The Loss of the 1715 Treasure Fleet

[GordMay]

Today, July 31, marks the anniversary, of the sinking of the Spanish Treasure Fleet [AKA: Plate Fleet], of 1715.

At two in the morning, on Wednesday, July 31, 1715, seven days after departing from Havana, Cuba, all eleven ships of the Spanish Treasure Fleet, were lost in a hurricane, along the east coast [‘Treasure Coast’] of Florida. Around 1,000 sailors perished.

The 1715 Treasure Fleet [AKA: ‘Plate Fleet’] was actually a combination of two Spanish treasure fleets, returning from the New World to Spain, the "Nueva Españo Fleet", under Capt.-General Don Juan Esteban de Ubilla, and the "Tierra Firme Fleet", under Don Antonio de Echeverz y Zubiza.

A 12th ship, the French frigate "Le Grfifon", had sailed with the fleet. Its captain was unfamiliar with the Florida coastline and elected to stay further out to sea. The "Griffon" safely returned to Europe.

[Renegde_Sailor]

And so many tales have been spun in the wake of this event!

[nextis12]

The age of sail, how they survived all those challenges (or not…) is amazing. Columbus survived hurricanes, Cooks journeys are nothing short of miraculous. Of course they did not have to deal with Lagoon bulkheads, so there is that…

[GordMay]

The “1715FleetSociety.com” is the Official Website, dedicated to researching the history of the 1715 Fleet, its loss, rediscovery, and recovery.
The 1715 Fleet Society aims to promote public awareness and scholarly study of all facets of the 1715 Fleet disaster.
“A Concise History of the 1715 Spanish Plate Fleet” ~ by John de Bry (Revised August 2018)
➥ https://1715fleetsociety.com/history/