SPANISH TREASURE!
Sometime in late 1660, it is believed the ill-fated San Miguel Archangel wrecked while carrying a Kings share of Treasure. It is believed to have been on board examples of new coinage being minted at Lima. Some of these rare coins have been recovered by Project Jupiter.
SHIPWRECK!
On October 20, 1872, just south of Jupiter Inlet, the steamer Victor was wrecked.in a storm. Carrying $150,000 of cargo, seven canoe loads of Seminoles rushed to claim a share of the cargo that was strewn along the beach. The lighhouse families found several prize dogs washed ashore. They were named, Vic, Storm and Wreck.
WARNING! U-BOATS
During WWII, U-Boats hunted vunerable ships, especially tankers, that rounded the Florida Cape. Such a boat was the U-504 which sunk the tanker, SS Republic off Jupiter Inlet in 1942. This U-Boat met its own fate off the coast of Spain a year later when it was sunk by British sloops. All hands were lost.
For more information on this boat click here
TORPEDOED!
On May 13, 1942 the Potero del Llano and its cargo of 35,000 barrels of diesal fuel oil, were torpedoed. The picture is to your left. Many tankers and frieghters were sunk off the coast near Jupiter, the worst year being 1942. The tide turned when the ships started to travel in convoys with armed naval escorts.
SLAMMED IN 49!
Although there were equaly powerful hurricanes in 1928 and 1933, it is the hurricane of 1949 that most folks remember. The wind of 167mph had such force that the leaves of trees were pulverized against the walls of buildings. The result was a green slime over everything. One person who missed the whole event was the 7 year old Skip Gladwin, in the DuBois house. He slept through it all.
Then came the hurricanes of 2004!