The Ultimate Beach Adventure Story
Revisit the 16th-century tale of a catastrophic voyage off Padre Island
A visit to Padre Island can be enhanced by experiencing the tale of unfortunates who lost both their treasure and their lives – and the lone survivor whose tale lives on. It’s a fascinating story of deadly storms, shipwrecks, buried treasure and mass murder — and it took place in 1554.
Even today, boats are helplessly grounded by the series of sand bars that line waters off the Padre Island shore. But those on board no longer encounter a deserted and seemingly neverending expanse of sand and sea. The beach might seem less inviting if you were faced with a walk of more than 300 miles to the nearest town, as was the case in the 16th century.
In April 1554, four Spanish ships set sail from Veracruz, Mexico loaded with cargo and passengers bound for Spain. Only 35 years after Hernán Cortés led the expedition that established Spanish control,
“New World” goods were already the subject of an active trade monopoly. Spanish merchant vessels by the hundreds were crossing the Atlantic bearing “treasure.” These vessels — a new type of sailing ship called a Nao — were armed because rival mariners from other countries considered these shipments to be plum prizes to be pirated for their own entrepreneurial endeavors.
Although the nao was designed with consideration for both cargo capacity and positive sailing characteristics, venturing into open waters with complete reliance upon ocean currents and the vagaries of wind speed and direction for power was less than an exact science. After the 1554 storm, only one of the four Spanish ships made it to Cuba, the intermediate stop on the way back to Spain from Veracruz.The other three, San Esteban, Espíritu Santo and Santa María de Yciar ran aground on the sand bars off Padre Island with full cargo and about 300 people on board.
As they tried to outrun a fierce storm, the three ships lost steering and ran out of sailing room. Anchor chains were snapped, and the ships ran aground where their hulls were broken open, spilling treasure and supplies into the surf. Of the 304 souls aboard, 250 drowned. Thirty or so made it to Veracruz by boat. Twenty-six huddled on shore for five or six days as lighter cargo beached with the incoming waves.
It was thought Panuco, the nearest town, was no more than two or three days’ travel, and provisions were left behind as the group began the trek. In truth, Panuco was more than 350 miles from the shipwreck site. Unaware they were being surveilled, on the seventh day the group was surrounded by about 100 armed Indians. Signs of peace were offered, and the Spaniards accepted. But during a meal of fresh fish over a fire, arrows flew, and Spanish crossbowmen returned fire, killing three Indians and wounding others. This was the first of many attacks as the unfortunates resumed the trek over coastal dunes and through marshes.
Five days into their journey, they were consumed by thirst and overcome by the elements. Attacks continued along the way until “all the Spaniards were killed with arrows. The Indians left, thinking everyone was dead; but one friar [Marcos de Mena], covered with wounds, arose. He traveled at night; during the day he stayed in the earth, by digging holes to hide in.” Fray Marcos did recover from his wounds but not entirely from the experience. He was the lone survivor of that fateful 42-day march.
Left “Survivor’s Quote,” from Treasures of the Gulf Museum in Port Isabel. Right Three astrolabes were found at the shipwreck site, including this instrument, the oldest known dated astrolabe in the world (marked 1545), perhaps made in Portugal.
Thanks to the research and recovery efforts by the State of Texas beginning in the 1960s, these treasure ships are a window into the 16th century as they were recovered by marine archeologists using rigorous scientific methods. The artifacts received extensive conservation, and the archival documentation was thoroughly researched. There is now public access to the story both in print and in museum exhibits.
The place to find the story in Corpus Christi is at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History. Designated the State Marine Archeology Repository, the museum is a steward for many significant marine collections, including La Salle’s ship, Belle, which sank in Matagorda Bay in 1687. The exhibit includes a short movie about the 1554 shipwreck from a survivor’s perspective and a partial recreation of the deck of one of the ships.
The place to find the story at the other end of Padre Island is the Treasures of the Gulf Museum in Port Isabel, just across Laguna Madre from South Padre Island.
