About Revisions San Pedro 1733 Lower Matecumbe Key, FL Max Depth: 16-20ft/5-6m Average Viz: 91-100ft/28-30m Entry Type: Boat Bottom Composition: Sand/Shells Aquatic Life: Might See Something 4/29/2011 9:02 AM

The 287-ton Dutch-built San Pedro was owned by Gaspar de Larrea Berdugo and was captained by Gaspar López de Gonzales. She was loaded with silver, cochineal, indigo, Chinese porcelain, and other cargo. The San Pedro had departed Havana, Cuba bound for Spain on July 13, and with other ships in the fleet, was overtaken by disatrous weather by the time it reached the Keys. The ship sank in Hawk Channel, off Lower Matecumbe Key, 1.25 nautical miles south of Indian Key.


San Pedro’s ballast mound is located in a sand pocket surrounded by grass in 18 feet of water. Seven replica cannons and a contemporary anchor were placed on the site to provide visitors with a visual representation of the shipwreck as it originally appeared. The San Pedro shipwreck site is a designated State Underwater Archaeological Preserve, and is one of the most frequently visited of the 1733 sites. Diving is permitted.


Information for this description was gathered from several web resources, including material published by Florida’s Division of Historical Resources, Bureau of Archaeological Research.