Nuestra Señora de Atocha

The 1500's were a century of rapid growth for Spain. The conquests of Pizarro and Cortes increased Spain's claim to lands throughout Central, South, and North America. Three major Indian nations inhabited most of these areas, the Incas of Peru, the Mayas of Central America, and the Aztecs of Mexico. Sadly, as the Spanish population flourished, the great Indian cultures diminished due to war and the effects of European diseases.

Peru was once the New World's richest sources of silver and gold. The town of Cuzco, the ceremonial center of the entire Inca nation, was extremely rich in gold. Potosi, located at over 4,000 feet above sea level in the snow-c apped Andes Mountains, became Spain's main source of silver and one of the Spanish Empire's largest mints. Here, hundreds of thousands of silver c oins (pieces of eight) were produced each year for the King. The city of Lima served as Peru's main port for treasures being shipped north to Panama, and eventually onto Havana, Cuba. Havana was the largest collection center for treasure in the New World and was the homeport of vast fleets of galleons whose primary function was to safely transport this treasure back to Spain.

The 16 th Century represented Spain's apex as a world power as all of this New World treasure found its way back to the King's treasury. In fact, Spanish trade routes had been established as Far West as the Philippines to tap the vast treasures of the Orient! Spain's envied position, as the richest nation on earth, however, would soon change.

By 1620, the Puritans made landfall in New England on the Mayflower. Spain had entered into the Thirty Years War and was in desperate need of treasure to finance her war efforts. The gold and silver that had made Spain so powerful were diminishing due to the pirating efforts of the Dutch and the English. The year 1621 marked the end of King Philip III reign and the beginning of Philip IV. This would be the year that the powerful Spanish Empire would begin to decline.

In March of 1622, Spain assembled the famed Tierra Firme Fleet to make a transport of New World treasure desperately needed by an Empire already low in treasure reserves. The fleet's first landfall was at the island of Dominica, then onto Maracibo and Santa Marta. Treasures were loaded on board, and the fleet proceeded to Cartagena, Portobelo and finally onto Havana. While in Havana, precious cargo was consolidated and prepared for the Trans-Atlantic voyage back to Spain.

On September 4, 1622, the day began with a beautiful sunrise, clear blue skies, and flat calm seas. The Tierra Firma Fleet, now 28 galleons strong and loaded heavily with treasure, set sail for Spain from the port of Havana. The most heavily laden ship of all, the Nuestra Senora de Atocha took the position of Almiranta guarding the rear of the fleet. The fleet was already six weeks behind schedule and had embarked upon a journey during the height of the hurricane season.

Seventeenth-century seamen believed that the movements of the planets greatly influenced the weather. It was believed that storms that prevailed at the time of the new moon (when the earth, sun, and moon are in conjunction), would be especially severe and enduring. The day of this particular new moon was in fact September 5 th . By the second day of the Tierra Firme Fleet's voyage, the storm had begun and would become a hurricane of devastating power.

For two days the fleet was caught in this raging hurricane. Most of the ships were forced into the Gulf of Mexico, but eight ships, including the Santa Margarita and the Nuestra Senora de Atocha , the most heavily laden treasure galleon of all, were driven onto the treacherous reefs of the Florida Keys. Only 68 of the 211 persons aboard the Margarita survived. As for those on the Atocha , which sank three miles from the Margarita , they fared less well. Only five of the 265 passengers & crew survived.

The great galleon Atocha met her end in only 55 feet of water, scattering her vast wealth of silver, gold and jewels on the sea bottom where it was to lie hidden for more than 360 years.

Many searched, but the watery grave of the Atocha remained a mystery. Only Mel Fisher and his "Golden Crew" after 17 years of searching, and great personal hardships, moved the sands and found the ocean bottom gleaming with treasure.