San Andrés

Date
1555Period
16th centuryShip type
GalleonCause
A hurricaneKey figure
Cosme Rodríguez FarfánCommand
Cosme Rodríguez FarfánCaptain
Cosme Rodríguez FarfánFlotilla
Cosme Rodríguez Farfán's fleetsShipwreck zone
Bahama Channel, The BahamasPort of departure
Panama (PAN)Destination
Cadiz (ESP)In November 1554, the Nombre de Dios fleet set sail to go back to Spain, led by General Cosme Rodríguez Farfán.
Following the normal route, she called at Cartagena de Indias, and set course for Havana where she joined the ships coming from New Spain. The entire convoy consisted of 18 ships. However, on December 8, while passing through the Bahamas Channel, they suffered the effects of a hurricane and the first loss happened: the Capitana, the nao San Andrés broke open and the rest of the convoy was battered and scattered.
General Farfán, who was traveling on the Capitana, was rescued together with 40 soldiers; other ships managed to pick up 60 more men, but the remaining 20 crew members did not have the same luck, and drowned.
The ship sank with all the artillery, ammunition and supplies it was carrying. The journey was a bumpy ride and General Farfán was forced to abandon at sea three vessels that he had used as flagships or capitanas, one after the other. He first sailed on the nao Gallega, which he left in favor of the galleon San Andrés and later transferred to the nao Bretendona. The latter was also abandoned at sea and Farfán transferred to the nao Santa Cruz, owned by Cosme Buitrón.