Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker Detail

Description: During the 17th century, Spanish galleons and merchant ships navigated the treacherous waters off the Florida coast. These vessels carried silver and gemstones from the mines of Mexico and Peru. They routinely ran a narrow gauntlet of shallow water, sand bars, coral reefs, and occasional hurricanes off the Jupiter Inlet as they followed the Gulf Stream’s swift north current. The ships that did not survive the passage left a legacy of cannons, anchors, navigational tools, coins, flatware, silver and gold scattered across the ocean floor. Today, this area is nicknamed “The Treasure Coast.” Ships thought to have wrecked off the Jupiter coast during the 1600s include the San Miguel Archangel and the San Francisco y San Antonio. Both ships were avisos, Spanish courier ships weighing 60 tons or less. The avisos were well-armed, but speed was their best defense, which allowed them to outrun larger, better-armed vessels. Avisos were primarily used to transport correspondence to and from the Spanish throne, but were known to carry goods and valuables. Shipwrecks like these are important time capsules of history, which increase our understanding of the people who sailed Florida's waters before us.