El Infante

Map | Google Earth | More Nearby

Fast Facts:

Avg Rating:

Avg Depth: 20 ft. / 6m

Max Depth: 25 ft. / 8m

Skill Level: Novice

Features:

• Wreck Site

Located 75 yards southeast of Little Conch Reef, this wreck is a large pile of ballast stones. This ship belonged to the Silver Plate Fleet in 1733 which was lost in a hurricane and is roughly one mile away from the San Jose wreck. The crew of this ship was lucky enough to make it to shore and survive.

Originally called Nuestra Senora de Balvaneda, the 60 gun galleon El Infante left Havana, Cuba headed for Europe carrying treasure. Although there are fewer remains of El Infante than of the San Jose, this dive is known for a series of unique silver coins which have special edge markers. These are called pillar dollars and were thought to be the first of this type of coin
minted in the New World. Hundreds of these coins have been recovered at this site. Today, some artifacts still arise from the wreck but the majority of remaining coins can be found away from the main site in the scatter left behind. The wooden beams left behind are the main visible structure remaining.