Santa Catarina de Ribamar, 1636

Country: Portugal

Place: Cabo da Roca

Type: Nau

Identified: Yes

Dated: 1636 (historical accounts)

History of the shipwreck

Santa Catarina de Ribamar was lost in sight of Lisbon, in November 1636, against the small islets of Cabo da Roca.

The shipwreck site seems to have remained in the memory of the local population for generations. Locals still mention the story of Dona Ricarda, an old woman who knew in the 18th century where to find golden coins at the nearby beach after storms.

In 1966 a bronze gun was raised from this site, and another two may have been salvaged by looters (they are said to have been melted soon afterward).

In the summer of 2000, a team from CNANS — the Portuguese agency for nautical and underwater archaeology — conducted a survey at the site, finding a large anchor but no sight of the several bronze guns reported by fishermen to be lying on the site, deeply encased in the rocky bottom. No mention has ever been made of any hull remains.

Description of the site

Rocky bottom around the islets near Cabo da Roca, in sight of Lisbon. A large anchor was found there during the 2000 CNANS survey.

Cargo

Not described.

Guns

A bronze gun was raised from the site in 1966, and another two may have been salvaged by looters and were reportedly melted down soon afterward. Fishermen have reported several additional bronze guns lying at the site, deeply encased in the rocky bottom, but these were not located during a CNANS survey in the summer of 2000.

References

No references are cited.