Cannon News - Part 1!

In 2018 a cannon was raised from the 1715 Fleet Sandy Point wreck site (8IR20/S23) to go on permanent display along the waterfront in downtown Fort Pierce, Florida. The project was conceived by City of Fort Pierce consultant Matthew Samuel. The cannon was donated to the City of Fort Pierce by 1715 Fleet-Queens Jewels, LLC principles George Friedel and Ric Harshman, along with agreement by the U.S. District Admiralty Court as well as the Florida Department of State and the Florida Division of Historical Resources. The cannon was recovered by Capt. Dan Porter and Capt. John Brandon and the crew of the M/V Seatrepid on August 13, 2018, and went through over 3 years of conservation work at the city compound, over seen by Capt. John Brandon. The cannon then went through an additional 5 months of restoration work by welder Arron Netherton, who did substantial research on this project. The cannon went on final display at the southern end of Melody Lane in downtown Fort Pierce on February 15, 2022.

The cannon on display at the southern end of Melody Lane along the downtown Fort Pierce waterfront.

An informational kiosk displayed alongside of the cannon gives an accounting of the history of the 1715 fleet’s loss and then rediscovery in the 20th century, as well as information concerning the cannon’s recovery, conservation and restoration.