Santa Cruz 1679

[rs3100]

Hi there,
does anyone have any info on the ship Santa Cruz which supposedly sank off the Pembrokeshire (Wales, U.K.) coast in August 1679?

Many thanks in advance

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[rubberdiver13]

do you have an underwater metal detector, i have a location in mind

 

[Mackaydon]

Santa Cruz 51.43N 05.06.45W

Sank in 1679 carrying $2,500.000 in gold and silver. Has been searched for without success.

Source:http://www.dive-pembrokeshire.com/wrecks.html

Santa Cruz (Spanish): Pembroke, Wales. January 1679. Cargo: 220 chests of gold, two and a half tons of silver, estimated value: 110 million marks.

Source: http://www.arq.de/english/welt.htm

 

[jeff k]

Don... That info came from Harry Rieseberg, so I'd take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Mackaydon]

Hello Jeff:

Yes, Rieseberg wrote about the Santa Cruz, as did Potter. In Potter's book (1972) he noted: Besides Rieseberg's report, "Other reports from England place the ship's location twenty-five miles farther north in Cardigan Bay, and describe her cargo as being 220 chests of gold and 2 1/2 tons of silver worth $2,500,000."

The silver alone would be worth $1M today (assuming 92% pure and $13.25/oz.), and further assuming such a vessel existed and sank with that cargo.
Don..

 

[rs3100]

do you have an underwater metal detector, i have a location in mind

I have access to all sorts of equipment.

However, I haven't found any proof, as yet, that the ship even existed.
There are a few sources out there, but, these are to be taken with some scepticism.

 

[mad4wrecks]

There is an amazing book out, Treasure Hunt, by Peter Earle, that deals with 17th & 18th century English salvors, especially on wrecks around the British Isles. It is extremely well researched and written, and cites an incredible number of sources.

What is also neat too are the descriptions of the methods used to raise money and fund expeditions, the deals made for percentages with governments and leasholders and the various problems, failures and successes (they were sometimes incredibly successful using a diving bell and even giant "tongs") .....basically not much has changed in the business in 400 years!

I give it