State Underwater Archaeological Preserveand Florida State Park

The wreck of San Pedro is located in 18 feet of water in Hawk Chan-nel south of Indian Key at coordinates 24˚ 51.802’ N and 80˚ 40.795’W. The wreck is marked with six mooring buoys forming a ringaround the site.

Location

Exploring The

Diving and Snorkeling at San Pedro• Use safe diving procedures and always display a

diver-down flag.• Please do not anchor on the site; use mooring buoys

to prevent damage to the shipwreck and toliving corals.

Please take only photos and leave only bubbles!!San Pedro was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

This publication is produced as a cooperative effort by:Florida Department of State, Jim Smith, Secretary of State;

Division of Historical Resources, Bureau of Archaeological Research;Florida Department of Environmental Protection,

Division of Recreation and Parks;San Pedro Trust

The wreck of San Pedro offers a hint of the romance and danger of sail-ing the Spanish Main in an 18th-century merchant galleon. San Pedro,Dutch-built of 287 tons, was part of a fleet of 22 vessels that left Cubaon Friday the 13th of July, 1733, bound for Spain. Caught by a hurri-cane while in the Straits of Florida, the fleet was wrecked along 80 milesof the Florida Keys. Heavily salvaged by the Spanish, the vessels thenlay forgotten until the 1960s when treasure hunters removed cannonsand anchors.

A Window to the Past...

FLORIDAHERITAGE

As with all archaeological and historical sites on public uplandsand submerged bottomlands, San Pedro is protected by Floridalaws forbidding unauthorized disturbance, excavation, or re-moval of artifacts.

Painting courtesy of Willaim TrotterPainting courtesy of Willaim Trotter

For more information call: (850) 245-6444 • Locally, contact Windley Key Geological State park (305) 664-2540 • WWW address: http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/bar/uap

Located in a white sand pocketsurrounded by turtle grass, thewreck of San Pedro is one of themost picturesque of the 1733 fleetwrecks. One of Florida’s oldestartificial reefs, San Pedro is hometo a variety of marine life,including corals, sponges,invertebrates, and fish, thatinhabit the ballast stones markingher grave. The main ballastmound is 90 feet long and 30 feetwide; flat, red Spanish ladrillobricks, used to create a safeplatform for fire in the ship’sgalley, are visible among thestones. A 1733 anchor wasreplaced on the north end of theballast mound; a sacrificial zincanode is attached to the anchorshank to provide protection fromfurther corrosion of the iron.Replica cement cannons representthose removed from the site longago. Please dive this preservewith care and respect.

Underwater ArchaeologicalPreserve & Florida State Park

Islamorada, Florida

The View from Down Under18th Century Merchant Ship8th Century Merchant Ship8th Century Merchant Ship8th Century Merchant Ship8th Century Merchant ShipDesigned to transport peoples and cargoesacross vast oceans, the ship is a complex andhighly organized expression of thetechnology of the time.

Time of WreckingTime of WreckingTime of WreckingTime of WreckingTime of WreckingThe impact of the wreck damages the ship’sstructure and scatters parts. Winds, waves,and currents further scramble the remains.

One Hundred Years LaterOne Hundred Years LaterOne Hundred Years LaterOne Hundred Years LaterOne Hundred Years LaterDiagram courtesy Indiana University

Nature has taken its toll on the exposed partof the wreck. Shifting sands have coveredmuch of the remains, and coral has begun togrow on the exposed ballast stones.