Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación
Aka La Galga Andaluza

Built in the shipyard of A Graña, she sailed under the command of Mr. Daniel Houny, an Irishman in the service of Spain.

On August 7, 1750, La Galga Andaluza sailed from Havana on her last voyage. A few days after leaving Havana, a hurricane hit the convoy and scattered the ships. During the whole week that the storm lasted, La Galga lost her masts and, in a desperate maneuver, threw part of her 50 artillery pieces into the sea to lighten her load.

In the middle of a heavy swell and without any possibility of maneuvering, she sank on August 25, 1750 in the area of Cape Hatteras, near the coast, on the Eastern Shore, between the present states of Maryland and Virginia. Only one soldier and three passengers were killed.

The wreck site is located 5 leagues north of Cape Charles, on Assateague Island, on the border between Virginia and Maryland. An anchor was extracted.

Read the full story in “10 notable shipwrecks”