Gulf coast... Seahorse reef cedar key FL

[wfoster74]

Up late one night i found some information from a treasure site that indicated a rumur of a shrimper netting some silver bar south of seahorse reef. I could not find any more details of this find. As i undersand it, the history of cedar key is riddled with tales of spanish ocupaton in the 1500's to cival war battles. Has any one else have information to validate the find as a true story?

 

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[Peg Leg]

Morning my friend,
If you can find a NOAA map of the area you will see that Cedar is in the middle of nowhere and is covered with reefs to the south. I have been to this area many many times and can tell you that YES there is silver but it is scattered over a wide range starting about 2 miles Southwest into the Gulf.
There was a Confederate unit here but was taken over by Union Forces but before that Cedar Key was the center of cutting and transporting CEDAR WOOD which as you know was also used by the Spanish in ship building.
I can also tell you that the TIDES in this area are very dangerous. I have seen the tide drop the water leveel 5 feet in less than 1 hour and bring the tide water in to almost 6 feet in the same amount of time.
This is not the only to watch out for. This is also a breading ground for Bull Sharks and Black Tip Sharks. This does not count the Gators or the Crocs-yes I said CROCS.
I HAVE SEEN THEM.
Good luck in you search.
Peg Leg

 

[wfoster74]

Thanks for the reply,

No worries on the location, I have been a local for almost 20 years and have fished this coast from cedar key south to Crystal river for the same amount of time. I am also an avid sailor with my boat docked in Inglis so a cruise to the key would be less then 14 nautical miles for me. I also had been trained while I was in the navy on navigation and underwater search since I was stationed on a coastal mine hunter. I wanted to strike the subject up since it’s a local place for me and I get bored just sailing in circles off of marker #1 out of the Withlacoochee river.


To add to the lure of the location, there is a bunch of wrecks to be found from the civil ware error and early 1900’s. It seams that on January 16, 1862, the Union vessel Hatteras sank the Anna Smith, Ancilla, Dudly, Rattler, Stag, Nye, William H. Middleton, and an unnamed ferryboat and sloop. These vessel sizes ranged from 50-200 tons.

Here us the original article that grabbed my attention from http://www.treasuresites.com/nfl.htm


“One Spanish silver bar has been netted on the S. side of Seahorse Reef, which would make sense, since Spanish treasure fleets would have turned south with the Gulf current just north of Cedar Keys, and a hurricane coming from the Yucatan Peninsula would tend to blow a ship over the reef, hole it, and sink it on the S. side of the reef.”

Resource:
Robert Neeser's Statistical and Chronological History of the United States Navy 1775-1907

http://www.treasuresites.com/nfl.htm

Official Records of the Union & Confederate Navies of the War of the Rebellion cites the Mary Nevis, cutter rigged sloop, as being grounded, bilged, then burned, at Bayes Pass, Cedar Keys.

I guess its time to refit my sailboat with some underwater sonar and make the 14 nautical mile trip.

 

[G.I.B.]

Here is an excerpt from a book I have:

Fairly reliable reports of Spanish money being found on the western shore of Cedar Key lead to the possibility that a New Spain armada nao lost without a trace was dashed to pieces here.

I’ve begun poking about looking for additional information. Should you ever consider embarking on the quest for gold and silver, let me know. I sail out of St. Pete Beach.

Let me know if you would like to trade info or join forces some day. I’m fully scuba equipped on a 40’ Sloop. I’ve been hunting a bit around Anclote Key when I can.

Check out the map below…

Larry
s/v AbbyGale
St. Pete Beach

 

[wfoster74]

I have been doing the research on this subject for a year or so and have a hard time finding good information on Spanish occupation and cedar key. What book or books have you used to find this information? I know this area well since i have fished here since i was a kid. My boat is not as big as yours however due to the shallow nature of this area i find mine to be very usefull. Mine boat is docked in Inglis and its a 25foot Morgan I have recently made a new 150% jib and finishing up on my new main. I also have access of a 32 foot open fisher with full electronics including radar.

My intrest in this location is more for fun then anything, its local for me and i love the histroy of this key. I figured i should have a great chance of finding some of these civil war blockade runners and maybe a coin or two. This location is not blessed with clear water so diving becomes a challenge, so i also have been in the design stages of building a small ROV. But i am equipped with diving equipment and love the sport.

How much luck have you had with your hunting down their off south of Tarpin Springs?

 

[G.I.B.]

So far I'm just using the regular 'Shipwrecks of...' book series for information. I also have extended family that goes back 4 generations in Cedar Key and the area.

There was a civil war Schooner, the 'Sea Drift' that wrecked at Cedar Key April 24 1871. I'm still researching information on her. I've not narrowed down a specific area yet. I'm curious if that is the mast and bow on another post.

HH