After the Festival, the <em>Polly L</em> will sail out to the salvage site and start the diving season in pursuit of the missing ship, <em>San Miguel</em>.
On the Thursday before the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, the Polly L, a ship owned by Amelia Research and Recovery, will hold a Ribbon Cutting with the Amelia Island – Fernandina Beach – Yulee Chamber of Commerce at noon, April 30, 2015. The Polly L was designed for coastal shipwreck salvage.
This ribbon cutting is the commemoration the 300th anniversary of the 1715 Spanish Plate Fleet sinking and in particular the San Miguel.
In 1715, a Spanish fleet of ships filled with treasures, was returning to Spain from the New World. The fleet never made it and were lost in a hurricane off of the Florida coast. This loss was a blow to Spain as the great quantities of treasure, including gold and silver, were being transported home to cover the costs of war.
When Spanish coins and artifacts were discovered on Amelia Island’s beaches, believed to belong to the 180 ton San Miguel, it is no wonder modern salvage companies like Amelia Research and Recovery are interested in the waters off Amelia Island.
According to their website, www.ameliaresearchandrecovery.com, the Polly L will be available during the Shrimp Festival for public tours on May 2nd and May 3rd. After the Festival, the Polly L will sail out to the salvage site and start the diving season in pursuit of the missing ship, San Miguel.
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