The Sea Of Lost Ships
Many US warships are listed missing by the US Navy between 1780 and 1824, including the General Gates, Hornet, Insurgent, Pickering, Wasp, Wildcat and Expervier. Her disappearance in 1815 delayed the closing of the War of 1812. She carried the peace proposal on board.
The Rosalie was indeed a real ship. She was built in 1838 of 222 tons of wood. In 1840 she was found deserted but in ship shape near the Bahamas. She was not the Rossini.
Ellen Austin was also a real ship. And her encounter with an unnamed deserted vessel in 1881 in the Triangle is based on reliable witnesses.
Dozens vanished in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Only now are some details beginning to emerge. Santa Rita is just one example.
Timandra is another example.(1917)
The Cyclops is perhaps the most famous of the early 20th century disappearances. She vanished in March 1918 with 309 men aboard. She is the Navy’s “greatest mystery of the sea.”
Cotopaxi. Storm warnings had already been hauled down before she sent her last enigmatic message. She vanished without trace on December 1, 1925.
Suduffco was sailing the busy route to Panama, but no ship ever found a trace of her. (1926)
The tramp Anglo Australian signaled “all well” before she vanished in 1938. Captain Parslow was in command of 34 men.
Same for Samkey . She signaled “all well” where the Anglo had been. Her next call in time was when she would be entering the Triangle. She vanished without trace, Janaury 1948.
Sandra vanished along her course to Puerto Cabello, Venesuela from Savannah, Georgia, 1950.
More mystery continues to pop up regarding Southern Districts. She vanished long before foul weather set in off the capes, December 1954.
Home Sweet Home disappeared in a matter of seconds, between her call to Bermuda and their answer.(1955)
All-weather racing Yawl Revonoc, Janaury 1958. The waters were choppy, but her little dinghy survived to be found on a the beach--yet yacht vanished without trace.
Schooner Bounty, January 1958, in the short distance between Miami and Bimini. So many have vanished here without trace.
Only now are hints of the large number of boats missing in the 1950s emerging. Americans took advantage of a bustling economy and took to sea . . . many of them vanished without any reason in some of the finest Chris Craft of the day. About a dozen were missing each year.
Ethel C, and Callista III, Evangeline are only a few that vanished in 1960, 1961, and 1962. Ethel C left Virginia, Callista III was en route to the Bahamas, and Evangeline was off Florida.
Windfall vanished in 1962 as well, en route to Bermuda.
Marine Sulphur Queen is a classic case of mystery, acrimony and sadness. The official report dispels the mystery. (1963)
Snoboy’s 2 life boats were found intact, one right side up . . . but empty. None of her 25 + passengers were found. (1963)
Dancing Feathers disappeared en route to the Bahamas, 1964
Enchantress, 1958. She had time to signal a sudden wind had hit her. No trace remained.
El Gato went missing en route to Puerto Rico, 1965
Witchcraft . . . she is a classic of mystery. She was unsinkable and only at the harbor entrance. Yet she vanished within 19 minutes between her call to the Coast Guard and their arrival on scene. 1967
The lighthouse is fine, but the government is missing its 2 keepers. 1969.
El Caribe. Silently she vanished just 2 days from port in Santo Domingo. She sent no Mayday and no EPIRB signal was transmitted.
Saba Bank. She got a lot of publicity, but she is probably typical of the 20 that vanished in 1974.
Dutch Treat vanished off Florida in 1975; Meridian en route to Bermuda. At the same time, some small boats were found splattered with blood off Florida. The occupant’s clothes, money and personal belongings were found. But there was no sign of anyone.
High Flight vanished in 1976 in the narrow corridor between Miami and Bimini.
L’Avenir disappeared en route to Bermuda in 1977
Sylvia L. Ossa. A mammoth of mystery, a 590 foot vessel gone near Bermuda. (1976)
Hawarden Bridge also turned up derelict in 1978, missing her 5 crew off the West Indies.
Kalia III. Blood, maggots,murder and a deserted vessel. A touch of the macabre.1980
The s.s. Poet. 11,000 tons of mystery -- gone without trace. 1980
Polymer III, while cruising the Bahamas in 1980.
Sea Lure . . . while in a fishing fleet en route to the fishing grounds ,later turned up swamped and deserted.(1983)
Real Fine, 1984, a sports fisherman in the Bahamas.
Mae Doris, fishing vessel, after leaving Cape May for her fishing grounds. (1992)
Inter-island freighter, Jamanic K, 1995, Bahamas. Genesis was another small freighter, missing in 1999.
Intrepid, off Fort Pierce, Florida, 1996.
Tropic Bird, 2000, found deserted off the West Indies. It happened suddenly. The log entry was interrupted. She was only one of several derelicts that have turned up in the last few years.
A host of missing,possibly missing, and “unknowns” for 1999-2001. An example of what it takes to determine if a boat is “really” missing.
