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Point Reyes National Seashore
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Spains Manila trade was a major artery of east-west commerce between Asia and Europe for nearly 250 years. This trade, carried out largely in specially constructed vessels known as Manila Galleons, brought Chinese trade goods from the Philippine port of Manila across the Pacific to Acapulco via North Americas West Coast. From there the valuable cargos were shipped across Mexico to Veracruz and on to Spain. The galleons return trip from Acapulco to Manila carried silver and gold from Central and South American mines used to purchase Chinese luxury items. The primary route across the Pacific was discovered in 1565 and the first cargo left Manila bound for Acapulco in 1573.
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| Sebastian Rodriguez Cermeño and a crew of more than 70 men left the Philippines on July 5, 1595 aboard the Manila Galleon San Agustín. In addition to carrying a valuable cargo of Chinese trade goods, including a large quantity of porcelain, the Viceroy of New Spain, don Luis de Velasco, gave Cermeño special instructions to explore and map the coast of Northern California for new harbors and ports. It was during this exploration that Cermeño discovered Point Reyes and a bay that he named Bahia de San Francisco, which was later renamed Drakes Bay, now part of Point Reyes National Seashore.
The San Agustín was wrecked while anchored in Drakes Bay in November 1595, becoming the first recorded shipwreck on North Americas West Coast. Cermeño and his men constructed a small launch in which they completed the voyage to Acapulco, and from there overland to Mexico City, but San Agustín and its cargo was a complete loss. |
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San Agustíns wreck site will be a significant archeological resource when found. The vessel is the only documented Manila Galleon wreck in the continental United States, and one of only a handful that have been discovered worldwide. Most Manila Galleon sites have been subject to commercial salvage, and important archeological information lost. Little is historically documented about Manila Galleon construction and cargos, and this shipwreck site has the potential to offer significant historical and archeological information. Associated sites on land are yielding important data on American Indian (Miwok)-European interaction.
The SRC conducted remote sensing surveys in 1982-1983 and 1997-1998 in Drakes Bay. During the most recent survey, dozens of likely magnetic anomalies were recorded and several ground-truthed in test excavations conducted through the bottom of a shark cage (Point Reyes is a Great White Shark breeding ground). A major follow-up series of test excavations is presently being planned for the year 2004.
In addition to San Agustin, there are 72 other maritime casualties recorded during the period 1840 to 1940, resulting in at least 30 shipwrecks in the area, with 15 in Drakes Bay or on the Point Reyes headlands. Six of these were documented by SRC in 1983.
- September-November 1998 GIS-based remote sensing survey. Larry Murphy, Principal Investigator; Matthew Russell, Project Director.
- October 1997 GIS-based remote sensing survey of potions of Drakes Bay, including magnetometry, bottom classification, sub-bottom profiling and side scan sonar with limited anomaly investigation. Daniel Lenihan, Project Director.
- August 1983 Preliminary Phase II Field Operations, Drakes Bay, to record shipwreck sites. Toni Carrell, Project Director.
- September-October 1982 Remote sensing survey of Drakes Bay. Remote sensing (side scan sonar, sub-bottom profiler, and magnetometer), electronic position and site evaluation. Daniel Lenihan, Project Director.
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References:
- Delgado, James P. and Stephen A. Haller, 1989, Submerged Cultural Resources Assessment: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Point Reyes National Seashore. Submerged Resources Center Professional Report No. 7. National Park Service, Santa Fe, NM.
- Carrell, Toni, 1984, Submerged Cultural Resources Inventory: Portions of Point Reyes National Seashore and Point Reyes-Farallon Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Submerged Resources Center Professional Report No. 3. National Park Service, Santa Fe, NM.
Murphy, Larry E., Editor, 1984, Submerged Cultural Resources Survey: Portions of Point Reyes National Seashore and Point Reyes-Farallon Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Submerged Resources Center Professional Report No. 2. National Park Service, Santa Fe, NM. |
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Related Links
Point Reyes National Seashore
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