San Sebastian

San Sebastian (-1754)

According to John S. Potter, Jr. Potter (The Treasure Diver's Guide, 1972), the San Sebastian was a Spanish merchant ship, quite possibly a Manila Galleon, that sank off the west shore of Santa Catalina Island during the winter [October 2?] of 1754. She had sailed from the Philippines to Mexico and had been sailing through the outer Santa Barbara Channel when she was attacked by the English pirate George Compton. While attempting to escape, the San Sebastian ran aground and quickly sank. Potter believes that the wreckage is buried deep under shifting sands in 170 feet of water. On her ballast should be valuable cargo from the Orient, Potter writes. Reports differ in the location from San Clemente Island to Santa Catalina Island.