wwhitewood
Newbie
Hello to all,
I'm a long time diver with an interest in metal detecting and shipwreck exploration. I've volunteered with the Texas Historical Commission on a couple of searches in the Sabine Pass area for Civil War wrecks. My current research,for the past several years,has been about a Spanish merchantman wrecked in the hurricane of 1766 along the Texas coast near Galveston. I've acquired a volume of temporary accounts of the wreck from the Archivo General De Indias which I and another interpreter have translated.I've also shared these documents with the Texas Historical Commissions' only shipwreck archaeologist,Steve Hoyt.
Texas law states that any historical shipwreck in state waters belongs to the state.However they do not have the time or resources to investigate every shipwreck.They depend heavily on volunteers to do much of the searching and then be notified of any significant finds.
To my knowledge the wreck I've been researching has never been fully explored,with the possible exception of some clandestine divers finding about 20,000 silver pesos in the 70's. The wreck is near the coast and probably mostly buried. Another ship wrecked with the same convoy,El Nuevo Constante,however was found and partly excavated in the 80's along the Louisiana coast.The book"Last Voyage of El Nuevo Constante" LSU Press,describes the discovery and excavation of the ship and mentions the other ship wrecked on the Texas coast,El Corazon De Jesus Y Santa Barbara,aka La Caraquena.
My interest is to "hook up" with someone in the Galveston area with a boat and the time to search for this wreck.I sold my boat a couple years ago but have the means and the time to perform a search with any interested partners.
Texas law prohibits any plundering but this seems to be a good prospect for some fame if not fortune.I would be glad to share more info.with any serious inquiries.
Thanks and Good Hunting,Wade Whitewood
I'm a long time diver with an interest in metal detecting and shipwreck exploration. I've volunteered with the Texas Historical Commission on a couple of searches in the Sabine Pass area for Civil War wrecks. My current research,for the past several years,has been about a Spanish merchantman wrecked in the hurricane of 1766 along the Texas coast near Galveston. I've acquired a volume of temporary accounts of the wreck from the Archivo General De Indias which I and another interpreter have translated.I've also shared these documents with the Texas Historical Commissions' only shipwreck archaeologist,Steve Hoyt.
Texas law states that any historical shipwreck in state waters belongs to the state.However they do not have the time or resources to investigate every shipwreck.They depend heavily on volunteers to do much of the searching and then be notified of any significant finds.
To my knowledge the wreck I've been researching has never been fully explored,with the possible exception of some clandestine divers finding about 20,000 silver pesos in the 70's. The wreck is near the coast and probably mostly buried. Another ship wrecked with the same convoy,El Nuevo Constante,however was found and partly excavated in the 80's along the Louisiana coast.The book"Last Voyage of El Nuevo Constante" LSU Press,describes the discovery and excavation of the ship and mentions the other ship wrecked on the Texas coast,El Corazon De Jesus Y Santa Barbara,aka La Caraquena.
My interest is to "hook up" with someone in the Galveston area with a boat and the time to search for this wreck.I sold my boat a couple years ago but have the means and the time to perform a search with any interested partners.
Texas law prohibits any plundering but this seems to be a good prospect for some fame if not fortune.I would be glad to share more info.with any serious inquiries.
Thanks and Good Hunting,Wade Whitewood
