Colonizers’ Lost Vessel Revealed with 18th-Century Spanish Shipwreck in Puerto Rico 

Under the fierce winds and pounding rains of Hurricane Ernesto, something extraordinary surfaced on the shores of Vieques, Puerto Rico. Cecilio Ponce, a local fisherman, stumbled upon what could be a centuries-old relic of Spanish maritime history — a shipwreck and a cannon believed to date back to the 18th century.  

“I was out in the morning looking for bait along Navío Beach when I saw what looked like a bomb. As I got closer, I realized it was a cannon,” the 64-year-old Ponce told EFE. 

The Discovery

Ponce initially mistook the find for remnants of the military contamination left behind by the U.S. Navy, which used parts of Vieques and nearby Culebra as bombing ranges until 2003. But this relic, far from modern warfare, spoke of a time long before. The ship’s rudder and bow were clearly visible, and the presence of lead in one of the planks led marine archaeologist Juan Vega to suspect it might be of Spanish origin. “The Spanish used lead to protect their ships from marine worms that could eat through the wood,” Vega explained. “The British, on the other hand, preferred copper.” 

Vega’s initial examination suggested the ship could be an 18th-century Spanish vessel. He marveled at the rarity of the find, noting that wooden structures rarely survive the relentless oceanic forces for so long. The cannon, lacking a cascabel (the rounded knob at the back of many cannons), also pointed to an earlier period. Though more cleaning and research are needed, Vega’s team is cautiously optimistic about the historical significance of this discovery. 

Navío Beach has long been a site of interest in marine archaeology and is known for its history of piracy and smuggling. Vega indicated that the ballast stones and cannonballs found at the site align with traditional Spanish construction, further supporting the theory that the ship could be from Spain or possibly built locally using Spanish techniques adapted for the Caribbean. 

Do We Need to Safeguard Items Belonging to Our Past Colonizers

The importance of preserving these ancient remains cannot be overstated – even if it’s those belonging to colonizers. When Ponce alerted the authorities, they acted swiftly to protect the site. The municipal government of Vieques, along with the Puerto Rican Institute of Culture (ICP), moved quickly to safeguard the wreckage.  

Vega emphasized that such artifacts need to remain submerged in water to prevent deterioration, especially the wooden elements, which require very specific conditions to remain stable before they can be properly preserved. 

Vieques Mayor José ‘Junito’ Corcinco, who was present during the investigation, expressed his commitment to preserving this piece of history. If preserved well, these relics could one day be displayed for the public, offering a tangible connection to the island’s rich maritime past. For now, the remains rest under the careful watch of experts who hope to unlock the secrets of this enigmatic ship. 

This discovery has shed light on Vieques’ role in the wider history of the Caribbean, a region that has long been a crossroads of empires and a haven for pirates as well as colonizers. As Puerto Rico continues to recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Ernesto, this unexpected relic has offered a glimpse into a different kind of storm — the stormy history of conquest, trade, and conflict that once swept across these seas.