In 1743, Captain Ashby Utting took command. It was lost in the early morning of 5 February 1744 after having captured a Spanish merchant ship just after midnight when it struck a reef, soon followed by the merchant ship.
The crew had to escape in three small boats and were worried about being captured by a Spanish warship. The three boats were unable to save the entire crew. Just as things were looking particularly bleak, they spotted a nearby Spanish sloop and captured it.
The two grounded ships were salvaged of provisions and then set afire. . the crew escaped in the small boats and sloop. The sloop got to Port Royal, South Carolina and two of the boats made it to safety. Utting was court-martailled, but acquitted.
The key was named after the Looe and the wreck is now part of the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary.
--DaCoot
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