Nuestra Señora del Carmen y San Antonio originated as HMS Hampton Court in England in 1678, a 70-gun third rate ship of the line, part of Charles II’s ship building program. In 1707 she was captured by the French off Beachy Head in the War of Spanish Succession and later sold to the Spanish.

In this painting it is late July and the Spanish Treasure Fleet of 1715 is sailing just off the east coast of Florida with Nuestra Señora del Carmen y San Antonio serving as flagship. It has been four days since the fleet’s departure from Havana Harbor and the weather has suddenly turned foul. Threatening clouds dim the sun and the waves begin to rise and crest, all portending the coming of a great storm. One French ship decides to ignore the fleet course and heads offshore as close to the wind as possible and is ultimately saved, missing the storm altogether. The rest of the fleet are caught on a dangerous lee shore with the rising wind overpowering their ability to navigate and tack offshore to safety. Ultimately all ten of the fleet ships that stayed the course will end up sunk or beached just offshore, Nuestra Señora del Carmen y San Antonio being the only one to beach intact. Here the flagship is portrayed in the midst of the storm, her sails balanced at minimum rig as she braves the turbulent wind and sea.offshore as close to the wind as possible, In the near distance a second ship can be seen having already succumbed to the powerful winds. Barely visible in the far distance is yet a third ship. She soldiers on, managing in spite of the loss of her fore-topmast.

Although the Spanish managed to recover some of the treasure in the ten years following the storm, much of it remains just offshore along Florida’s east coast, in a geographical area known as the Treasure Coast. Even today, people, including casual beachcombers, continue to discover historical artifacts, often valuable gold and silver.