NOTE: The original “Research Pays Off” post from May 8 can be viewed here.
More pics from the Ponce de Leon Fountain of Youth Park, including a chalupa (shallop), bombarda, and some other cannons. The shallop was particularly interesting because this was the type of boat the survivors of the 1715 Fleet probably used to reach St. Augustine initially, as well as sailing to Havana for help. Some of the old iron guns seen here rusting away might be some purchased from Jack Carr, ergo the salvage of the Sandy Point wreck. The gun seen standing before Tom Gidus was left behind by the Spanish when they abandoned the Castillo to the English. The Spaniards knocked the trunnions off the gun so it could not be used. They took their bronze guns with them when they left.
~ Terry Armstrong
