Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs Podcast

SS Vestris sailing in calm waters with black smoke coming from its single funnel.

Crew and passengers wearing lifebelts while struggling to stand on the listing ship.

SS Vestris of the Lamport and Holt Line was carrying 129 passengers,197 crew plus cargo on Nov 11, 1928, bound for Barbados from New York. While off the coast of Virginia she ran into heavy weather and large waves flooded her boat deck, washing away two lifeboats. (1/7)🧵

#maritimehistory #history

The life of a sailor is filled with perils.

Multiple survivors reported Licorish’s heroism. Survivor Alfredo Ramos described him as “the only member of the crew who exerted himself on our behalf.” (7/7)🧵

Using a flashlight he sent Morse code messages and rowed the lifeboat to a rescue ship. Licorish later said, he “would never like for anybody at all in the world to experience” what he had gone through that night, and he personally “would never like to experience it again” either. (6/7)🧵

After entering the water he found a pair of oars and a sail, and labored for 14 hours to keep the lifeboat afloat in rough conditions. Swimming in shark-infested waters he rescued an additional 16 to 20 people. (5/7)🧵

The actions of Lionel Licorish, a 23-year-old black sailor from Barbados, were nothing short of heroic. Licorish unfastened an extra lifeboat so it would float free when the ship sank. (4/7)🧵

The ship was abandoned about 300 miles off Hampton Roads and sank at 2 p.m on Nov 12. Survivors in lifeboats were picked up by the vessels American Shipper, Miriam, Berlin, and the USS Wyoming. 112 perished, including Capt. Carey. (3/7)🧵

Newspaper clipping describing the heroic actions of Lincoln Licorish.

Captain W.J. Carey in his white uniform.

Her ballast tanks had not been pumped out prior to departing, the ship was overloaded with extra cargo, and already had stability issues. Despite listing severely and unable to recover, Capt. W.J. Carey waited until the following day to send an S.O.S call. (2/7)🧵

SS Vestris sailing in calm waters with black smoke coming from its single funnel.

Crew and passengers wearing lifebelts while struggling to stand on the listing ship.

SS Vestris of the Lamport and Holt Line was carrying 129 passengers,197 crew plus cargo on Nov 11, 1928, bound for Barbados from New York. While off the coast of Virginia she ran into heavy weather and large waves flooded her boat deck, washing away two lifeboats. (1/7)🧵

#maritimehistory #history

Yarmouth Castle Burning The Deadliest Passenger Ship Disaster off the Coast of the United States Since 1934

New episode! The Yarmouth Castle sank on Nov 13, 1965 after burning out of control while on a short cruise from Miami to Nassau. Authors of "Yarmouth Castle Burning," Captains Eric Takakjian and Randall Peffer join me.

www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/95

#maritimehistory #history #shipwreck

McSorley and several others were going to retire after that voyage and The Fitz was going to get a significant turnover of crew. Plus this last voyage was an extra run it wasn't originally scheduled to make.

YouTube video by Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs Podcast Yarmouth Castle Burning with Randall Peffer and Eric Takakjian

Also available on YouTube:
youtu.be/emJATv790Xk

Yarmouth Castle Burning The Deadliest Passenger Ship Disaster off the Coast of the United States Since 1934

New episode! The Yarmouth Castle sank on Nov 13, 1965 after burning out of control while on a short cruise from Miami to Nassau. Authors of "Yarmouth Castle Burning," Captains Eric Takakjian and Randall Peffer join me.

www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/95

#maritimehistory #history #shipwreck

Incredible story, thank you for sharing this. I'm going to add it to my list of episodes to do for the future.

I'm sorry for your loss. It is very important to me that I tell these stories from maritime history with respect to those who were lost.

Thank you, yes. At the end of the episode I include the name and position of each crewman. The YouTube version has photos of each of them.❤️

Thank you for listening.😊 I haven't been to the museum but I hope to some day.

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - 50th Anniversary The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Lake Superior on Nov. 10, 1975.

On this day exactly 50 years ago, 29 men perished when the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, "The Mighty Fitz," sank in Lake Superior during a terrible November gale. I am re-releasimg Ep. 33 of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs to commemorate this milestone.

shipwrecksandseadogs.com/fitz50

#edmundfitzgerald #history

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - 50th Anniversary The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Lake Superior on Nov. 10, 1975.

On this day exactly 50 years ago, 29 men perished when the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, "The Mighty Fitz," sank in Lake Superior during a terrible November gale. I am re-releasimg Ep. 33 of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs to commemorate this milestone.

shipwrecksandseadogs.com/fitz50

#edmundfitzgerald #history

Book cover of Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The bulk cargo ship is depicted in a violent storm.

There has been lots of buzz lately about the 50th anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald's sinking. I'll be re-running my episode about the Fitz on Nov 10, but also I'll be interviewing John U. Bacon about his new book "Gales of November" for an early December episode release.

#EdmundFitzgerald

Book cover of Yarmouth Castle Burning showing a ship on fire at night with another ship nearby.

I just finished reading Yarmouth Castle Burning by Eric Takakjian and Randall Peffer. Wow. Outstanding! I interviewed them both for the next episode of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, coming Nov 11th.

#maritimehistory #history #podcast #shipwreck

You are the feed tagging master.😊

Rosalind Franklin at her microscope

Raising a glass for Rosalind Franklin tonight. James Watson absolutely did her dirty.

But beware...

Book cover of Yarmouth Castle Burning showing a ship on fire at night with another ship nearby.

I just finished reading Yarmouth Castle Burning by Eric Takakjian and Randall Peffer. Wow. Outstanding! I interviewed them both for the next episode of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, coming Nov 11th.

#maritimehistory #history #podcast #shipwreck

Just read this! I will be interviewing Mr. Bacon later this month for an upcoming episode of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs.

Wow. This guy is nothing short of a ghoul.

It's mostly gone, and what is left of the keil and ribs are mostly under the sand.

Thank you so much, wow! 😊

Yes, I don't have specific numbers but I know new ones were launched in 2024.