National Maritime Day

On May 22 in 1819 the American steamship Savannah set sail from Savannah, Georgia on the first ever transoceanic voyage under steam power. In honor of this world changing event, May 22nd has been declared National Maritime Day.

To celebrate National Maritime Day the National Register is highlighting a maritime archeological property from the Florida Shipwrecks Online Travel Itinerary

Urca De Lima Shipwreck

Painting of Urca De Lima Photo courtesy of William L. Trotter and the Underwater Archaeological Preserves, Florida Division of Historical Resources

The Urca De Lima is a wooden-hulled sailing ship that was part of a Spanish plate flota (fleet) sunk by a hurricane off the east coast of Florida in 1715. A flat-bottomed and round-bellied ship, the vessel was ideal for transporting goods across the Atlantic because of its large cargo capacity. The 11 vessels of the merchant convoy were traveling from Havana, Cuba, to Spain loaded with products from Mexico and Manila, including vanilla, chocolate and incense. While there was no royal treasure on the boat, the Urca De Lima did contain private chests of silver. After it was grounded by the storm, the Urca De Lima was one of the first vessels to be salvaged by the Spanish, who subsequently burned the hull down to the waterline to hide its location from English freebooters.

Diver inspecting Urca De Lima Photo courtesy of the the Florida Maritime Heritage Trail, Florida Division of Historical Resources

The Urca De Lima was rediscovered in 1928. For the next half century the wreck was heavily salvaged. In the 1980s, the state of Florida stopped issuing salvage permits on the Urca De Lima and opened the wreck to the public as the state's first Underwater Archaeological Preserve. To recreate a visual sense of the original state of the wreck, five cement replicas of cannons and an anchor were positioned around the sunken ship. All that remains of the ship is the 100-foot by 50-foot ballast mound which covers the hull timbers. Bottom sediments constantly cover and uncover the vessel as a result of wave action, storms and currents. The remains of the Urca De Lima are especially significant because the ship is extremely well preserved and it is the only surviving wreck from that 1715 flota. The Urca De Lima is in good condition and has stabilized, reaching a state of equilibrium with its environment.

The Urca De Lima is located 200 yards offshore in 10-15 ft. of water about 1,000 yards north of Pepper Beach Park near Fort Pierce with its axis pointing from the northeast to the southwest. A mooring buoy placed at the site should be used in lieu of anchoring to protect the shipwreck from anchor damage. The shipwreck is located within a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve, and a laminated underwater guide is available from local dive shops. The preserve is open to the public year round, free of charge.

Learn More about National Maritime Day and Archeology:

Florida's Shipwrecks: 300 Years of Maritime History Travel Itinerary

National Park Service Archeology Program

Archaeological Institute of America: and their report on the Legend of Crystal Skulls

National Marine Sanctuaries Maritime Heritage (part of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

U.S. Department of Transportation - Maritime Administration

Society for Historical Archaeology

Society for American Archaeology