Over 300-year-old cannon found north of Fort Pierce
Ft Pierce, Fl-A cannon was brought to the surface yesterday, part of the 1715 Spanish Fleet that sunk off our coast. The cannon was found in 20 feet of water just north of Fort Pierce.
It’s been 303 years since this 1715 cannon last saw oxygen and more than 30 years since a cannon from the Spanish Plate Fleet was found off our coast. Discovered in just 20 foot of water the cannon sat at Sandy Point Wreck. It was finally brought to the surface earlier this morning. Captain John Brandon of 1715 Fleets-Queen Jewels and Captain Dan Porter of Maritime Research and Recovery worked effortlessly to bring the cannon up safely and securely and are credited with the discovery.
A Brief History of the Sandy Point 1715 Fleet Wreck Site:
On July 24, 1715 the combined Spanish Plate Fleet from South America and Mexico consisting of at least 11 vessels left Havana, Cuba bound for Spain. Heavily laden with gold, silver, jewels and commercial cargos, at least 10 ships of the fleet were lost along the middle East Coast of Florida when caught in a fierce hurricane on the night of July 30th and the pre-dawn hours of July 31st. One of these ships came to rest just to the north of present day Ft. Pierce, Florida at a place now known locally as Sandy Point.
