Mexico, 2008
Campeche Bank and Chinchorro Bank
Survey Location: Campeche Bank and Chinchorro Bank, Mexico
Dates: March 3-22, 2008Principle Investigator
Pilar Luna Erreguerena
Director of Underwater Archaeology, National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH)In Collaboration With
National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH)
Expedition Background
The reefs and islands of the Campeche Bank were a notorious navigation hazard for Spanish ships traveling between Havana and the Mexican port of Veracruz, the latter of which was established by Cortés in preparation for his assault on the Aztec capital. It was in these waters that some of the 13 ships of the New Spain Fleet, under the command of Admiral Manuel Serrano, sank during a storm in 1631. Due to the threat posed by the reefs and islands of the Campeche Bank, the amount of shipwrecks found here makes this area one of the richest regarding underwater cultural heritage.
Over the past several years, Archaeologist Pilar Luna Erreguerena and her team from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have recorded more than 150 sites along the Campeche Bank. INAH’s underwater archaeology team has carried out an intense archival research in Mexico, Spain, and Cuba regarding the New Spain Fleet. The flagship Nuestra Señora del Juncal remains elusive.
Helena Barba (L) and Mike Dessner (R) survey the sea floor at Chinchorro Bank
Expedition Summary
The Waitt Institute for Discovery partnered with Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) for this exploratory survey of Campeche and Chinchorro Banks. Leading the expedition as Principle Investigator was Archaeologist Pilar Luna, head of the Underwater Archaeology Area at INAH in Mexico City.
The first focus of the 18-day expedition was survey efforts on the search for the lost New Spain Fleet of 1630-1631 and its flagship, the Nuestra Señora del Juncal. The secondary phase of the expedition was to investigate shipwrecks and suspected shipwreck sites along the reefs of Chinchorro Bank. These locations are remote and many of the reef areas are unspoiled.
The WID expedition team prepares the side-scan sonar for launch
From the Expedition Leader
“The fact that Mr. Ted Waitt created the Waitt Institute for Discovery is extraordinary due to the potential of service this can signify to many scientific projects around the world. So was the invitation he made me to be part of the Executive Board.
“It was a privilege that the Waitt Institute decided to support us in the 1630-1631 New Spain Fleet Research Project and Inventory and Diagnosis of Submerged Cultural Resources in the Gulf of Mexico, especially in the search for Nuestra Señora del Juncal, one of the two flagships of the fleet.
“The proposal was to survey one potential area in the Gulf of Mexico in which we think there are more possibilities to find Nuestra Señora del Juncal. This area is one of several selected through archival research made during many years in Mexico, Spain and Cuba, and comparative studies of 17th century charts and modern maps. Manuscripts referring to this shipwreck do not mention exactly the site of the tragedy. A deep analysis of diverse aspects of life in Spain—social, political, economical, artistic, etc.—has been made since 1995, in order to comprehend the context in which the fleet was built and sent to America, as well as the facts that surrounded the trip back to Spain, which was interrupted when the convoy was hit by a storm in 1631 and lost some of their ships in the Gulf of Mexico.
“In February 2008 a group of researchers from the Underwater Archaeology Vice-Directorate (SAS) of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) set sail with the technical assistance of Jeffrey Morris and Stephen Bilicki, as well as the support of Mike Dessner and the rest of the Waitt team. The assistance of all of them, and the support of Dr. Dominique Rissolo at the Waitt Institute’s La Jolla headquarters, was crucial during the expedition, since there were many meteorological obstacles to overcome. In spite of this, the result of the field season was absolutely positive.”
– Pilar Luna Erreguerena
Expedition Team Members
Pilar Luna Erreguerena/Principle Investigator
Director of Underwater Archaeology, National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH)
Dominique Rissolo, PhD/ Expedition Coordinator
Executive Director, Waitt Institute for Discovery
Joe Lepore/Dive Safety Officer, Surveyor
Dive Safety Officer, Waitt Institute for Discovery
Mike Dessner/Logistics Coordinator, Surveyor
Director of Logistics, Waitt Institute for Discovery
Jeff Morris/Director of Survey Operations
Director, Azulmar Research, LLC
Steve Bilicki/Surveyor
Maritime Archaeologist, Azulmar Research, LLC
Helena Barba Meinecke/Surveyor
Underwater Archaeologist, National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH)
Roberto Junco Sánchez/Surveyor
Underwater Archaeologist, National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH)
Edgar Merino Gallegos/Surveyor
Underwater Archaeologist, National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH)
Admiral Alberto Mariano Vázquez De la Cerda/Physical Oceanographer
Professor, University of Veracruz
Michael Jablonowski/Surveyor
Sonoma State University
Lance Milbrand/Videographer
Director, Milbrand Cinema
