Podcast – Ill Fated Treasure Ship Nuestra Señora de Atocha Departs

September 04, 1622 – Ill Fated Treasure Ship Nuestra Señora de Atocha Departs Havanna
Greetings, today I will relate the tale of the Spanish treasure ship Nuestra Senora De Atocha.

From the Book:
Colonial American History Stories – 1215 – 1664

Transcript:

Greetings, today I will relate the tale of the Spanish treasure ship Nuestra Senora De Atocha.

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By the early Seventeenth Century, Spanish settlement delved deep into the Caribbean, Mexico and South America. The Bolivian city of Potosi, Mexico City and Lima, Peru all had larger populations than any city in the parent nation, Spain. The colonists grew coffee, sugar, tobacco and other agricultural products for export to Europe. The silver and gold mines of the regions also supplied a vast quantity of wealth for Spain. The ship Nuestra Señora de Atocha carried a large quantity of this treasure in its holds when a hurricane sank it off the coast of Florida.
Well Established Pattern
By 1622, a pattern had developed to bring the riches of the New World back to the Old World. Spain sent two supply fleets a year to their New World colonies. During the early part of the year, these fleets left Cadiz, Spain. They followed the approximate route Columbus had established during his explorations. These fleets split up upon their arrival, some going to Vera Cruz, Mexico. The other half sailed to Portobello, Panama. Upon arrival, workers unloaded the much-needed supplies and then loaded the rich products of the New World. The fleets, heavily laden with treasure, met at Havana. From Havana, they caught the Gulf Stream along the Florida coast. They sailed northeast until they reached Spain’s latitude. At that latitude, they turned east for the return trip to Spain. They traveled in fleets as protection against pirates and privateers. The other threat to Spanish shipping was the weather. Powerful hurricanes brewed by the warm Gulf of Mexico waters sent many Spanish galleons to the bottom of the sea.
Nuestra Señora de Atocha
Built in 1620 in Havana, the Atocha was 112 feet long with a beam of thirty-four feet. She drew fourteen feet of water and bore a rating of 550 tons. She had the high stern castle, low waist and high forecastle of a typical early 17th century Spanish galleon. Heavily armed, she would have sailed as the Almirante, or rear guard of the fleet. This was her second voyage to Spain. On this return voyage her registered cargo included twenty four tons of silver bullion in 1038 ingots, 180,00 pesos of silver coins, 582 copper ingots, 125 gold bars and discs, 350 chests of indigo, 525 bales of tobacco, 20 bronze cannon and 1,200 pounds of worked silverware. In addition to this, there was unregistered cargo, hidden aboard to avoid taxation.
Laden With Treasure
The fleet that contained the Atocha departed Cadiz, Spain on March 23, 1622. It arrived in the Panamanian city of Portobello on May 24. Mule trains that originated in Lima, Peru and Potosi brought the treasures to Panama City. Thence it went to Portobello for loading. The vast treasure took almost two months to record and load. Along with the recorded treasure, much unrecorded also went on board. Thus heavily laden, the Atocha departed Portobello on July 22. The Tierra Firme Fleet from Vera Cruz, Mexico that accompanied it arrived in Havana in August. The fleets rendezvoused for the return voyage. The hurricane season was well under way by then. The wealth contained in the holds of the treasure ships was vast. It included silver from Peru and Mexico, gold and emeralds from Colombia, and pearls from Venezuela. The combined fleet contained twenty-eight ships. The Atocha rode low in the water from the weight of the treasure in its holds. The fleet sailed single file, with the heavily armed Atocha bringing up the rear. It departed Havana on September 4, 1622.
Hurricane
On September 5, the hurricane struck as the fleet entered the Keys just off the Florida coast. The powerful winds drove the Atocho onto the coral reefs, piercing the wooden hull. The heavily laden ship sank in about fifty-five feet of water. Seven other ships of the fleet followed the Atocha to the bottom of the Caribbean. 265 of the 270 passengers and crew drowned, five survived by clinging to a mizzenmast, the only part to remain afloat. The ship was in shallow water, crewmen on rescuing ships could see the masts from the surface. However, the depth was too great for any divers of that day to retrieve. Several divers did try to open the hatches, but they were secured. Salvage operations were successful at one of the other ships in the fleet, however the Atocha was inaccessible. Navigators marked her location on charts and returned to Spain.
Salvage Operation
Another hurricane blew into the area, scattering the wreckage. The ship became lost for many decades. Many of the other ships were located by the Spanish and, using divers, managed to salvage much of the lost treasure. Diving technology at this time consisted of a brass diving bell that crew lowered into deep water. A slave occupied the bell. While under the water, the slave undertook whatever salvage operations he could manage. The owners recorded the slaves that died as a business expense.
Located and Salvaged
The ship was eventually located. With modern salvage equipment, treasure hunter Mel Fisher recovered much of the cargo in 1985.

The episode is based upon my book, Colonial American History Stories – 1215 – 1664, available on the web site, http://www.mossyfeetbooks.com. The book is the first book in the 6 volume Timeline of United States History Series . Discover some of the famous and almost forgotten historic stories of America. The story begins with the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215 and the beginnings of the concept of limited government and ends, for now, with the beginning of the American Revolution in 1775. The articles in the book have much more detail as well as articles not included in this podcast series.