Here’s your harrowing tale of history for the day, mixed with a healthy bit of pirate lore and booty.
Picture 11 Spanish galleons waving their sails after setting off from Havana Harbor in 1715. Following the Gulf Stream along Florida’s Straits, they set their sights on the Atlantic to the motherland.
Now imagine those ships crashing into the sandy beaches you stroll along on your favorite Florida vacation.
The epicenter of what’s considered Florida’s Treasure Coast is the little stretch a few miles north, and south, of the Sebastian Inlet is your mecca for mining – you even get to keep what you find. (Keep in mind, this is for the beaches only – no dunes, no water, no state parks.)
Millions of dollars in silver coins, priceless necklaces, artifacts and relics from the flotilla lay at your feet. Here’s a few tips for the adventurous who want to search out the Spanish goods:
- You can use your eyeballs for searching, but some metal detectors cost as little as $100.
- Grid an area and work it with one step per sweep of the detector (actual or eyes).
- Check out the high tide line where the softest sand is.
- Scour the beach after a big storm, the waves stir up the sediment.
- Be on the look out for areas with more shells than others.
No need to stalk the Spaniards for their gilded monies and treasure – you’ll be able to find plenty of the shiny stuff here at home. Search out your own Spanish flair in the form of a necklace, a couple coins or more but be careful, once you start.. gold digging will get a “hook” into you.
A few locations known to turn up some shiny stuff are:
- Melbourne Beach
- Vero Beach
- Aquarina Beach
- Pepper Park Beach
- Wabasso Beach
