Shipwrecks of the Florida Keys - April 6th

Today in 1865, the brig Atlantic wrecked on East Key in the Dry Tortugas. The brig was carrying coal and the materials of the ship Conqueror. The vessel was lost, but wreckers were rewarded $850.

Shipwrecks of the Florida Keys - April 5th

Today in 1854 the schooner Pauline wrecked on Pickles Reef with sugar and molasses aboard. Though it was a total loss, the crew was saved.

Shipwrecks of the Florida Keys - April 4th

Today in 1877 the American brigantine Memphis ran ashore on Parkland Shoal near Alligator Light with a cargo of sugar aboard. The brigantine was gotten off of the shoal the next day.

Shipwrecks of the Florida Keys - April 3rd

Today in 1837, a schooner was found capsized in the Gulf Stream near Cape Florida. Though the vessel was lost, the wreckers were awarded $1,705. Four years later, in 1841, the ship Manchester was lost on the Florida Reef. For their efforts, the wreckers were awarded $575. Nearly one-hundred years after that, in 1945, the submarine S-16 was sunk as a target off of Key West.

Europeans Find Florida!

Today is the 499th anniversary of the day Ponce de Leon discovered Florida. He would later go on to discover the Florida Keys, naming them "Los Martires" - The Martyrs. After stopping in Key West and naming it "Cayo Hueso" - or Bone Island - because of all of the bones that littered the island, Ponce de Leon would finish exploring the Florida Keys by placing the Dry Tortugas on the map as "Los Tortugas" - The Turtles - because of all the turtles that were to be caught there.

Shipwrecks of the Florida Keys - April 2nd

One of the earlier shipwrecks to have happened on this date was in 1632. The Almiranta de Honduras and a frigate wrecked near Miami. The frigate had a cargo of cocoa and the ships were on their way from Havana to Spain. Exactly two-hundred years later, in 1832, the schooner William & Frederick was on its way to Key West from Apalachicola when it was lost at Sanibel Key. Three years prior to that, in 1829, the Spanish brig Correrro was bound for Spain when it wrecked on Carysfort Reef. The crew and treasure were saved. More recently, just 99 years ago in 1913, the four-masted schooner Clifford N. Carver was stranded on Tennessee Reef.

Shipwrecks of the Florida Keys - April 1st

Today in 1921 the four-masted schooner Lewis H. Goward burned near Key West.