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Ghost Ship Mary Celeste: The 150 Year Mystery

Part-Time Explorer・2 minutes read

The Mary Celeste, a ship with a mysterious history, was found adrift with no crew, leading to various theories about its abandonment. The ship's subsequent history involved intentional wrecking, insurance fraud, and tragic deaths, adding more layers to its enigmatic story.

Insights

  • The fate of the captain, his family, and seven other crewmen aboard the Mary Celeste remains a mystery, as they vanished without a trace, leaving behind personal belongings, beds slept in but not made, and an up-to-date ship's log until November 24th, indicating a sudden and unexplained departure.
  • The intentional wrecking of the Mary Celeste by Captain Parker led to legal consequences, including the loss of insurance money and untimely deaths of those involved, highlighting the tragic and mysterious history surrounding the ship, further compounded by subsequent incidents and investigations.

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Recent questions

  • What happened to the crew of the Mary Celeste?

    They vanished without a trace.

  • Who built the Mary Celeste?

    Joshua Dewas.

  • Why was the Mary Celeste abandoned?

    Due to toxic fumes from alcohol cargo.

  • What happened to the crew of the Dei Gratia?

    They found the Mary Celeste adrift.

  • What led to the intentional wrecking of the Mary Celeste?

    Insurance fraud scheme.

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Summary

00:00

Mystery of Mary Celeste: Vanishing Crew

  • On December 13th, 1872, the Mary Celeste, a notorious vessel, arrived at Gibraltar with only three crew members after being salvaged from the sailing ship Dei Gratia.
  • The fate of the captain, his family, and seven other crewmen aboard the Mary Celeste remains a mystery, as they vanished without a trace.
  • The disappearance of ships, like the Pacific and the neuronic, is not uncommon, but the complete vanishing of a crew without signs of struggle is rare.
  • The story of the Mary Celeste has been retold numerous times, but for its 150th anniversary, a recount of the true story is being presented, delving into original source material.
  • The shipbuilding heritage of the Bay of Fundy, known for extreme tides, birthed over a thousand ships, including the Mary Celeste, built by Joshua Dewas in 1860.
  • Spencer's Island, where the Mary Celeste was built, offered protection from storms and abundant timber, with the Spicers investing in Dewas' shipbuilding venture.
  • The Amazon, later known as the Mary Celeste, was the first vessel built at Spencer's Island, launched successfully with festivities and no mishaps.
  • The Amazon, a brigantine rigged ship, was 99 feet long, 25.5 feet wide, with a gross tonnage of 198.5 tons, setting sail under Captain Robert McClellan.
  • Captain McClellan's untimely death due to pneumonia led to Captain Jack Parker taking over, navigating the ship through various voyages, including a collision with a British brig.
  • The Amazon's tumultuous journey continued with ownership changes, wrecks, and legal disputes, ultimately leading to its abandonment and sale at public auction in New York.

16:17

Mystery of the Abandoned Mary Celeste

  • The Amazon was renamed the Mary Celeste by its new owner, James Winchester, who claimed to have extensively repaired the ship, spending more than twice its original construction cost.
  • Winchester discovered the ship was in dire need of a rebuild, costing $11,500, significantly more than the $8-9,000 claimed by the previous owner.
  • The Mary Celeste's tonnage increased from 198 to 282 tons after a thorough overhaul by Winchester, who then sold a third interest to Captain Benjamin Briggs.
  • Captain Briggs, his family, and a crew of seven, including two Prussian brothers, set sail from New York City to Genoa, Italy, carrying 1701 barrels of alcohol.
  • The Mary Celeste was towed off Staten Island due to rough weather, with the Briggs family making the ship their home while preparing for the voyage.
  • The de Gratia, a similar vessel, departed Hoboken a week after the Mary Celeste, captained by David Morehouse, a rumored friend of Captain Briggs.
  • The de Gratia crew discovered the Mary Celeste adrift, with no one on board, tattered sails, and water in the hold, indicating a hasty departure.
  • Personal belongings of the crew were left behind, beds were slept in but not made, and the ship's log was up to date until November 24th.
  • The de Gratia crew, excited about potential salvage rewards, left the Mary Celeste in the command of their first mate, Devoe, who quickly made the ship seaworthy again.
  • Investigators found no signs of struggle or foul play on the Mary Celeste, leading to various theories, including murder or a planned ambush by the de Gratia crew, none of which were substantiated.

32:26

Mystery of the Marie Celeste Ship

  • The ship in question was the Marie Celeste, not Mary Celeste, and various theories have been proposed regarding its mysterious abandonment.
  • The ship was loaded with 1701 barrels of alcohol in New York and encountered rough storms in the Atlantic, leading to fumes building up in the cargo hold.
  • Captain Briggs likely made the decision to abandon the ship due to the toxic fumes, putting his family and crew in a small boat and distancing themselves from the ship.
  • The crew of the abandoned ship faced rough weather conditions, causing the ship to drift and eventually be found flooded by another vessel, the Dei Gratia.
  • The crew of the Dei Gratia was paid a salvage fee for finding the abandoned ship, and investigations into the incident led to various theories and claims.
  • The ship, despite being abandoned, did not sink, and its subsequent history involved multiple unfortunate incidents and intentional wrecking schemes.
  • The final intentional wrecking of the ship by Captain Parker led to the loss of the ship's logbook and subsequent legal repercussions for the owner and crew.
  • The insurance company saw through the intentional wrecking scheme, leading to the return of insurance money and legal consequences for those involved.
  • The owner, captain, and first mate involved in the intentional wrecking of the ship all met untimely deaths within six months of the incident.
  • Two vessels chartered for the investigation and destruction of the ship were lost with all on board after the conclusion of the trial, adding to the mysterious and tragic history of the Marie Celeste.

48:51

Shipwreck Artifacts at Age of Sail Museum

  • Artifacts from the Clive Cussler wreck, including deck nails and copper chafing, found embedded in the same reef as the Mary Celeste off Haiti, can be viewed at the Age of Sail Museum in Port Graville, Nova Scotia. The museum, located near Spencer's Island where the ship was built, showcases shipbuilding artifacts and exhibits, with a dedicated display of the Mary Celeste, offering a unique off-the-beaten-path excursion in Nova Scotia.
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