In 1987 Dominic Addario, a boat tour operator, received information from a couple of surfers who had reported seeing a half buried cannon near modern day Jupiter Inlet on the east coast of Florida. Flash forward 30 years to where they've recovered masses of silver and gold coins that date between 1652 and 1659. The San Miguel Archangel sank in 1659 after taking a beating from hurricane force winds and 30 foot waves. She was Spain's economic hope and rumored to carry the personal fortune of the Count of Salvatierra when she left Havana.
Addario believes the actual wreckage is buried 45 feet under the ocean's floor. He has faced some challenges, including a Legal Battle with the state of Florida over the wreckage and the site. While courts have named Jupiter Wreck the shipwreck's custodian, they have also granted the state permission to restrict Addario and his team from using any machinery to dig up sand to find the rest of it.
"This has been going on for 24 years," Addario said of the frustrating legal battle. While Addario said the items he has recovered are worth millions of dollars, he adds that finding the ship, or possible ships, below the ocean's surface could reveal a treasure trove of ancient remnants.
