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1559 Shipwreck Found Off Pensacola, Fla.
Breitbart ^ | October 11, 2007 | AP

Posted on 10/11/2007 4:42:56 PM PDT by RDTF

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) - In 1559, a hurricane plunged as many as seven Spanish sailing vessels to the bottom of Pensacola Bay, hampering explorer Don Tristan de Luna's attempt to colonize this section of the Florida Panhandle.

Almost 500 years later and 15 years after the first ship was found, another has been discovered, helping archaeologists unlock secrets to Florida's Spanish past. The colony at the site of present-day Pensacola was abandoned in 1561, and no trace of it has been found on land.

Teams of University of West Florida archaeology students last summer discovered what they thought was the shipwreck, picking up pieces of artifacts from the site. A 32-by-24-foot barge now covers the site to give divers access.

Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning joined divers Thursday for a close look at the shipwreck, partially buried in sand about 12 feet below the water surface. It was "incredible" to touch something that has been submerged for centuries, Browning said.

"It was in good condition. As far as pieces of pottery, you could feel the bowls," he said.

The discovery is "another piece of the puzzle" of Florida's Spanish ancestry, Browning said, adding that he does not expect the ship to be removed from the water.

About 650 artifacts, mostly pieces of pottery and wood, were on display Thursday for about 100 people, among them members of the public, who gathered on land about a half mile from the shipwreck.

"It's an amazing site," said Gregory D. Cook, a University of West Florida nautical archaeologist.

Test excavations suggest about 60 to 66 feet of preserved hull from a small to medium-size vessel, he said.

The ship would likely have been built a few years before 1559, said Dr. Roger C. Smith, the state's underwater archaeologist.

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: finderskeepers; florida; godsgravesglyphs; gold; history; melfisher; shipwreck; spain
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1 posted on 10/11/2007 4:43:00 PM PDT by RDTF
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To: SunkenCiv

This looks cool.


2 posted on 10/11/2007 4:47:14 PM PDT by dynachrome (Immigration without assimilation means the death of this nation~Captainpaintball)
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To: RDTF
In 1559, a hurricane plunged as many as...

Bush's fault. ;)

3 posted on 10/11/2007 4:48:03 PM PDT by AF_Blue (Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus)
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To: RDTF

1599 - The year Frank Lautenberg was born.


4 posted on 10/11/2007 4:48:54 PM PDT by stratboy
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To: paddles

for your next visit to Pensacola


5 posted on 10/11/2007 4:50:47 PM PDT by RDTF (Proud member of the lunatic fringe)
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To: stratboy

No, the year Lautencadever died and arose from the dead.


6 posted on 10/11/2007 4:50:58 PM PDT by Renegade
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To: AF_Blue

Dang. The Rove Weather Machine is also a Time Machine. He really IS marvelous.


7 posted on 10/11/2007 4:51:49 PM PDT by myprecious
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To: myprecious
Here is the proof that you are looking for. Bush did indeed order the hurricane.
8 posted on 10/11/2007 4:55:21 PM PDT by stratboy
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To: RDTF
But they missed this wreck:

No telling how many ships ran aground trying to escape this.

Ya' know, a whole new series of horror movies could be designed around her as the central "Jason" character.


9 posted on 10/11/2007 5:02:31 PM PDT by capt. norm (Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for.)
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To: RDTF
Claimed by La Raza as further proof of Florida being part of the old Hispanic nation

< / sarc >

10 posted on 10/11/2007 5:06:24 PM PDT by Popman
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To: RDTF

“Teams of University of West Florida archaeology students last summer
discovered what they thought was the shipwreck,
picking up pieces of artifacts
from the site. “

If any students pocketed a few gold and silver coins...and plopped
a couple of pieces of broken plates onto the deck of their research vessel...
I salute their hutzpah!

In Memoriam of Mel Fisher BUMP!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Fisher


11 posted on 10/11/2007 5:07:02 PM PDT by VOA
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To: RDTF

bfl


12 posted on 10/11/2007 5:07:20 PM PDT by shield (A wise man's heart is at his RIGHT hand;but a fool's heart at his LEFT. Ecc 10:2)
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To: catpuppy

ping


13 posted on 10/11/2007 5:07:23 PM PDT by null and void (Lib-uh-rulz can't foresee even the clearest consequences to their actions...)
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To: RDTF

That’s good because most of the wrecks I see in Pensacola these days are gals I used to date....


14 posted on 10/11/2007 5:11:31 PM PDT by paddles
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To: dynachrome
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket can i go with?
15 posted on 10/11/2007 5:12:26 PM PDT by hercuroc
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To: hercuroc

I’d like to go diving for Miss Alba’s buried treasure.


16 posted on 10/11/2007 5:14:29 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~~~Jihad Fever -- Catch It !~~~ (Backup tag: "Live Fred or Die"))
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To: paddles

Ha! Hopefully you’ve upgraded your standards!


17 posted on 10/11/2007 5:20:29 PM PDT by RDTF (Proud member of the lunatic fringe)
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To: RDTF

Upgraded my standards? You’re kidding, right? I’m a fighter pilot....


18 posted on 10/11/2007 5:38:44 PM PDT by paddles
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To: Popman
"Claimed by La Raza as further proof of Florida being part of the old Hispanic nation"

Thus insulting Spanish people by calling them Hispanic? They huff and raise snobby noses about South America over there in their own way. SA and Europe (Spain) are different civilizations. Check it out! My German relatives did and decided to live and work there, long before the EU.

19 posted on 10/11/2007 5:39:45 PM PDT by BobS (I><P>)
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To: paddles
SmileyCentral.com
20 posted on 10/11/2007 5:46:30 PM PDT by RDTF (Proud member of the lunatic fringe)
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