A Rewarding Treasure Coast Season for MRR

As the 1715 season nears the end, the Sea Reaper and Seatrepid crews have been focusing effort on the Corrigan’s and Douglas Beach wreck sites while working under contract with 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, LLC.

On the Corrigan’s site, the team’s primary objectives were to develop new areas of the site, as well as conduct precision excavation work around areas of past recoveries. MRR has the ability, with on-site plotting technology and data, to pinpoint excavation locations of highest probability.

Josh Fisher-Abt recovers one of four gold coins found by MRR on the Douglas Beach site this year.

During the season, MRR divers have recovered a variety of artifacts from both sites, including dozens of pieces of ceramic pottery and musket balls, two cannon balls, thirteen silver coins, one delicate piece of K’ang Hsi export porcelain, four gold coins and one beautiful gold ring. The ring was recovered from the Corrigan's site during the last week of workable weather and one of the gold coins was recovered from the Douglas Beach site on the last day of excavation. Both of these areas give the MRR team a strong starting point for next season.

MRR member and team diver Jimmy Parker helps Josh Fisher-Abt recover a gold ring.

MRR member John Davis recovers the top of a Spanish Olive Jar from the Corrigan's site.

Another highlight from the 1715 season was MRR's participation in the project to raise an iron cannon from the 1715 Fleet that will be conserved and donated to the City for Ft. Pierce for public exhibition. As a native of Ft. Pierce and a dedicated professional in the preservation of the Treasure Coast's cultural heritage, Capt. Dan Porter is especially proud to have contributed to this project.

Focus Magazine features cannon project as their September 2018 cover story.

MRR would like to thank John Brandon for his continuing support and direction, and 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, LLC, for the opportunity to bring our vessels to the Treasure Coast in an attempt to help locate missing sections of these fabulous wreck sites.

In the approaching weeks, the Sea Reaper will make its return voyage to Key West and continue its search for the missing section of the Santa Margarita under contract with Motivation, Inc.

The Sea Hunter has moved north to conduct surveys in an area with multiple shipwreck sites.

Stay tuned for news from the Seatrepid and Sea Hunter as they make a move north to an undisclosed area to conduct recovery and survey operations on numerous shipwreck sites. The Sea Reaper completed test excavations in this particular area in 2015 with very rewarding results.