Sebastian Inlet

Sebastian Inlet is a man-made opening through Florida’s barrier island coast north of Vero Beach, now known for surfing, fishing, and popular outdoor recreation. The area also has a deeper maritime past tied to the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet wreck, whose survivors’ campsite was later listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is interpreted at the park’s McLarty Treasure Museum. The inlet itself emerged only after decades of failed attempts to create a lasting passage to the Atlantic. Beginning with David Peter Gibson’s 1872 cut, local settlers, landowners, and investors repeatedly reopened the channel, seeking better sea access and improved lagoon water quality despite sand, expense, permit, and maintenance problems.

Florida · United States