AH-WR-1383

Manuel Polanco Wreck

Merchant Sailing Vessel · Lost Date not established; conventionally cited as 19th century · The Mexican Gulf Coast & Campeche

A locally named wreck on Banco Chinchorro, part of one of the Caribbean's densest concentrations of historic shipwrecks.

Become Captain of Record

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Interpretive Reconstruction, drawn to convey the vessel's era, type and general form. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

The Manuel Polanco Wreck lies among the many shipwrecks scattered across Banco Chinchorro, a large coral atoll off Quintana Roo long feared by mariners. Its name is locally attributed but detailed identification, build history, and exact date of loss are not firmly established in accessible records. It is one of dozens of wreck sites within the biosphere reserve.

Vessel

Built: Not established
Builder: Not established
Yard: Not established
Material: Wood
Length: Not established
Beam: Not established
Tonnage: Not established
Propulsion: Sail
Owners: Not established

Loss

Date: Date not established; conventionally cited as 19th century
Cause: Grounding
Location: Banco Chinchorro, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Water: Caribbean Sea
Voyage: Not established
Cargo: Not established
Aboard: Not established
Lives lost: Not established
Master: Not established

The Wreck Today

Depth: Not established
Condition: Remains scattered on the reef, locally named for a landmark or associated figure
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: Not established
Protection: Within Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve