The ghost of the Mary Celeste, A merchant’s vessel sailed around the world, and then on its final voyage back to England from Italy the Mary Celeste was abandoned by all the souls leaving no trace proof to this day that they ever existed.
Located adrift in the Atlantic Ocean in 1872, the vessel had no answered cause of events, and disappeared without a trace, moving almost like a lifeless ghost ship. The mystery of this mysterious episode has given rise to numerous conspiracy theories as to the fate of the crew. This blog will explore the background history of Mary Celeste, the events leading up to the abandonment of the crew, and some of the theories that have been put forward to explain this infamous mystery.
The Mary Celeste’s Early Years
The Mary Celeste was constructed in 1861 in New York City as the Dei Gratia. The 94-foot-long ship has a 400-ton cargo capacity. Through the years, the ship went through various names, finally being called the Mary Celeste in 1868. Among its early assignments, it was used to carry general cargo or goods between the United States and Europe.
The Fateful Voyage
The Mary Celeste left New York City on November 5, 1872, destined for Genoa, Italy, with a shipment of 1,700 barrels of commercial alcohol. Seven persons and a crew of the following names were all lost: Captain Benjamin S. Briggs, wife Sarah A., and child Sophia M. Bray, Albert G. The trip was estimated to take approximately 30 days.
The Discovery
After sailing for more than a month, between November 5 and December 5, 1872, the British vessel “Dei Gratia” sighted the “Mary Celeste” along the way, also on its way between New York and Genoa. The boat saw the Mary Celeste drifting miles away with no visible life on board… When the Dei Gratia’s captain, David Morehouse hailed Mary Celeste, no one responded, the ship was on sale, so the Captain sent a boat to go investigate, when his boarding party arrived at Mary Celeste, they found the vessel abandoned and adrift. All of the ship’s sails were also found unfurled and its anchor was still up, which could suggest the crew fled their ship in a hurry.
The Abandonment
On closer examination, the crew of the Dei Gratia found the Mary Celeste to be in a rudderless state. The ship’s logbook and navigation instruments were still in place and there were no signs of violence or any scuffle. On board, crew members’ clothing and personal effects were still in place. The only hint at the vanishing of the crew was a lifeboat that was released into the water and lowered with metals but was not fully loaded and did not contain any signs of panic.
The Investigation
An inquiry was subsequently opened into the reasons behind the abandonment of Mary Celeste. It was presumed that the ship’s log and navigational instruments would be of help, but the logbook contained nothing of significance, nor did the personal effects of the crew give any hint of what might have happened to the crew. The inquiry found that the Mary Celeste was encountering heavy weather, with winds over 35 mph during its voyage, but there did not appear to have been any emergency among the crew.
Theories and Speculations
Over the years, several theories have been put forth to account for the crew appearing to flee the Mary Celeste. A few of the most common theories are:
- Mutiny: Crew may have mutinied, and abandoned the ship, perhaps over disagreements on ship’s course or crew treatment.
- Pirate Attack: Another theory on the disappearance of the Mary Celeste is that pirates attacked the once unmanned ship and took over the vessel, either killing or kidnapping the crew and stealing the cargo.
- Act of God: Others have theorized that the Mary Celeste ran aground in a hurricane or a storm and her crew took to the life rafts for safety, never to be seen again.
- Abandonment Because of Illness: One more is the crew abandoned the ship for illness or injury, some are presumed to have been ill and, not wanting to infect others, made for land as soon as it was in sight.
- A Ghost Ship: Some speculate the crew members were spooked out of their wits by a malevolent supernatural entity so Mary Celeste got abandoned.
Conclusion
Mary Celeste Abandonment – The Ghost ShipMary Celeste’s abandonment is a fact that remains the most enduring maritime mystery of all time. Although many investigations and theories have explained the disappearance of the crew, the exact cause shall never be known. The world never heard an answer to that question, and the story of Mary Celeste has no doubt fueled the imaginations of writers, filmmakers, and artists alike, inspiring countless books, films, and other fictional tales. This process of peeling back the layers of the story of Mary Celeste should serve as a lesson about the might of the ocean and the secrets hidden below.
Additional Resources
- The Mary Celeste: A Study in Mystery by Arthur H. Clark (1931)
- The Mary Celeste: The Greatest Maritime Mystery of All Time by Brian Hicks (2012)