The Santa Margarita Project
Welcome
In the year 1622, a treasure galleon carrying the wealth of the “Indies” was destroyed in a violent
storm. All possible means were attempted to locate and reclaim her riches. After some initial
success, salvage was ultimately thwarted by rapidly shifting sands and savage currents. The
fortunes of the 1622 Fleet shipwreck Santa Margarita were abandoned and left to their fate
in the waters of the Florida Straits.
Today, Blue Water Ventures of Key West has launched our fourth consecutive season of search and
recovery of the Santa Margarita shipwreck. We know from archival records that up to 169 silver bars
weighing between 80 and 100 pounds each, up to 80,000 silver treasure coins, and no less than 2,085
ounces of gold from the Santa Margarita still await discovery. And that is just the documented
treasures. The majority of the gold bars, bits, discs and chains found to date (106 pounds in the
summer of 1980, alone) were contraband…
Because the Santa Margarita was battered and broken apart in the storm, its cargo was distributed over an
extensive area and now lies scattered and hidden.
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