Key West Wreckers
By the mid-1800s, shipwrecks brought in the bucks. I mean MAJOR bucks, like making Key West one of the richest cities in the United States per capita kind of bucks.
Since the 15th century, the coral barrier reef that parallels the Florida Keys brought down hundreds of ships. It is estimated that a thousand or more shipwrecks happened around the Keys. These ships were overloaded with all sorts of cargo. These early ships relied solely on the wind, sailed during the night, and faced unexpected storms and hurricanes.
With an ocean full of opportunity, “wrecking” became a core in the Key West economy.
Wreckers were often fishermen and spongers whose position out at sea granted access to shipwrecks. They salvaged goods and came to the aid of the crew and passengers.
Check out this PBS video below for more juicy details about the history of wrecking in the Florida Keys!
The ocean around the Keys holds a rich heritage dotted with shipwrecks. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary chose nine shipwreck sites to create the Shipwreck Trail. These are sites that offer snorkeling to scuba diving. To learn more about the Shipwreck Trail, click here.