Shipwrecks 1715 Spanish Fleet - Sebastian Inlet, Florida, USA. - Shipwrecks on Waymarking.com

The wreck of these ships are still there buried in the sand, but due to the value of artefacts, and the fact that this is a National Historic Site, unlicensed visiting & diving is not permitted.

The location of the survivors camp is the nearest landfall on the barrier island to where the fleet's flagship had sunk.

This historical memorial marker plaque, dedicated in memory to the ill fated 1715 Spanish Plate Fleet, a dozen ships were lost to the Sea & Sands, due to a storm on that fateful night. The marker plaque is located near the entrance to the Maritime Treasure Museum.
The McLarty Treasure Museum, is also situated on the historic site of the survivors’ camp from the ill fated 1715 Spanish Fleet, the museum features, gold & silver artefacts, and displays, associated with the treasures these ships, lost to the waves, and beaches. A must visit attraction for anyone visiting the area.

The plaque reads:
SITE OF SURVIVORS' AND SALVAGERS' CAMP THE 1715 FLEET
"Late in July, 1715, a hurricane destroyed a fleet of eleven or possibly twelve homeward bound merchant ships carrying cargoes of gold and silver coinage and other valuable items from the American colonies to Spain. About 1500 men, women, and children who survived the disaster and reached the shore made their camp along the barrier island near the place where the fleet's flagship had sunk. Governor General Corcoles sent a relief party composed chiefly of Indian auxiliaries from St. Augustine to provide subsistence for the survivors. These auxiliaries also gave protection and aid to the salvagers who used the campsite while working to recover the valuable cargo from the sunken vessels. Archaeological work at the site revealed that the salvagers seem to have erected some temporary structures for use as storehouses for the recovered gold and silver. While the salvage operation was in process, Henry Jennings, an English pirate, sailed to the site, drove off the guards and seized a large quantity of the recovered coins which he carried away to Port Royal, Jamaica. But the great majority of the treasure was safely regained and moved to Havana by the Spanish salvagers."

McLarty Treasure Museum:
"On a National Historic Landmark site on the southern boundary of Sebastian Inlet State Park, this museum underscores the credo: "Wherever gold glitters or silver beckons, man will move mountains." It has displays of coins, weapons, and tools salvaged from the fleet of Spanish treasure ships that sank here in the 1715 storm, leaving some 1,500 survivors struggling to shore between Sebastian and Fort Pierce. The museum sits on the site of the survivors' camp. The museum's last video showing of "The Queen's Jewels and the 1715 Fleet" begins at 3:15." Text Source: (visit link)

Museum website: (visit link)

The Site is available Dawn to Dusk.
McLarty Treasure Museum is open 7 days a week
10:00 AM-4:00 PM.
Entrance fees:
The Site - Free.
McLarty Treasure Museum - Adult entrance fee is $2.00

Date of Shipwreck: Late in July, 1715 Type of Boat: Other Military or Civilian: Spanish Merchant Fleet Cause of Shipwreck: Storm - Hurricane. Accessibility: Can only be viewed from the beach access from the survivors camp. Diving Permitted: no

Visit Instructions:
Only log the site if you have visited it personally.
Floating over a site does not qualify as a find if it is a wreck that requires diving - you must have actually visited the site - therefore photos of the site are good.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   10/19/2014 veritas vita visited it