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Florida Man Stumbles Upon Possible 150-Year-Old Shipwreck
8 Sep
Summary
- Florida man finds remains of a 19th-century ship while fishing
- Archaeologists investigating the wreckage to determine its origin
- Wreckage found in Aripeka, Florida, 50 miles north of Tampa
On September 8, 2025, a Florida man named Thomas Peterson made a remarkable discovery while fishing with his grandson in Aripeka, a small community roughly 50 miles north of Tampa. Peterson, a self-described "Florida redneck," stumbled upon the remains of what he believes could be a 19th-century rum-runner ship.
The wreckage, which Peterson says may be as old as 150 years, was found at low tide. He noticed the boat's distinctive "green stuff" and parallel timbers, which suggested the presence of a vessel. "I look down and I see this boat has this green stuff going on...it's like shag carpet," Peterson recalled. "My boys, they say it's a dock. I say no, it's not a dock, it's a boat. That's pretty cool that I found history."
Local archaeologists are now examining the site to verify the ship's origin. Peterson also found a purplish piece of glass at the location, which he believes could be a remnant of a liquor bottle, hinting at the possibility of the wreckage being a rum-runner. The state of Florida will handle the site once the archaeologists complete their investigation.
