Banco Chinchorro
Published: 12/09/2009 by Pawel Newak for DiscoverMexico.com
Banco Chinchorro is an atoll located approximately 30 km east of Chetumal, Mexico in Mexican waters. It is the graveyard to many ships and holds treasures yet to be discovered. Long a location for exploring scuba diver even novices enjoy it.
If you are looking for the best place for treasure diving, you have to visit Banco de Chinchorro. The second largest coral atoll in the world. Measuring 30 km. From north to south, and 12 km. from east to west, is famous for the number of vessels it has trapped and sunken on it's reefs. At least 9 ships have sunk on this reef including 2 Spanish galleons one of which was know to be heavily loaded with gold and silver.
Since the 16th century, hundreds of ships and galleons blown off course by storms or hurricanes have found their grave in these shallow treacherous waters. Snorkeling and scuba diving among the wrecks is an unforgettable experience, yet available to few people as the ocean must be extremely calm in order to reach their graves. The surrounding waters are sport fisherman's paradise.
The main ship which sank in the Banco de Chinchorro waters was „Santiago” under don Juan de Villafanea. The ship sank in 1658. The documents have been found by me in the Archivo General de Indias in Seville, in the section called „Indiferente General”, legajo 1876. The man who described the accident was Fernandez Duro. He did it in the book „Armada Espanola”, Vol. 5, page 437.
Additional information can be found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banco_Chinchorro Wikipedia / Banco Chinchorro
http://www.xcalak.info/visit/uk/divingchinchorro-uk.shtml The Costa Maya Sun / Xacak.info
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