Definition
The Santa Margarita was a Spanish galleon that sank in a hurricane in the Florida Keys in 1622.
Overview
In September 1622, the Santa Margarita sailed as part of a 28‑ship fleet departing from Cuba for Spain, carrying a large cargo of New World treasure. While traversing the Florida Straits, a rapidly developing hurricane struck the fleet. The Santa Margarita, along with five other vessels, was wrecked near the Marquesas Keys, approximately 40 mi (64 km) west of Key West. The disaster resulted in the loss of 142 crew members and passengers from the Santa Margarita, and the treasure it bore was largely unrecovered at the time.
Etymology/Origin
The ship’s name derives from the Spanish phrase “Santa Margarita,” meaning “Saint Margaret,” a common dedication for Spanish vessels of the era. The name reflects the customary practice of invoking saints for protection during voyages.
Characteristics
- Type & Tonnage: Spanish galleon, about 600 tons.
- Armament: Equipped with twenty‑five cannon.
- Cargo: Carried a substantial shipment of New World wealth, including:
- 166,574 silver “pieces of eight” coins.
- More than 550 silver ingots (≈10,000 lb).
- Over 9,000 oz of gold in bars, discs, and pieces.
- Additional items such as copper, silverware, indigo, personal effects, medical tools, navigational instruments, and contraband intended to evade a 20 % royal tax.
- Loss: The hurricane caused the vessel to break apart, scattering its hull and cargo across deep sand and mud in the Florida Straits.
Salvage History
- Early attempts: Initiated shortly after the wreck by Captain Gaspar de Vargas, with later royal contracts employing diving bells. These efforts achieved limited success and were repeatedly halted by weather and conflict.
- Modern recovery: Research by historian Dr. Eugene Lyon for treasure hunter Mel Fisher led to the discovery of significant wreckage in 1980. The Blue Water Ventures team, collaborating with Fisher’s Treasure Salvors, recovered numerous artifacts, including gold jewelry, gold bars, a gold‑and‑rock‑crystal reliquary, a solid‑gold chalice, and a lead box containing 16,184 natural pearls. To date, recovered treasure is valued at over $16 million.
- Display: Artifacts recovered from the Santa Margarita are exhibited at the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum in Key West, Florida.
Related Topics
- Nuestra Señora de Atocha – sister ship of the Santa Margarita, also part of the 1622 Tierra Firme treasure fleet.
- Tierra Firme Fleet – the 1622 Spanish treasure convoy from the Caribbean to Spain.
- Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum – museum preserving artifacts from the Santa Margarita and other historic shipwrecks.
- Florida Keys shipwrecks – region known for numerous historic maritime losses, including the 1622 hurricane wrecks.
- Maritime archaeology – the discipline that studies shipwrecks such as the Santa Margarita.