This is a story about the lust for gold and treasure," Fine writes. In the 1600s and 1700s, Spain dominated the oceans with its fleet of galleons. Coming to the New World, these ships filled their holds with gold and silver and treasures beyond imagining. The seaway between Spain and the New World was dubbed The Golden Highway. On their journeys back across the seas, many were wrecked on reefs or destroyed by hurricanes. The watery depths now hold their treasures. Today, treasure divers seek their fortunes by attempting--sometimes successfully, sometimes fatally--to retrieve these hordes of riches. In Treasures of the Spanish Main, readers relive each voyage of long ago as well as witness the modern wreck diver's efforts to extract their secrets. Included are: The 1622 fleet * The Concepcion * The Maravillas * The Shipwreck off Jupiter Beach * The San Jose * the 1715 Fleet * and the 1733 Fleet The voyages of centuries ago come alive with Fine's excellent historical detail. Readers will experience the wild storms and the results of unfortunate choices made by long-ago sailors. The eccentric treasure hunters of today, along with those of the past, create a mosaic of suspense and drama on the high seas. A must for everyone interested in pirates, treasure, sailing, history, or just plain fun.

The Hillsborough River, which runs through the big population area of Tampa, is a popular site for leisure activities. Kevin McCarthy, author of more than 20 books about Florida, guides the reader and boater from the source of the Hillsborough River in the Green Swamp west of Tampa, through Hillsborough River State Park, then through the city of Tampa, to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico. Both a history and a guidebook, "Hillsborough River Guidebook" features information on the wildlife and culture along the river as well as travel tips, with recommendations of places to eat and stay. Includes photographs and maps. The other books available in the series are "Suwannee River Guidebook" and "St. Johns River Guidebook."

During the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries, the transpacific treasure galleons sailed annually from Manila to Acapulco. In Manila, the vessel was loaded with the scented spices of the East, luxurious silks from China, exquisite hand crafted lacquerware from Japan and a multitude of Oriental goods that the Spaniards of New Spain longed to own. The returning galleon from Acapulco to Manila, carried as much as 2.5 million silver pesos in payment of the goods sent to the New Spain in the previous year, as well as a yearly silver subsidy of 250,000 reales for the maintenance of the colonial government in the Philippines. But while the galleons mainly sailed alone and unaccompanied from Manila to Acapulco and vice versa, they were vulnerable to a host of calamities and misfortunes. A fire on board the vessel or a terrifying storm could end the voyage and the lives of every one on the ship even before the galleon was able to reach land. Additionally, the commanders of the galleons were always threatened by lurking pirates and privateers who preyed on the vessels and coveted the treasures they carried. The book describes in detail how the galleons were attacked at sea and how they fought against enemy vessels, as well as how many of the ships sank or were shipwrecked over the years. It also covers their management, construction, manning, weaponry, navigation, daily life on the ship, provisions, cargoes and voyages. The book contains an annotated list of the galleons sailing between the Philippines and Mexico from 1565 to 1815. This informative book is the first of its kind to cover such an expansive history of the Pacific galleons which up to this point had remained largely untold.

Intro -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- List of Abbreviations -- Introduction -- 1 The Last Galleons -- 2 Commanders of the Fleet -- 3 The Men of the San José -- 4 A Tale of Two Viceroys, One Captain General, and a World at War -- 5 The Last Voyage of the San José -- 6 After the Battle -- Postscript -- Appendix 1 The Spanish and English Calendars in 1708 -- Appendix 2 Treasure Registered on the San Joaquín in 1712 -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- X -- Z -- Illustrations.

Join the Chinese admiral and his crew as they battle pirates and raging storms in this beautifully illustrated Chinese history book for kids. Did you know that 85 years before Columbus discovered America, Chinese ships longer than a football field sailed thousands of miles through unknown oceans and visited more than 30 nations? It's true! Adventures of the Treasure Fleet: China Discovers that World is the amazing story of these seven epic voyages and their larger-than-life commander, Admiral Zheng He. Beginning in 1405, Admiral Zheng He led more than 300 gigantic, brightly-painted ships across the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean and all the way to the distant coast of Africa. The admiral and his crew battled pirates and raging storms and were amazed by the people and ways of life in distant lands. At each port, Chinese goods were traded for pearls, precious stones, herbs and medicines which were given as tribute to China's powerful emperor when the ships' returned home. Filled with historical facts, Adventures of the Treasure Fleet brings a fantastic piece of history to life. Gracefully told and beautifully illustrated, the story's fast pace will keep young ones captivated while offering enough information to satisfy curious readers of all ages.