Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs

On the 9th of June, 1727, the Dutch East India Company vessel Zeewijk wrecked on Half Moon Reef of the Houtman Abrolhos, off the coast of Western Australia. The ship was not immediately destroyed and many of the ship's supplies were salvaged and brought to a small nearby coral island, later named Gun Island. After 9 months stranded on the island, the remaining survivors remarkably built a boat out...

Salty Science are Chantale Bégin, Isabelle Côté Noelle Helder, and Lauren Shea, and all four of them are marine scientists. In December of 2023, they rowed across the Atlantic Ocean as part of The World's Toughest Row. They finished first in the women's division, and overall 7th out of 38 teams, finishing in front of many of the men's teams as well. Their objective was to raise money and awareness...

For ad-free listening to Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs and many other fantastic history podcasts, subscribe to Into History, at IntoHistory.com/shipwreckspod. The General Slocum shipwreck occurred on June 15, 1904, when the passenger steamboat caught fire while cruising along the East River in New York City. Carrying over 1,300 passengers, primarily members of the German-American community on an annual...

Subscribe to Into History for ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Get access to this, and many more history podcasts. Subscribe at IntoHistory.com/shipwreckspod. PJ Ornot is a retired United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer, having served 24 years in the service. PJ was stationed in many locations throughout his career including North Carolina, Louisiana, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Florida....

On March 26, 2024, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland was struck by the container ship MV Dali. The bridge completely collapsed moments later. Eight construction workers were on the bridge at the time. Although two men were rescued, six are missing and presumed dead. In this episode, I provide a timeline of events leasing to the disaster, including clips from the police radio. I also provide...

The creator of the Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs original theme music, Sean Sigfried, joins me to talk about how we first interacted, the creation of the theme song, and his achievements. You'll also hear a few clips of some of his other compositions. And, in a strange twist, he winds up interviewing me! Please follow Sean Sigfried on social media @SeanSecret or visit his website at seansigfried.com. Wr...

The French shipwreck Medusa, which took place in 1816 off the coast of Mauritania, remains one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history. The vessel, carrying French officials, soldiers, and settlers to Senegal, ran aground due to navigational errors and negligence. Among the survivors, those left on a makeshift raft endured harrowing conditions, including starvation, dehydration, and res...

The French shipwreck Medusa, which took place in 1816 off the coast of Mauritania, remains one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history. The vessel, carrying French officials, soldiers, and settlers to Senegal, ran aground due to navigational errors and negligence. Among the survivors, those left on a makeshift raft endured harrowing conditions, including starvation, dehydration, and res...

From Airship, the studio behind American Scandal, American History Tellers, and History Daily, comes a new true crime history podcast that takes you inside the minds of some of our most notorious felons and outlaws, exploring the dark side to the American dream. The debut season tackles one of the country’s most sensational cases: The Menendez Murders. In 1989, Lyle and Erik Menendez brutally shot...

The Vasa was a massive warship commissioned by King Gustav II Adolph of Sweden in the early 17th century. Designed to be the pride of the Swedish Navy, construction began in 1626 at the Royal Shipyard in Stockholm, under the supervision of master shipwright Henrik Hybertsson. The Vasa was intended to be a symbol of Sweden's military power and ambition in the Baltic region, with a total of 64 guns...

The Steamship Pulaski was an American steam packet that exploded on June 14, 1838, 40 miles off the coast of North Carolina. The explosion occurred around 11 PM, while the ship was traveling from Charleston, South Carolina to Baltimore, Maryland. The explosion caused the ship to break in two and sink within an hour, killing 128 people and saving about 66. Survivor Rebecca Lamar published an accoun...

The sinking of the SS El Faro on October 1, 2015 was a devastating maritime disaster that occurred during Hurricane Joaquin. The American cargo ship, owned by TOTE Maritime, was en route from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it encountered the powerful hurricane, leading to a distress call reporting a hull breach and severe listing. All 33 crew members tragically lost their li...

Real, modern-day pirate Capt. Tonz has led an adventurous and dangerous life on the seas, and has many stories to tell. From a young age, Capt. Tonz struck out on his own as a mariner and learned the tricks of his trade. Capt. Tonz gives us a little taste of his life-story, and you can hear the rest on his own podcast, Original Pirate Material. Visit https://www.captaintonz.com for more. Written,...

The SS Atlantic disaster occurred on April 1, 1873, when the British steamship SS Atlantic, carrying over 900 passengers and crew, struck rocks off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. The ship was en route from Liverpool, England, to New York City but faced severe weather conditions and navigational errors that led to its tragic demise. The impact caused the vessel to quickly sink, resulting in the...

Join Into History for ad-free listening and other great perks. The Franklin Expedition of 1845 was a British voyage led by Sir John Franklin in an attempt to navigate the Northwest Passage, a coveted sea route through the Arctic. Comprising two ships, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, the expedition aimed to explore uncharted territories but tragically ended in disaster. The ships became trapped in i...

In 1940, after Nazi Germany's Western Europe invasion, France capitulated and became a puppet state, while Britain stood alone against Germany. Concerned about the French Naval fleet surrendering to Germany, Britain proposed an ultimatum to Vichy France, leading to a breakdown in their alliance. The events led to intense battles at Mers-El-Kebir and Dakar involving leading military figures of the...

The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an American Great Lakes freighter that sank in Lake Superior during a storm on November 10, 1975. The ship's crew of 29 men were all lost. She was the largest ship on North America's Great Lakes when it was launched on June 7, 1958. It remains the largest ship to have sunk in the Great Lakes. The Fitzgerald's mysterious demise inspired Gordon Lightfoot's hit song “The...

Bonus episode! American Revolution Podcast by Michael Troy. British Admiral Augustus Keppel and French Admiral Louis Guillouet, the comte d'Orvilliers lead fleets into the Atlantic. Each hope to destroy the other's fleet. After a relatively inconclusive battle at sea both battered fleets return to port. Disputes between top officers end careers on both sides. British Admirals Keppel and Palliser c...

In 1909, the RMS Republic of the White Star Line was struck by the SS Florida, and sank off Nantucket in the North Atlantic. It was rumored to be carrying a large quantity of gold, silver, and other valuables, but none of it has been found. Maritime writer James B. Connolly happened to be on board the ship, and he went to great lengths to get his articles about the accident published. Descendant o...

August 1903. The famous Annie Oakley is arrested in Chicago for theft, a crime committed in order to obtain money to fuel her cocaine habit. And what a headline that made. America’s original sweetheart, the tiny sharpshooter who once entertained kings and queens, now reduced to petty thievery. Wasn’t long before newspapers throughout the country began to report on this fall from grace. Enter in Wi...

The crew of the D/V Tenacious returns to the Andrea Doria with a team of Italian divers to record the condition of the wreck from bow to stern. Italian divers Andrea Murdock Alpini, David D'Anna, and Marco Setti make an emotional dive to the legendary ship that was once the pride of Italy. Jenn Sellitti of D/V Tenacious is my guest. Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes ca...

A bonus episode of History Daily, hosted by Lindsay Graham. Robert Smalls, born in 1839, was an enslaved African American in South Carolina. In 1862, during the American Civil War, Smalls commandeered a Confederate transport ship, the CSS Planter, and sailed it to the Union blockade, delivering vital intelligence to the Union forces. Smalls went on to serve as a naval officer in the Union Navy, be...

Pirate historian and enthusiast Captain Marrow joins me to talk all things Blackbeard. Blackbeard, whose real name is thought to be Edward Teach, was one of the most infamous and feared pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century. He was known for his imposing appearance, with a long black beard and slow-match fuses burning under his hat, creating a terrifying image. Blackbeard's...

Mata Hari fit society’s profile of a female spy so perfectly: beautiful, seductive, and duplicitous. That’s why the Germans, and the British, and the French all thought she must actually be a spy. Even when they couldn’t find any evidence of it. Here is the story of a woman who had many faults, but almost certainly not the one she was executed for. Hosted by Lori Davis. Written, edited, and produc...

In December 2023, the women of the Salty Science team will row 3000 miles unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean, participating in the "World's Toughest Row." Starting in the Canary Islands and ending at Antigua, they will row unsupported and be completely self-sufficient. They have committed their lives to understanding the threats facing our oceans and are raising money for three amazing organiza...