How to find a billion-dollar shipwreck

How to find a billion-dollar shipwreck

April 16, 2026 · 36 min · Episode 2520

About this episode

This episode discusses the search for the sunken Spanish galleon San José and the efforts of maritime archaeologist Roger Dooley.

In 1708, the Spanish galleon San José was sunk by a British warship off the coast of Colombia, vanishing beneath the waves with a treasure trove of unimaginable riches. The wreck's exact location remained a mystery for centuries – until a maritime archaeologist named Roger Dooley made it his life’s mission to find it. In this episode, Julian Sancton tells Jon Bauckham about Dooley’s incredible search, set against a backdrop of secrecy, sacrifice and Cold War tensions. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Don't miss our alternate history feature on the War of the Spanish Succession, and what might have happened had Charles II produced an heir: https://bit.ly/4lUL7h1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Jon Bauckham

Guest: Julian Sancton

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: San José

Places: Colombia

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