In the early modern period, Hispanic navigation broadened the world’s maritime horizon. America, Europe and Asia were connected by sea routes that took advantage of coastal geographical features and wind and ocean dynamics to link ports and cultures.
Main ports
Port #15 / 15
This port played a crucial role during the three centuries of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, as this was the point of departure for ships bound for Spain loaded with gold, treasures and goods in the so-called Carrera de Indias (the West Indies trade route); which is why it was attacked on several occasions by pirates and corsairs.
Scattered around the coasts of the United States of America and the Bahamas are thousands of Spanish shipwrecks that once sailed their waters from the beginning of the 16th century to the end of the 19th century. A shared history comprising tales of exploration, colonization, globalization and battles which take place in seas and oceans, facing natural hazards and extreme weather conditions.
10 notable shipwrecks
Story #4 / 10
Few shipwrecks occurred in the North American Pacific due to low maritime traffic. One notable wreck is the San Agustín, a galleon that sank off the coast of California in 1595. The survivors made contact with the Miwok people, built a boat and sailed south for 40 days before reaching Chacala. Remains of Chinese porcelain, iron nails and ceramics from the San Agustín have been found in Miwok villages.
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Statistics, anecdotes, specialized vocabulary and a bibliography to help those who want to deepen their knowledge of the historical period in which the shipwrecks reported on this website occurred.
| Known cause | Ships | Percentage |
|---|
| A collision with shoals, cays and reefs | 2 of 103 | 1.94% |
| A hurricane | 71 of 103 | 68.93% |
| A storm | 30 of 103 | 29.13% |
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