Contact Information:
1715 Fleet Society
Ben Costello, President
102 Trotters Ct, Venetia, PA
C: (724) 344-3171
1715fleetsociety@gmail.com
Release Date:
Wednesday, November 1, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
1715 Fleet Society
2024 Conference & Meeting
Costa d’Este Beach Resort, Vero Beach, FL
January 8-10, 2024
Do you know how the Treasure Coast got its name? Do you know that the remains of a Spanish Fleet can be found in 10 feet of water a few hundred yards from the shores of Vero Beach? The 1715 Fleet Society is a group of historians, educators, numismatists, salvagers, and others deeply interested in an important but neglected event in Florida’s Spanish colonial history: the loss of the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet. Eleven ships were destroyed in a hurricane on July 31, 1715. The remains of the Fleet are scattered on the ocean floor from Fort Pierce to Sebastian, a stretch of beach extending almost 35 miles. The Society is dedicated to studying the loss of the 1715 Fleet, and its rediscovery and recovery.
The Society will be hosting its 2024 Conference & Meeting in Vero Beach, January 8-10. The Conference will start off with a Meet & Greet/Reception held at the Vero Beach Heritage Center, located at 2140 14th Avenue in downtown Vero Beach, on Monday, January 8 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. This catered event is free and open to the public. Come and meet Society members and browse the many books that will be available for purchase. The authors will be present to answer questions as well. As an added attraction, we will sponsor a “Show and Tell” where local Vero Beach residents can bring in any items that they may have found on the beach or have otherwise acquired for a professional to render an opinion as to what these items are and their possible origin.
On Tuesday, January 9, and Wednesday, January 10, the Society will be hosting two days of speakers that will talk about shipwreck treasure and topics related to the 1715 Fleet and other wrecks. Our venue is the beautiful Costa d’Este Beach Resort and Spa located at 3244 Ocean Drive in Vero Beach. Situated on a sandy white beach overlooking the wreck sites of the 1715 Fleet, Costa d’Este is the perfect spot for our conference. Each day our programs will commence at 8:00 a.m. where a Continental Breakfast will be provided to all attendees. The speaker agenda will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. The cost per ticket is $250.00, with a 10% discount provided to our members.
For more information regarding the Society or to purchase tickets to the conference, please visit our website at 1715fleetsociety.com.
