Wreck of the San Agustin
In November 1595, the Spanish galleon San Agustin, commanded by Sebastian Rodriguez Cermeno and laden with a valuable cargo of Chinese silks, spices, and Ming Dynasty porcelain, was sailing from Manila to Acapulco when it was caught in a violent storm. The gale drove the ship.
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- Target Name: Wreck of the San Agustin
- Registry Category: shipwreck
- Geographic Location: Marin County, submerged within Drakes Bay along the Point Reyes National Seashore. (Coordinates:
38.03000, -122.93000) - Land Status: National Park Service / Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (Strictly Prohibited) (Classified as Protected / Restricted)
- Primary Historic Source: National Park Service Maritime History - Shipwrecks at Point Reyes
- Search & Usefulness Rating: Score 55/100 (Field Readiness: Advanced Fieldwork)
- Summary Overview: In November 1595, the Spanish galleon San Agustin, commanded by Sebastian Rodriguez Cermeno and laden with a valuable cargo of Chinese silks, spices, and Ming Dynasty porcelain, was sailing from.
Historical Overview
In November 1595, the Spanish galleon San Agustin, commanded by Sebastian Rodriguez Cermeno and laden with a valuable cargo of Chinese silks, spices, and Ming Dynasty porcelain, was sailing from Manila to Acapulco when it was caught in a violent storm. The gale drove the ship onto the beaches of Point Reyes, shattering the vessel and scattering its precious cargo across the sandy floor of Drakes Bay. This disaster represents the earliest recorded shipwreck on the West Coast of the United States. While local Coast Miwok Indians salvaged some of the porcelain and traded it inland, a substantial portion of the ship's structural remains and cargo lies buried beneath the bay's thick marine sediment.
Field Search & Recovery Tips
The wreck site is situated inside the protected boundaries of the Point Reyes National Seashore and the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Any form of salvage, metal detecting, or disturbance of submerged cultural resources is strictly illegal under federal law. Research should be limited to surface-level shoreline observations of wash-up material or academic archival studies.
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National Park Service / Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (Strictly Prohibited)
Legal & Permit Review
Recommended Outfitting
National Park Service Maritime History - Shipwrecks at Point Reyes
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