Mysterious Ghost Ship

Ghost ships have been a source of fascination and fear for centuries. These vessels appear to be abandoned, yet they continue to sail on their own, often with no crew or passengers on board. Some believe that these ghost ships are the result of paranormal or supernatural activity, while others attribute their existence to more mundane causes². Let's explore one of the most famous and mysterious ghost ships from history:

### The Infamous Ghost Ship Mary Celeste

The Mary Celeste, a merchant ship, was found abandoned near the Azores Islands in 1872. On November 7, 1872, the American vessel set out on a voyage from New York City to Genoa, Italy. The people aboard included Captain Benjamin Briggs, his wife, their two-year-old daughter, and seven crewmen. The ship’s last entry placed it near the Azores Islands on November 25th. Then, on December 5th, Captain David Morehouse of the British brig Dei Gratia discovered the Mary Celeste abandoned 400 miles east of the Azores.

Eerily, nearly everything seemed to be in good order on the ship, aside from disassembled pumps. The crew’s belongings and a six-month supply of food and water remained in the vessel. Everyone’s clothing was neatly packed away. Although there was about three feet of water in the ship’s hull, it was still seaworthy and did not suffer any serious damage. Captain Morehouse was able to take the Mary Celeste to Gibraltar, where he informed British authorities about the missing crew. Despite an investigation, the crew was never found, and a court declared that it did not suspect foul play.

Over the years, the story of the ghost ship Mary Celeste became legendary. Theories about what happened to the 10 missing passengers ranged from mutiny to wrathful sea monsters. In 2002, documentarian Anne MacGregor and oceanographer Phil Richardson attempted to solve the mystery themselves. Using the data in the captain’s log, they postulated that Captain Briggs had misidentified his location by more than 100 miles. Additionally, they learned that the ship had apparently faced rough seas and winds shortly before the last log entry. A disassembled pump found on the ship led them to believe that Captain Briggs was worried about the amount of seawater in the ship’s hull¹.

The Mary Celeste remains an enduring enigma, haunting the annals of maritime history with its inexplicable abandonment and silent voyage across the open seas.