The discoveries of Shackleton's T Endurance and, even more recently, HMS Gloucester are a reminder of the rich history and folklore that lurks beneath our keels.
Indeed, according to history.co.uk, there are over 40,000 wrecks in British waters alone, each with its own unique story of the time it sailed in, those who sailed her and the way she met her end. But let's not limit ourselves to our small corner of the globe; here's our pick of the world's most interesting wrecks. What are their stories, and what makes them so interesting? Moreover, what can the wrecks tell us about the mariners of the day who sailed aboard them.
1 Mary Rose, sunk 1545, Hampshire, UK
Why so Interesting? Probably the most extensively excavated marine archaeology project of all time, the wreck of the Mary Rose has yielded over 26,000 artefacts. Each is a unique insight into life aboard a Man'o'War nearly 500 years ago.
History: One of the great ships-of-the-line commissioned by Henry VIII after coming to the throne in 1510, she was also regarded as his favourite. She sunk in 1545 after sailing out of Portsmouth to tackle a French fleet under Admiral Claude d'Annebault. Heavily burdened with extra cannon, she fired a broadside at the French before turning and dipping her open starboard cannon ports below the waterline. The Mary Rose sank with the loss of over 450 lives.
Unsuccessful recovery attempts were made in 1836, but the 1982 project met with greater success, and the Mary Rose was raised. The ship has become a huge time capsule, with the recovered artefacts offering unique insights into the life of regular seamen in the 16th century, and the belongings of the crew themselves describing the make-up of a Tudor ship's crew in incredible detail, from the tools of the ship's carpenter, to the contents of the doctor's medicine chest.
This story is from the September 2022 edition of Practical Boat Owner.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2022 edition of Practical Boat Owner.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Orca sink yacht in Strait of Gibraltar
Spain's maritime rescue service, Salvamento Maritimo, has reported that a 15m (49ft) yacht sank in Moroccan waters in the Strait of Gibraltar following interaction with a pod of orca.
No kill cord or lifejackets were worn during fatal powerboat crash
A kill cord and lifejacket are useless unless worn-that's the warning from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), following its investigation into a powerboat crash that killed a 32-year-old woman and five-year-old girl on 2 October 2022.
Multihull sail work
Brush up on multihull sailing skills before heading off on charter with Gavin Le Sueur's guide to spinnaker handling, tacking and gybing
Five top causes of engine failure and how to prevent them
Jake Kavanagh talks to Sea Start marine engineer Nick Eales about how to avoid the five major causes of an engine breakdown at sea
Sail the Atlantic with strangers
Would you sail across the Atlantic with someone you've just met? Ali Wood meets the cruising crews who've done just that
IZIBoat: simple sailing
Rupert Holmes sails an innovative catamaran design intended to widen participation in sailing among those with little time to get on the water in more conventional craft
30 WAYS TO GET AFLOAT
From tall ships to small dinghies, you needn't own a boat to sail. Ali Wood looks at the options, and how skippers can also find crew
Boats for restoring under £20,000
Duncan Kent picks the best sub-35ft sail and power boats to look for when aiming to undertake a restoration on a budget
Seaworthy dinghies for less than £500
For low cost traditionally-styled GRP trailer-sailers, consider the Foreland and the Otter available at bargain basement prices
Playing with coloured sails
Maintaining an hourglass-shaped balloon and ratcheting up the log numbers