The History Of Florida Shipwrecks

By Janette Livingston


Florida shipwrecks have been accumulating for many centuries. Some of the vessels were on trading missions when they became victims of natural disasters, such as hurricanes. Treasure-hunters from Spain also lost many vessels in the area. During World War II, heavy attacks from German submarines in the region left a lot of maritime wreckage.

Many yachts and tankers have been lost in the waters along the southeastern United States. The Sunshine State has about 1,200 miles of coastline. It has about 5,000 sunken vessels in the waters. With about 4,500 islands, the archipelago of the Keys stretches for about 200 miles. Nearly 1,000 sunken vessels rest along these islands. The predominance of wreckage has led to many islands gaining their names from events off their shores. Fowey Rocks was named in recognition of the British warship, the H. M. S. Fowey, which crashed in 1748. Alligator Reef is the site of the 1822 demise of the schooner, the U. S. S. Alligator.

The United Nations estimates there are more than three million vessels littering the ocean floor. Experts say they are valuable because they can preserve historical information. Maritime archaeologists can study the remnants to gain insights into ancient cultural elements, including seafaring, treasure hunting and military campaigns.

The state of preservation is affected by several components. Water depth, salinity, animal presence, acidity, temperature, tides and exposure affect deterioration rates. In addition, materials used during construction, and whether the vessels are buried by sand affect decay rates.

Wooden components that are exposed to the elements decay quickly. After a century, the only wooden structures that remain underwater are those that were buried by sand or silt soon after sinking. An example of this is the Mary Rose, one of King Henry VIII's warships. It sank in 1545 in the straights to the north of Isle of Wight. The wreckage was discovered in 1971, and salvaged in 1982. It has preserved many artifacts from Tudor times.

In general, vessels decay more quickly in seawater. The salinity causes the corrosion of iron-based materials. Exposed wooden elements are quickly attacked by shipworms and other wood-boring sea creatures. They can completely destroy the entire hulls of sunken sea-craft.

Vessels on the seabed are vulnerable to disintegration from tidal and weather-driven wave actions. Vessels that sink in deeper waters are a bit more protected from these destructive wave actions.

Florida shipwrecks have an interesting history. The numerous vessels sunken in these waters provide valuable insights into maritime history. They are also interesting recreational sites, as they house a wide, unique diversity of marine life. Read more about: florida shipwrecks




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