Bill's Aviation Log

In 1715, one of the Spanish treasure ship convoys ran into a hurricane and 11 ships sank off the Florida east coast between Sebastian Inlet and Ft. Pierce. The Spanish were able to salvage some of it but much remained. Mel Fisher and company discovered $5 million worth of gold and silver treasure, at a spot just south of the Ft. Pierce inlet. For various reasons, in 1968 Fisher moved his operation to the Florida Keys where he later found the Atocha treasure ship but others continued to search the Treasure Coast where gold and silver is still being found to this day.

March 27, 2023 - McLarty Treasure Museum
Today we checked out the McLarty Treasure Museum, right off Highway A1A. It turned out to be a fascinating museum about a real-life treasure right off the Florida coast. This is not to be confused with the nearby Mel Fisher Treasure Museum which we visited last year and also enjoyed.

The McLarty Museum is on the actual site where the 1715 Treasure Fleet survivors made camp.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Spanish ran a global supply chain, ferrying treasure from the New World to the Orient and back to Spain.

In 1715, one of the Spanish treasure ship convoys ran into a hurricane and 11 ships sank off the Florida east coast between Sebastian Inlet and Ft. Pierce. The Spanish were able to salvage some of it but much remained. Mel Fisher and company discovered $5 million worth of gold and silver treasure, at a spot just south of the Ft. Pierce inlet. For various reasons, in 1968 Fisher moved his operation to the Florida Keys where he later found the Atocha treasure ship but others continued to search the Treasure Coast where gold and silver is still being found to this day. We started our visit to the museum by watching their video on the history of the shipwrecks.

A diorama of the 1715 fleet survivors.

One of the actual Spanish cannons from the 1715 Fleet, discovered and salvaged off the Treasure Coast.

Spanish weapons in 1715.

Silver coins!

Even better: gold coins!

After touring the museum, you walk out the back along a boardwalk to this beach overlook.

Looking south down the beach.

That dark shadow is the reef. Probably lots of gold and silver still out there!

Looking north.



The museum docent at right used to work for the FAA; in a Flight Service Station at Houghton, Maine. At first, it didn't register, but then I remembered and told him, I know Houghton. I flew over last fall on my Maine foliage flight. The Flight Service Stations are all gone, now of course, except for 15 in Alaska and two in Texas.



The boardwalk disappears into Florida coast jungle.


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March 27, 2023 - McLarty Treasure Museum