Some boats are famous for their record, their beauty, their technology, their size, but others are exceptional for the mystery that surrounds them. 150 years ago, the Mary Celeste was found wandering on the Atlantic Ocean, without any of its crew on board. No one ever figured out her mystery.
A promising start to his career
The vessel was a brigantine built in Nova Scotia in 1861. With a length of 30 meters, she began her career crossing the Atlantic to London and the Mediterranean, and sailing in the West Indies under the name of Amazon . The ship's luck changed when it was driven ashore during a storm and suffered extensive damage.
A second chance
However, after several changes of hands, the ship became the property of a consortium led by James H. Winchester and in which Captain Benjamin Briggs held shares. Major work was undertaken to refurbish the brigantine and increase its tonnage. L' Amazon then disappears in favor of the Mary Celeste .
An Atlantic crossing in perspective
On November 7, 1872, the Mary Celeste began its crossing of the Atlantic to reach Genoa. On board, the ship was carrying a cargo of denatured alcohol, i.e. ethanol unfit for consumption.
Captain Benjamin Briggs, co-owner of the ship, took command of the vessel. He carefully selected his crew, all experienced sailors. He also took his wife and daughter with him, but left his son on land.
Shortly after leaving New York Harbor, another ship, the Dei Gratia takes the sea to Gibraltar, following a route similar to the Mary Celeste . It is commanded by Captain Morehouse, known to Captain Briggs.
The mysterious discovery
Almost a month later, on December 4, 1872, the Dei Gratia locates the Mary Celeste halfway between the Azores and Portugal. Since her crew was not responding to any signals and the ship was behaving strangely, Commander Morehouse sent men on board.
They discover a ghost ship completely abandoned. There is no longer a living soul on board. The last information written in the ship's log dates back to ten days ago. However, the crew's belongings are in their place, in order. The cargo of alcohol is still on board.
However, some of the ship's papers and Captain Briggs' navigation instruments are missing. The rowboat is also missing.
The ship itself, although it has suffered, can still sail. Her sails and rigging are in poor condition and the hold is flooded with more than a meter of water, but this does not endanger a ship of this size. Where are all the crew members, Captain Briggs, his wife and daughter?
The rescue of the ship
Captain Morehouse decides to take the Mary Celeste in Gibraltar. He split his crew in two and sent some of his men on board the brigantine. This rescue should bring him a nice reward according to the laws of the sea. This is how the Mary Celeste arrived in Gibraltar on December 13, 1872.
The authorities open an investigation to try to understand what could have happened on board the ghost ship.
A complete mystery
Despite the investigation, no theory was put forward to explain the complete disappearance of the entire crew. Attorney General Frederick Solly Flood suspected the captain of the Dei Gratia for having the crew of the Mary Celeste to collect the reward for a so-called rescue.
James H. Winchester, the principal owner of the ship was also accused of attempting to commit insurance fraud. Some thought it was pirates.
However, none of these hypotheses are consistent with the absence of any signs of violence on board the ship. Similarly, the theory of alcohol abuse leading to mass insanity does not hold since the cargo was ethanol, unfit for consumption.
The most far-fetched ideas have been put forward: attack by a giant squid, abduction by aliens, mystical madness of the captain who would have killed everyone before committing suicideâeuros¦
Other more realistic hypotheses have been formulated. The occurrence of a rare natural phenomenon such as a waterspout or a strong underwater earthquake that could have prompted the captain to leave the ship. Or the propagation of highly flammable alcohol vapour, which could have caused the ship to explode. Or the fear of a reef towards which the ship was drifting.
Lots of ink and stories
The case of the Mary Celeste remained unanswered. Famous authors, such as Conan Doyle and Laurence J. Keating, wrote stories about it, which were presented in their time as the real history of the brigantine.
Even today, 150 years after the fact, the mysterious story of the disappearance of the crew members of the Mary Celeste always fascinates.
