Ep 11. The Ghost Ship of New England
- July 29, 2003
- 45 min
In Deep Sea Detectives season 1 episode 11, titled "The Ghost Ship of New England," the viewer is transported back to the late 1800s, when timber-laden ships transported their goods from the dense forests of Maine down to the urban centers of the East Coast. Among these vessels was the Carroll A. Deering, a five-masted schooner that set sail from Norfolk, Virginia, in August of 1920, carrying a crew of 11 men. The ship was bound for Rio de Janeiro, where it was to pick up a shipment of coal destined for Europe.
However, the Carroll A. Deering never arrived. In January of 1921, the ship was found beached off the coast of Hatteras, North Carolina, with no crew on board. The ship's log book was missing, as were several lifeboats, and the ship's engines were still running. It was a mysterious and eerie discovery that left investigators baffled.
In "The Ghost Ship of New England," the Deep Sea Detectives team sets out to unravel the mystery of what happened to the Carroll A. Deering and its crew. As they delve into the investigation, they discover that the ship had been experiencing some mechanical problems before it departed, including a leak in its propeller shaft that required repairs. But despite these issues, the ship and its crew set out on their voyage, hoping to make it to Rio de Janeiro and back without incident.
As the detectives investigate further, they uncover evidence that suggests foul play may have been involved. One crew member was known to have had an argument with the captain before the ship set sail, and there were reports of a foreign vessel seen near the Deering around the time it disappeared. Could the crew have been hijacked by pirates or smugglers? Were they victims of foul play at the hands of one of their own?
The detectives follow the clues and the evidence, traveling to Maine and other parts of New England to piece together the story of what happened to the Carroll A. Deering. With the help of experts in maritime history and navigation, they recreate the ship's final journey, attempting to understand how it could have ended up beached on the shores of North Carolina without any explanation.
"The Ghost Ship of New England" is a captivating and suspenseful episode of Deep Sea Detectives, full of intrigue and mystery. Viewers will be on the edge of their seats as they follow the detectives' investigation, trying to uncover the truth of what happened to the crew of the Carroll A. Deering. As the team delves deeper into the story, they reveal a tale of danger, betrayal, and ultimately, tragedy.