San Esteban Wreck Site (1554)

Sun shading (lidar)

Adjust simulated sun direction on the lidar hillshade. Azimuth = compass bearing of the light (0° north, 90° east). Altitude = height above the horizon (low = long shadows).

Historical map overlays

USGS scanned historical topographic maps. Enable an overlay and adjust its opacity. Works in 2D and 3D.

Sun azimuth: 315°   Sun altitude: 45°   Z factor: 1   Lidar opacity: 1
center: —   mouse: —   zoom: —

San Esteban Wreck Site (1554)

Lost Treasure TX • Kenedy County County
Description
Offshore Padre Island wreck of the Spanish nao San Esteban (April 29, 1554) — first fully excavated sixteenth-century shipwreck in American waters, with thousands of artifacts recovered and a large share of fleet bullion still unaccounted for.
Historical Notes
The San Esteban was one of three naos lost in a storm after being blown from Cuba across the Gulf; roughly half of the fleet's estimated two million pesos in cargo was salvaged in 1554, the rest scattered on the seafloor. Amateur diver Vida Lee Connor located the wrecks in 1964; Texas Antiquities Committee excavations in 1972–1975 recovered over 12,000 kilograms of encrusted material now curated with NPS and the Corpus Christi Museum. Coordinates mark the approximate offshore site north of Port Mansfield. Submerged — protected under the Texas Antiquities Code; treasure salvage is prohibited.
Status / Verification legend — Legendary or approximate

Take Add Data / Take Notes

Log in or create an account to save private field notes for this location. Your notes are only visible to you.

Forgot password?
or

Enter your email and we'll send you a link to reset your password.

Back to log in
or