Her cargo was nowhere near as valuable as that of the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, but the old British steamship Breconshire, aka the boiler wreck, was another victim of our offshore reefs, sinking in 1894 while in route from New York to Tampa.
Now famous in her own right as a favorite local dive spot, the ship was the focal point of last Saturday’s annual Race to the Wreck competition to benefit the Vero Beach Lifeguard Association.
More than 50 participants took to the water for the early morning race, opting for either a bracing ocean swim or 3-mile paddle from the beach in front of Waldo’s at the Driftwood Resort.
The all-volunteer VBLA was founded to promote water safety and raise funds to purchase vital lifesaving equipment and rescue supplies.
Photos by Phil Sunkel