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pvet
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Does anyone have any info on the Spanish vessel Visitacion which sank off the Keys in 1550l
- Oct 26, 2004
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Hello pvet:
Here's a story for you that you may wish to follow up on:
SPANISH SHIP "La Visitacion"--SANK IN 1550 ?
Many years ago a ship sank in the Florida Keys. It went down in deep water, most likely with all hands. I don't know if it was coming or going, but I know that it has never been touched.
During the height of the Keys treasure diving, a head boat captain, that sailed out of Whale Harbor and piloted the boat TRADE WINDS, would run over a bump in deep water. Sometimes he could get on it with no problem and sometimes he couldn't find it for weeks.
He thought it was a wreck and the treasure hunters in the Keys thought it was the ATOCHA, because of its location off of Lower Matacumbe.
He convinced a fireman, a charter boat captain and a diver named Jim Conway to see what this bump on the bottom was. After many attempts to locate the wreck, Jim finally dove upon it. It was about 60 feet long and 12 feet wide. It came off of the bottom about 5 or 6 feet.
"It had stacks and stacks of cannon on it , two 12-foot anchors on the front of the pile and one a little larger about 35 feet in front of the pile. The back of the pile disappeared into the sand. It appeared that the wreck covered and uncovered. The riffs in the sand were about 1 foot deep, much deeper than any I had ever seen before. The guns didn't look like regular guns, they didn't have the lumps and bumps growing off them like all of the other iron cannon I saw." This was a quote by Jim made in 1964 and recorded on cassette by another treasure diver, Martin Meylach. Jim was also a photographer. He took all of the underwater pictures for Meylach's book, "Diving To A Flash Of Gold".
Jim passed away in the summer of 2000. Until the end his story never changed.
The wreck was suspected to exist by Meylach, Webber, Haskins, Don Gigiororlo and Mel Fisher. Fisher approached Jim Conway about this wreck. Jim was the only person to ever see this wreck. Meylach looked for this wreck for 3 years. Years later, Captain Charlie's ranges were given to me. They were taken out of his range book. They showed me that Marty and Jim were looking in the wrong place.
We believe that this wreck could be the Spanish ship La VISITACION that sank in 1550.
My working partner, Marty Meylach, gave all of the information I have on this to me.
We started looking for this wreck again in 1990. We applied for a search permit in 1997. We have worked on this every season since then.
In January I was being towed on the anchor line between two buoys that were set up on the strongest mag hits. I was looking for a ballast pile---what I found was a cigar shape in the sand. It rose off of the bottom 2 feet and it was 20 feet long and 10 feet wide. The most interesting thing about it was the fact that it had a current trough, or channel, completely around it. The channel was about 1 foot lower than the surrounding bottom. It is also the only area for miles that had vegetables coming out of the sand.
I didn't know what I was looking at. Only later did I begin to believe that this was Conway's wreck. There is something on the bottom that is not part of the bottom. It is covered with sand.
I have the numbers to get back to this structure. I want to raise some capital to continue the project. I need a boat and a mag. If you are interested, or can recommend someone that could help with this project, please contact me via email at: [email protected]
All the Best,
Don MacKay
Here's a story for you that you may wish to follow up on:
SPANISH SHIP "La Visitacion"--SANK IN 1550 ?
Many years ago a ship sank in the Florida Keys. It went down in deep water, most likely with all hands. I don't know if it was coming or going, but I know that it has never been touched.
During the height of the Keys treasure diving, a head boat captain, that sailed out of Whale Harbor and piloted the boat TRADE WINDS, would run over a bump in deep water. Sometimes he could get on it with no problem and sometimes he couldn't find it for weeks.
He thought it was a wreck and the treasure hunters in the Keys thought it was the ATOCHA, because of its location off of Lower Matacumbe.
He convinced a fireman, a charter boat captain and a diver named Jim Conway to see what this bump on the bottom was. After many attempts to locate the wreck, Jim finally dove upon it. It was about 60 feet long and 12 feet wide. It came off of the bottom about 5 or 6 feet.
"It had stacks and stacks of cannon on it , two 12-foot anchors on the front of the pile and one a little larger about 35 feet in front of the pile. The back of the pile disappeared into the sand. It appeared that the wreck covered and uncovered. The riffs in the sand were about 1 foot deep, much deeper than any I had ever seen before. The guns didn't look like regular guns, they didn't have the lumps and bumps growing off them like all of the other iron cannon I saw." This was a quote by Jim made in 1964 and recorded on cassette by another treasure diver, Martin Meylach. Jim was also a photographer. He took all of the underwater pictures for Meylach's book, "Diving To A Flash Of Gold".
Jim passed away in the summer of 2000. Until the end his story never changed.
The wreck was suspected to exist by Meylach, Webber, Haskins, Don Gigiororlo and Mel Fisher. Fisher approached Jim Conway about this wreck. Jim was the only person to ever see this wreck. Meylach looked for this wreck for 3 years. Years later, Captain Charlie's ranges were given to me. They were taken out of his range book. They showed me that Marty and Jim were looking in the wrong place.
We believe that this wreck could be the Spanish ship La VISITACION that sank in 1550.
My working partner, Marty Meylach, gave all of the information I have on this to me.
We started looking for this wreck again in 1990. We applied for a search permit in 1997. We have worked on this every season since then.
In January I was being towed on the anchor line between two buoys that were set up on the strongest mag hits. I was looking for a ballast pile---what I found was a cigar shape in the sand. It rose off of the bottom 2 feet and it was 20 feet long and 10 feet wide. The most interesting thing about it was the fact that it had a current trough, or channel, completely around it. The channel was about 1 foot lower than the surrounding bottom. It is also the only area for miles that had vegetables coming out of the sand.
I didn't know what I was looking at. Only later did I begin to believe that this was Conway's wreck. There is something on the bottom that is not part of the bottom. It is covered with sand.
I have the numbers to get back to this structure. I want to raise some capital to continue the project. I need a boat and a mag. If you are interested, or can recommend someone that could help with this project, please contact me via email at: [email protected]
All the Best,
Don MacKay
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OP
pvet
Guest
- Thread starter
- #3
Don, I don't know how you came across that statement written by Conway but you must hold on to everything. Thats about all we know of the Visitacion, year and approx. location.
I was hoping for some information on the cargo.
Since that statement was written which was probably 5 years ago, we have located a giant anchor and 3 Bronze cannon. The ballast pile still eludes us but we are still looking.
Regards
Pvet , AKA - JConway
I was hoping for some information on the cargo.
Since that statement was written which was probably 5 years ago, we have located a giant anchor and 3 Bronze cannon. The ballast pile still eludes us but we are still looking.
Regards
Pvet , AKA - JConway
- Oct 26, 2004
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Pvet:
In my first response I noted you had said you didn't know if the ship were coming or going. I'm sure you've now read Marx (page 195) stating the vessel was home bound from Vera Cruz; and captained by Pedro de la Torre.
All the Best; and good hunting.
Don (R/V Explorer)
In my first response I noted you had said you didn't know if the ship were coming or going. I'm sure you've now read Marx (page 195) stating the vessel was home bound from Vera Cruz; and captained by Pedro de la Torre.
All the Best; and good hunting.
Don (R/V Explorer)
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Pvet:
Here's another entry you've probably already seen; from Potter (page 215). "..en route from Havana to Spain with $200,000 worth of treasure aboard....." "Some of the crewmen were rescued... (testimony?) but the silver and gold could not be recovered."
Don......
Here's another entry you've probably already seen; from Potter (page 215). "..en route from Havana to Spain with $200,000 worth of treasure aboard....." "Some of the crewmen were rescued... (testimony?) but the silver and gold could not be recovered."
Don......
- Oct 26, 2004
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Javier:
I registered my vessel in Roatan.
Don.......
I registered my vessel in Roatan.
Don.......
- Oct 26, 2004
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Javier:
When we arrived in Ecuador, the law was the 'finder' would receive his share (50%) in the intrinsic value of the recovery, not the numismatic value (as to coinage). The return was to be given to us in Ecuadoran bonds paid over ten years. We 'helped' change the law to an immediate 50/50 distribution of the recover (we, of course, still had to pay for the recovery, conservation and government costs--from our 50%.) We divided the recovery and the goverment took first choice. We were satified with the results but the process was tedious, including working through 5 individuals who claimed the Presidency within a period of one yr.
Don......
When we arrived in Ecuador, the law was the 'finder' would receive his share (50%) in the intrinsic value of the recovery, not the numismatic value (as to coinage). The return was to be given to us in Ecuadoran bonds paid over ten years. We 'helped' change the law to an immediate 50/50 distribution of the recover (we, of course, still had to pay for the recovery, conservation and government costs--from our 50%.) We divided the recovery and the goverment took first choice. We were satified with the results but the process was tedious, including working through 5 individuals who claimed the Presidency within a period of one yr.
Don......
- Oct 26, 2004
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Javier:
My understanding is that commercial marine treasure hunting is illegal in Honduras. Any attorney, 'worth his salt', whose practice includes Honduran marine law would be able to corroborate this quickly. If anyone knows if the law has changed, I'd like to know.
Don......
My understanding is that commercial marine treasure hunting is illegal in Honduras. Any attorney, 'worth his salt', whose practice includes Honduran marine law would be able to corroborate this quickly. If anyone knows if the law has changed, I'd like to know.
Don......
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