El Galeón Lys.
A shallow wreck site at about 6 m that Buceo Estepona describes as a French ship burnt and sunk by the French themselves to stop it being captured by the English defending Gibraltar. The centre says the ship carried cannon and a cargo of buckles and buttons for French soldiers' uniforms, and that bronze pieces can still be found after storms. It describes the site as ideal for courses and try dives.
What's down there.
- Wreck remains at about 6 m
- Cannon (reported by Buceo Estepona)
- Bronze buckles and uniform buttons said to be uncovered after storms
Buceo Estepona gives the depth as about 6 m.
Buceo Estepona calls it an easy dive because of the shallow depth and describes it as ideal for courses and try dives. It does not say whether the site is dived from the boat or the shore, and gives no position. Protection: under Spain's Ley 16/1985 del Patrimonio Histórico Español, historic property that can be studied by archaeological methods forms part of the Spanish historical heritage whether or not it has been removed, including material in the territorial sea (article 40.1), and chance finds are public property that must be reported to the authorities (article 44.1). Natura 2000 site ES6170036 'Fondos Marinos de la Bahía de Estepona' lies off Estepona, but without a position it is not known whether the wreck is inside it.
How it got there.
Buceo Estepona identifies the wreck as the Lys. Wikipedia's account of the Battle of Cabrita Point (also called the Battle of Marbella), fought off Gibraltar on 21 March 1705 (10 March Old Style), says that Sir John Leake's fleet drove the French ships Magnanime and Lys ashore to the west of Marbella, where the French burnt them. The Lys belonged to Admiral Pointis's squadron; 'galleon' is the dive centre's word. The centre's story matches the Wikipedia account, but no archaeological report linking the Estepona site to the Lys was found.
4 dives.
From the log — the dates follow the pattern I dived, so read them as representative rather than exact.