Dr. Della A Scott-Ireton

During the summer of 2004, the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research Underwater Archaeology team undertook a project to relocate, assess, and record thirteen of the shipwrecks of the 1733 Spanish Plate Fleet in the Florida Keys. One source of background information that they used was a commercially available videotape entitled “Galleon Hunter,” produced by Don Ferguson. Aside from the 1733 wrecksites, the video features another site, locally known as “the Mystery Galleon,” that was shown to Ferguson by local diver Stefan Sykora. Using location numbers supplied in Ferguson’s video, Roger Smith, Della Scott-Ireton, and Dave McCampbell relocated the site in Hawk Channel, off the city of Marathon. Later, the site further was examined by Smith, Jennifer McKinnon, and Jason Raupp, who made initial sketches, still photos, and video recordings.

To propose the establishment of a state Underwater Archaeological Preserve at the submerged site of Vamar, the remains of a steamship sunk off Mexico Beach, Florida, and nominated to become the ninth shipwreck park in Florida. A cooperative effort between state, county, and city officials, as well as local organizations and individuals, is proposed to create a new historical attraction for Northwest Florida.