Treasure Coast · United States · Wreck
Urca de Lima
Florida's first Underwater Archaeological Preserve, in 3-4.5 m
The Urca de Lima is a Spanish sailing ship lost in a hurricane in 1715 and now the first Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve. It lies about 180 m (200 yards) offshore in 3-4.5 m (10-15 feet) near Fort Pierce, where the ballast mound over the hull timbers draws wrasse, blue tang and flounder.
Also known as Santisima Trinidad, Urca de Lima Underwater Archaeological Preserve.
Where it is and how deep
27.5053° N, 80.2992° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The wreck lies about 180 m (200 yards) offshore and roughly 900 m (1,000 yards) north of Pepper Beach Park, in water only 3-4.5 m (10-15 feet) deep. Typically there is no current, so the swim out and the descent are easy. Divers arrive at the ballast mound, which lies with its axis running from north-east to south-west.
All that remains of the ship is the ballast mound, about 30 by 15 m (100 by 50 feet), which covers the hull timbers. A laminated underwater guide from local dive shops helps make sense of it. Sea urchins, sea cucumbers, flounder, wrasse and blue tang live on and around the mound. Visibility peaks at about 15 m (50 feet) in summer, when the seas are calm.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Urca de Lima
- Type
- Wooden-hulled Spanish sailing ship
- Sunk
- 1715
- Cause
- Lost in a hurricane off Florida's east coast
- Lies
- A ballast mound about 30 by 15 m over the hull timbers, in 3-4.5 m
The Urca de Lima was a wooden-hulled sailing ship that was part of a Spanish plate flota, and it sank off the east coast of Florida during a hurricane in 1715. The wreck was rediscovered in 1928. In 1987 it was dedicated as the first Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve, and a laminated underwater guide to the site is available from local dive shops.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Treasure Coast: Diveable all year and no month stands out; the water averages about 22 °C in January, the coldest month, and 29 °C in August.
Know before you go
- The site is a protected archaeological preserve; boats must use the mooring buoy rather than anchor, to keep anchors off the wreck.
Dive videos
Urca de Lima Dive · Florida Public Archaeology Network on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Urca de Lima wreck?+
The Urca de Lima lies in 3-4.5 m (10-15 feet) of water, about 180 m (200 yards) offshore near Fort Pierce.
When is the best time to dive the Urca de Lima?+
Summer, when the seas are calm and visibility peaks at about 15 m (50 feet). Typically there is no current on the site.
Sources
- Urca De Lima Shipwreck — National Park Service
- Urca de Lima — Wikipedia
- Urca de Lima — Scuba Schedules
- Urca de Lima Wreck — Florida Scuba Diving
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