Page 209 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

180 J. Kimura

Tajiri beach is said to be the landing place of the survivors of the San Francisco.
The study area for the underwater archaeological search is based on what is written
in Vivero’s historical accounts, which provide some clues as to the possible loca-
tion of the San Francisco:
– The damaged ship hit a reef and the hull collapsed and was washed away, apart
from a portion of the stern.
– There are two major sources to address controversial wreck position: (a). the
wreck report Relación de la pérdida de la naocapitana which indicates
approximately a quarter leagues from the shore, (b). the Viveros’ accounts
indicates about six to eight kilometers (two leagues in Spanish units) from the
shore.
– There were more than three hundred survivors who clung to the hull remains
and reached the shore.
The proposed study area off the coast of Tajiri is a grid of 6 6 km, which
covers relatively shallow waters ranging in a depth from 3 to 50 m, within 10 km
from the shore. Within the study area there are a few reefs projecting from the
seabed. Two seasons of seabed topography recording with a multi-beam sonar were
conducted in 2016 and 2017. The survey was carried out in a total of fourteen days
2
and recorded an area of approximately 3.5 2.1 km . The multi-beam sonar
recording revealed the complex seabed topography with a number of valleys
(Fig. 10.4). In 2016 a preliminary diving search was conducted in an area

Fig. 10.4 The multi-beam sonar recording the seabed topography of Tajiri