Viva Florida 500 Voyage commemorates Five Centuries since the arrival of Juan Ponce de Leon to Flori

The mainsails are being hoisted today on El Galleon as it begins its historic Viva Florida 500 Voyage on a route similar to Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon’s 500 years ago. His arrival marked the beginning of a European presence in what is now the U. S. mainland and Florida.  

El Galeon is a 170 foot, 495 ton, authentic wooden replica of a galleon that was part of Spain’s West Indies fleet.  It will take El Galeon about 10 days to go from Puerto Rico to Florida where the Viva Florida 500 Voyage will include call on ports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Cape Canaveral and St. Augustine beginning April 15 and culminating June 3, as part of the state’s Quincentenary commemorations.