveying the area with the hopes of securing a state permit to search for artifacts underwater.

February 2007: With the proper permits in hand, officials will bring the four-story-high lift boat named the Polly-L to begin digging for the cannons and other historically significant pieces. They said it is unlikely they will find any treasure.

 

[ScottyLee]

They just had a spot on the news on channel 5 about the "Polly L" but all they said was the Polly L was looking for a ship wreck off the treasure coast. They showed a buch of old pictures of peices of gold and someone else recovering a cannon.

 

[stevemc]

A Florida pro surfer/lifeguard did find some cannons and eventualy a wreck was uncovered many years ago. I dont remember exactly which wreck it was though. I think Jupiter.

 

[Chagy]

A Florida pro surfer/lifeguard did find some cannons and eventualy a wreck was uncovered many years ago. I dont remember exactly which wreck it was though. I think Jupiter.

That was Peter Leo about 20 years ago.....in what today is known as the Jupiter wreck or the "San Miguel Arcangel" Seahunters site...

All the best,

Chagy........

 

[wreckdiver1715]

After the hurricanes of 2004, seasons have been less productive for divers. But in the days after the storms, coins and jewelry valued at $500,000 were recovered by beachcombers with metal detectors.

16 June 2004, A Gold cross and medallion were found on the Cabin Wreck site, just south of the Sebastian Inlet.

4 August 2004, $100.000.00 worth of treasure was recovered off the Douglass Beach Wreck off of Fort Pierce, by John Brandon's boat Endeavor.

1 June, 2005 - The State of Florida does away with the Isolated Finds program.

In 2005, 27 Fisher subcontractors worked 308 days and only 520 artifacts were recovered from diving at the 1715 sites.

August 2005 - Heartland Treasure Quest, from Georgia and Florida; Amelia Research Co., of Amelia Island; and Florida Research and Recovery, a group of investors primarily from Georgia. Recover a flintlock pistol, a sword and a cannon, They found the weapons in late August from a shipwreck about a half-mile off Melbourne Beach, north of the Sebastian Inlet.

April 2006 - Rex Stocker of Sebastian and Rickie McHolan of Cochran, Ga. of Heartland Treasure Quest, file for a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to search and salvage treasure within about a mile of shore, from Cocoa Beach to Melbourne Beach.

August 2006 - Divers from a 100-foot boat, New World Legacy find 1.5lb gold bar on Corrigan's Wreck, south of Wabasso Beach, in Indian River County.

September 2006 - Historical Research & Development Inc., also known as HRD, filed an application for a water-quality waiver in early September with the state Department of Environmental Protection in Tallahassee. For the location known as Indian River Shores. The application includes a 2005 research plan by project archeologist Robert Westrick, who pointed to new artifacts found in recent years in HRD's exploration area. HRD's site lies between two sites the Fisher organization has been exploring and salvaging for years off the Riomar and Wabasso Beach areas.

October 2006 - SEAHUNTER brings TreasureNet divers together at the Jupiter Site, many silver coins recovered.

November 2006 - 14 Fisher subcontractors worked a total of 292 days and recovered some 1,500 artifacts.

13 February 2007 - Amelia Research and Recovery team arrive at Tiger Shores Beach, located just north of Stuart Public Beach, to start looking for historical artifacts associated with a shipwreck possibly from the 1715 Spanish treasure fleet. With the necessary permits to "dig and identify" the 42 targets they found during a 2005 survey about 200 yards from the beach.

 

[Salvor6]

Hey Wreckdiver1715, your dates are way off. I was with SEAHUNTER for his 2006 Tnet group dive. That was in Oct. not Sept. Go to "Who wants to dive for treasure" AND YOU WILL SEE THAT HE WAS SOLICITING FOR DIVERS BACK IN aUG. 2006.

 

[rgecy]

Pete,

You know what I think is important? The fact that wreckdiver noted it as a significant day in history and that we were a part of it! That weekend will be hard to rival, and will be remembered for years to come. Who knows, there may even be a book about it?

Robert in SC

 

[wreckdiver1715]

Salvor 6, I stand corrected! The error has been fixed, and thanks for keeping me straight on that.

Tom

 

[Peg Leg]

If there is ever a book written about this VENTURE I will purchase one.
I would also like to see a video/ movie made of the next get together.
Peg Leg

 

[ScubaFinder]

Salvor 6 is building several underwater housings (he can build anything...seriously) for our video cameras. All ventures of our group will be well documented from this point point forward! We'll make TNET members a special deal on the DVD's Seriously though, we did a good job of photo coverage from the first one, but we lacked a bit in video (RGecy saved us with his great video). That will not be the case in upcoming hunts, of which several are planned.

Jason