Mary Celeste

Sailor Steve · 05-01-08, 01:03 PM

I was researching ship names and stumbled across this site:
http://www.ship-wrecks.co.uk/know.html

One of the shipwreck articles was about the Mary Celeste. For anyone who doesn't know, the Mary Celeste is supposedly one of history's great mysteries. The story goes that another ship discovered Mary Celeste adrift, and when they boarded her they found no-one on board, and a half-eaten dinner laid out in the cabin. No-one has ever figured out what might have happened to the people on board, and wild stories have appeared over the years as to their mysterious fate. My personal favorite was an early Doctor Who episode which has them jumping overboard to escapt the Daleks. Anyway, this article clears up a lot of confusion.

Quote:

Contrary to many subsequent stories her boat had gone and it was clear she had been abandoned in a hurry. The Captains chronometer, sextant, Navigation Books and most of the ship's papers were missing...There were no signs of violence and no half-eaten meals on the tables, both fictions which led to extravagant speculation.

STEED · 05-01-08, 01:49 PM

What about the note they left behind?

Gone to lunch back at.................

Bloody Hell, free booze I'm already there.

robbo180265 · 05-01-08, 02:13 PM

I saw a really good programme about this ship recently. Apparently it was carrying American alcohol (1701 barrels of it to be precise). The programme speculated that a spark may have caused a huge fireball that didn't actually burn anything(because only the fumes would have burnt,and burnt quickly). This may have been enough to scare the crew into getting into a smaller boat attactched to the Mary Celeste by a rope.This was standard practice in the event of an onboard fire. Had they not tied the rope properly in their haste to exit, they may have found themselves adrift with no hope of getting back.

Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a story later and changed the name of the ship to the Marie Celeste and thats where all the spooky stuff was added.

Good website
http://www.maryceleste.net/part2.htm

bookworm_020 · 05-01-08, 08:29 PM

Australia has had it's share of real ghost ships in the last 10 - 15 years

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Aim_6

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jian_Seng

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaz_II

baggygreen · 05-01-08, 09:52 PM

Everyone overlooks the obvious with these cases.... its so obviously the aliens that are doing it!

NEON DEON · 05-01-08, 10:32 PM

PIRATES!

Rhodes · 05-02-08, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baggygreen

Everyone overlooks the obvious with these cases.... its so obviously the aliens that are doing it!

Of course, as Sailor Steve said, the Daleks!!!

mrbeast · 05-02-08, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baggygreen

Everyone overlooks the obvious with these cases.... its so obviously the aliens that are doing it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by NEON DEON

PIRATES!

:hmm:
Alien Pirates!

bradclark1 · 05-02-08, 08:30 AM

I was going to say something funny but too many comedian's hit already.

As far as the alcohol fumes fire the heat would have been enough to at least shrivel paint and leave flash marks.

Safe-Keeper · 05-02-08, 08:46 AM

A scenario I heard was that the alcohol somehow scared them enough (fire hazard was one possibility, fumes leaking out was another, I believe) that they went in a dinghy, which they tied to the boat, and decided to ride out the danger there, a safe distance from an eventual explosion or whatever. Then the rope snapped, the boat left them behind, and they drowned.

As worthwhile an explanation as any.

NEON DEON · 05-02-08, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrbeast

Quote:

Originally Posted by baggygreen

Everyone overlooks the obvious with these cases.... its so obviously the aliens that are doing it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by NEON DEON

PIRATES!

:hmm:
Alien Pirates!

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Oh I think you have nailed it!

Dowly · 05-02-08, 11:16 AM

If the ship was carrying alcohol, you really think they'd just leave? Was the stuff ever found? If not, I bet they are on some tropical island, suffering from a HUGE hangover.

TheSatyr · 05-02-08, 07:24 PM

I always believed that the ship that supposedly "found" the Mary Celeste were the ones responsible for the crew being missing. Just a simple act of Piracy and Murder in order to claim salvage rights over the cargo and ship. In fact,I remember reading that during the initial investigation that they considered trying the captain and crew of the other ship with piracy,but didn't have the evidence to back it up.

Etienne · 05-04-08, 01:49 PM

From what I understood, it was generally believed to be an insurance fraud in most circles. Why not just sink the boat, that's beyond my comprehension.

05-01-08, 01:49 PM	#2
STEED Lucky Jack Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Down Town UK Posts: 27,695 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 48	What about the note they left behind? Gone to lunch back at................. Bloody Hell, free booze I'm already there. __________________ Dr Who rest in peace 1963-2017. To borrow Davros saying...I NAME YOU CHIBNALL THE DESTROYER OF DR WHO YOU KILLED IT!

05-01-08, 08:29 PM	#4
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Australia has had it's share of real ghost ships in the last 10 - 15 years http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Aim_6 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jian_Seng http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaz_II __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

05-01-08, 10:32 PM	#6
NEON DEON Ace of the Deep Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 1,207 Downloads: 39 Uploads: 5	PIRATES! __________________ Diesel Boats Forever!

05-02-08, 08:30 AM	#9
bradclark1 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Connecticut, USA. Posts: 2,794 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	I was going to say something funny but too many comedian's hit already. As far as the alcohol fumes fire the heat would have been enough to at least shrivel paint and leave flash marks. __________________

05-02-08, 08:46 AM	#10
Safe-Keeper Ocean Warrior Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Posts: 3,234 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	A scenario I heard was that the alcohol somehow scared them enough (fire hazard was one possibility, fumes leaking out was another, I believe) that they went in a dinghy, which they tied to the boat, and decided to ride out the danger there, a safe distance from an eventual explosion or whatever. Then the rope snapped, the boat left them behind, and they drowned. As worthwhile an explanation as any. __________________ First Strike Mod tester. Hardcore sub skipper.

05-01-08, 02:13 PM	#3
robbo180265 Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brighton, England.Party capital of the south Posts: 2,255 Downloads: 126 Uploads: 0	I saw a really good programme about this ship recently. Apparently it was carrying American alcohol (1701 barrels of it to be precise). The programme speculated that a spark may have caused a huge fireball that didn't actually burn anything(because only the fumes would have burnt,and burnt quickly). This may have been enough to scare the crew into getting into a smaller boat attactched to the Mary Celeste by a rope.This was standard practice in the event of an onboard fire. Had they not tied the rope properly in their haste to exit, they may have found themselves adrift with no hope of getting back. Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a story later and changed the name of the ship to the Marie Celeste and thats where all the spooky stuff was added. Good website http://www.maryceleste.net/part2.htm

05-01-08, 09:52 PM	#5
baggygreen Sea Lord Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canberra, ACT, Down Under (really On Top) Posts: 1,880 Downloads: 7 Uploads: 0	Everyone overlooks the obvious with these cases.... its so obviously the aliens that are doing it!

05-02-08, 11:16 AM	#12
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,052 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	If the ship was carrying alcohol, you really think they'd just leave? Was the stuff ever found? If not, I bet they are on some tropical island, suffering from a HUGE hangover.

05-02-08, 07:24 PM	#13
TheSatyr Captain Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 545 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I always believed that the ship that supposedly "found" the Mary Celeste were the ones responsible for the crew being missing. Just a simple act of Piracy and Murder in order to claim salvage rights over the cargo and ship. In fact,I remember reading that during the initial investigation that they considered trying the captain and crew of the other ship with piracy,but didn't have the evidence to back it up.

05-04-08, 01:49 PM	#14
Etienne Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 695 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	From what I understood, it was generally believed to be an insurance fraud in most circles. Why not just sink the boat, that's beyond my comprehension.