September 6, 1622. Battered by hurricane force winds, the great Spanish galleon, Nuestra Senora de Atocha was ripped apart on jagged coral reefs near the Florida Keys. She took with her 264 souls, many of royal blood. Only five survived to tell the awful tale: three crewmen and two black slaves, who clung to the mast 'til rescued the next morning. In her bowels the Atocha carried more than 47 troy tons of treasure, which lay among the bones of the galleon for over 350 years.

By 1621 the vast Spanish Empire was spread across four continents. These colonies relied heavily upon goods from Spain, and in return sent quantities of gold, silver and precious gems to the mother country. The valuable cargoes were transported on merchant ships that sailed in convoys, protected by Spanish war ships that we call galleons. Two strong galleons, a capitana, which led the convoy and almiranta, which brought up the rear, presented a bold warning against attack by the enemies of Spain.

The convoys would leave Spain in early spring. Of these, the Tierra Firma Fleet would sail to Portobello and Cartagena to collect a wealth of gold and silver. This would be carried by the larger and more heavily armed galleons, while the smaller ships primarily transported agricultural products.

The 1622 Tierra Firma Fleet, which included the Nuestra Senora de Atocha left Cartagena on July 24, to arrive in Cuba one month later and join the New Spain Fleet. The threat of a large Dutch fleet nearby caused the Spanish fleet to delay their departure from Cuba. And so it was September 4 when 28 ships, with the Atocha as almiranta, set sail from Havana. The bulk of the treasure had been divided between the two strongest galleons, the Atocha, with her 20 bronze cannon, and the Santa Margarita.

Only a day later the weather turned bad......then worse, with the approach of a fast moving hurricane. The ships rolled violently, then became separated as clouds and rain darkened the sky. Shifting winds pushed at least four of the ships toward the Florida Keys, among them the Atocha and Santa Margarita. In horror the passengers and crew of the Atocha watched as the Margarita, battered by 15 foot waves, was carried across a low-lying atoll to break apart in the shallows beyond. Moments later the Atocha was lifted by the huge seas and thrown on to the reef, ripping a large hole in her bow. The powerful waves then dragged her to deeper waters beyond the reef where she quickly filled with water and sank without ceremony to her grave. 550 people died that day, and a cargo worth more than 2,000,000 pesos in gold and silver ingots, coins and precious jewels were scattered across 50 miles of ocean floor.

The loss of the treasure fleet was devastating to Spain, forcing the Crown to borrow money to finance its war against the Dutch and the French. Efforts were made to find and salvage the galleons. Eventually, the Margarita was located and over a four year period 380 silver ingots, 67,000 silver coins and 8 bronze cannons were recovered. The Atocha was not found. For 350 years she lay undisturbed until discovered by treasure hunter, Mel Fisher, whose obsession for the treasure took him on a 13 year search. During this time he endured financial devastation, power cut-offs, court battles with other salvors and, most dreadful of all, the death of his son when his salvage boat sank over the wreck site. Despite all the hardships Fisher persevered, eventually to recover from the Atocha and Margarita more than 1,000 silver bars, silver coins, gold in the form of ingots, jewelry, coins and chains; precious stones (mostly emeralds), religious and secular artifacts, even a rare mariner's astrolabe - more than $60,000,000 worth of treasure in all.