Shipwrecks – Bermudians

The History of The Sea Venture

November 21, 2018 Published by bermudians

Sea Venture was a seventeenth-century English sailing ship, part of the Third Supply mission to the Jamestown Colony, that was wrecked in Bermuda in 1609.

Painting by Christopher Grimes, Bermuda

She was the 300 ton purpose-built flagship of the London Company and a highly unusual vessel for her day, given that she was the first single timbered, merchantman built in England, and also the first dedicated emigration ship. Sea Venture‘s wreck is widely thought to have been the inspiration for Shakespeare’s play The Tempest …

Read more @ wikipedia

Sea Venture in the storm by William Harrington

==========================================
27 July 1609 – Wreck of the Sea Venture

Stephen HOPKINS was the only Mayflower passenger who had previously been to the New World. His adventures included surviving a the Sea Venture’s 1609 shipwreck [ including being pardoned for mutiny!] in Bermuda and working from 1610–14 in Jamestown as well as knowing the legendary Pocahontas, who married John Rolfe, a fellow Bermuda castaway. Some Shakespearean scholars believe he was the model for the rogue Stephano in the Tempest.

On Jun 2 1609, the Sea Venture, under the command of Sir George Somers, admiral of the fleet, with Christopher Newport as captain and Sir Thomas Gates, Governor of the colony, departed from Plymouth, England followed by the rest of the Virginia Company’s fleet, the Falcon,Diamond, Swallow, Unity, Blessing, Lion, and two smaller ships.

Hodges writes,

“For seven weeks the ships stayed within sight of each other, often within earshot, and captains called to one another by way of trumpets. On the Sea Venture all was peaceful. Morning and evening, Chaplain Buck and Clerk Hopkins gathered the passengers and crew on deck for prayers and the singing of a psalm.”

The ships were only eight days from the coast of Virginia, when they were suddenly caught in a hurricane, and the Sea Venture became separated from the rest of the fleet …

Read more @ minerdescent.com/2010/05/17/passages

The coat of arms of Bermuda features a representation of the Sea Venture wreck.

Riddle of the Crest

“The Warwick Project” #Bermuda – Marine Archaeological Excavations 2011 @BIOSstation

February 5, 2012 Published by bermudians

The Warwick was a 16th century English Merchantman which sank in Castle Harbour, Bermuda in 1619

On October 20th, 1619, en route to Jamestown Virginia, the merchant ship “Warwick” belonging to Sir Robert Rich, the Earl of Warwick made a scheduled stop in Bermuda. The Warwick’s arrival was an important event for the island. On that voyage, the ship was charged with delivering Captain Nathaniel Butler, the new Governor of the nascent colony. Apart from delivering Butler, the Warwick was to carry supplies and settlers to the struggling colony at Jamestown, Virginia, and collect colonial products, mostly tobacco, for return to England.

While the Warwick was in port, a devastating hurricane wreaked havoc on the islands of Bermuda. Amongst the victims of the tempest, was the Warwick which sank at its anchorage in Castle Harbour. (P. Bojakowski)

“The Warwick entering Castle Harbour”. Painting by Stephen Card circa 1980 ( Private Bermudian collection)

Almost 400 years later, the National Museum of Bermuda, Texas A&M and the University of Southampton are undertaking a three year project lead by Piotr Bojakowski, in a joint educational initiative with the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and students from the BIOS Ocean Academy to scientifically excavate the sunken remains of the Warwick.

The Warwick is located in the shallow, protected waters of Castle Harbour. A good portion of the starboard side of the ship is still preserved from near the keel to an upper deck and has never been fully excavated, recorded, or analyzed until now.

The Warwick Project (full report)

Official Links:

Links of interest:

inadiscover.com – Institute of Nautical Archaeology
post-gazette.com – interview with Piotr Bojakowski
royalgazette.com – Uncovering the ‘good ship’ Warwick

A shipwreck afforded settlers an opportunity to better their lives with salvaged goods. And most Bermuda settlers were involved in wrecking-no matter what their station in life. Even Nathaniel Butler (Governor of Bermuda 1619–1622) got into the act.Butler began his career in Bermuda, ironically, with a shipwreck. In 1619, the Bermuda Company sent him to the island aboard the Warwick. The ship, owned by the Earl of Warwick, went down in Castle Harbour. –
Teddy Tucker

BIOSstation – Popular YT uploads bios.edu | facebook | twitter |

Mary Celestia – #Bermuda Dive

November 1, 2011 Published by bermudians

Designed as a high-speed side paddle wheel steamer she was chartered to the South during America’s Civil War.

The Mary Celeste sunk in 1864 after being used to run ammunitions and supplies to the Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The wreck sits in 55 feet of water and one of the huge paddle wheels is still clearly visible at the dive site. (Source)

Mary Celestia – Fall 2011 Teaser

November 1, 2011 Published by bermudians

Articles

Wreck film is LookBermuda’s most ambitious yet – Jan 6, 2011 Bermuda Sun

A film covering the excavation and recovery of artefacts from the wreck of blockade-runner the Mary-Celestia has been described as “by far our biggest project to date” by local TV production company LookBermuda. Read more Mary Celestia – Fall 2011 Teaser