Flor de la Mar

Flor de la Mar

The Flor de la Mar was the "Flower of the Sea" in the 16th century. A ship before it's time, Flor de la Mar was a 400 ton carrack that would run shipments of goods in the Indian Ocean. It's life, while longer running than most ships of the era, experienced difficulty maneuvering when full, and was often ported for lengthy repairs. The ship sunk during a storm in November of 1511, when Afonso de Albuquerque was returning to the Portuguese king with many riches and treasures. The ship and treasure was not recovered, although treasure hunters claim the loot on the ship is extremely valuable, consisting of jewels and golf-ball-sized diamonds. A replica of the ship is on exhibit in Malacca.