Vero Beach 1715 Fleet after Hurrican Dorian

It seemed Hurricane Dorian would do a number on Vero Beach. Hurricanes are natural events and, sometimes, devastating ones. This storm was different, as it did less damage than expected. But a hurricane, any hurricane, that hits that particular beach is a call state-wide for metal detector enthusiasts.

Do you know why?

Because before we had radar and weathermen, we had priests and omens. All the omens pointed to a safe voyage in July of 1715 when twelve Spanish galleons, heavy-laden with treasure, and the dowry for Queen Isabella, returning from the New World to Spain.

The vessels departed from Cuba and all, but one was lost in a hurricane at two in the morning, seven days after departing, lost near present-day Vero Beach. The eleventh ship’s captain disobeyed orders to stay in line with the other vessels and moved farther off Florida’s coast and thus avoided being swept into “The Dragon’s Teeth” as the double reef just offshore was known.

The vessels scuttled, the bottoms torn open and the treasure was spewed along the coast. Over 1500 sailors died in the storm. A few survived to begin the initial salvage that included pirates who attacked the salvage ships.

Look up Kip Wagner for more on the early treasure salvage operations that occurred in the 1960s and were featured in the magazine, National Geographic. Mel Fisher began his treasure efforts here on this coast before turning his attention to searching for a different wreck, the Atocha, off the coast of Key West.

The salvage rights are still leased to this day, so hunting in the water is illegal, but metal detector enthusiasts can take their chances from the tideline to the dunes.

My own finds included a platinum ring, but sadly not one that is three hundred years old. But, hey, I’ll take it because treasure is treasure and it is always where you find it!

Good hunting!

Beachcut Jim

With an anchor from the 1715 Treasure Fleet