Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs

In February 1963, the SS Marine Sulphur Queen, a converted WWII tanker carrying molten sulphur, disappeared somewhere between Texas and Key West, Florida, taking all 39 crew members with it. There was no distress call, and only a few life jackets and debris were found weeks later. The wreck of the Marine Sulphur Queen has never been found, and no bodies have ever been recovered. The official US Coast Guard investigation report could not establish a cause of the sinking, and only put forth possible reasons for its loss.

This episode, explores the troubled history of the ship, the few details we actually know of its final voyage, the search and rescue operation, the Coast Guard investigation, and finally, the lawsuits filed by the families of the crewmembers.

The cause of the sinking of the Marine Sulphur Queen remains unsolved, and is the focus one of the most debated unsolved mysteries, including theories involving the linked the so-called "Bermuda Triangle." (NOTE: Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs does NOT support the Bermuda Triangle theories.)

** No AI was used to create this video.

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Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes, images, and sources can be found at shipwrecksandseadogs.com.

Original theme music by Sean Sigfried. You can find him at ⁠seansigfried.com.⁠

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As a followup to the last episode in which Rich and guest Ben Railton discuss The Open Boat by Stephen Crane, this is a full reading read by Rich in audiobook style. This story is in the public domain and is not restricted by copyright laws.

American author Stephen Crane survived the real shipwreck of SS Commodore in 1897 off the coast of Florida. Just a few days later, he wrote The Open Boat, a fictional account of four men surviving in a small dinghy following being shipwrecked. It is a semi-autobiographical account of Crane's actual experience.

Presented without any mid-episode ads or interruptions.

Story written by Stephen Crane. Narrated, produced, and edited by Rich Napolitano. All episodes, show notes, transcripts, and merchandise can be found at shipwrecksandseadogs.com.

Original theme music by Sean Sigfried. you can find him at seansigfried.com.

** No AI was used to create this video.

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In 1897, journalist and novelist Stephen Crane boarded the SS Commodore, a gunrunning ship bound for Cuba, and nearly didn't survive the trip. When the ship sank off the coast of Florida, Crane spent over 30 hours adrift in a small dinghy with three other men, an ordeal that became the basis for one of the greatest short stories in American literature: "The Open Boat."

In this episode, Rich speaks with Professor of American Studies Ben Railton to explore the true story behind Crane's fiction, from the real-life sinking of the Commodore and the harrowing survival at sea, to how Crane transformed his own near-death experience into a landmark work of literary naturalism.

📚 Ben Railton is a Professor of American Studies at Fitchburg State University. His work explores the intersections of history, literature, and American identity. Read more of Ben's work at https://www.blackwhiteandread.com.

You will hear:

⚓The real history of the SS Commodore shipwreck and Crane's role as a gunrunner-journalist

⚓What actually happened during those 30 hours in the open boat

⚓How "The Open Boat" reflects Crane's philosophy of nature's indifference to human suffering

⚓Why this story remains a cornerstone of American literary naturalism

⚓The blurry line between memoir and fiction in Crane's writing

* No compensation or remuneration was paid by or paid to Nautilus Media LLC, Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, or Rich Napolitano in exchange for Mr. Railton's particpation in this episode.

** No AI was used to create this video.

**🎧 LISTEN AD-FREE + BONUS EPISODES**

👉Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is part of the Into History podcast channel — subscribe here: https://www.intohistory.com/shipwreckspod

👉Get exclusive bonus episodes and merch on Patreon: https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/patreon

👉Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/apple

👉Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs Merchandise is available! https://shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com

👉You can support the podcast with a donation of any amount at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/shipwreckspod

#shipwreck #history #maritimehistory #ships #podcast

Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes, images, and sources can be found at shipwrecksandseadogs.com.

Original theme music by Sean Sigfried. seansigfried.com

You can also listen to Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. https://www.podfollow.com/shipwreckspod
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In this episode of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, host Rich Napolitano sits down with Great Lakes historian Rob Alway to uncover the story of the Pere Marquette 18, the flagship rail car ferry that mysteriously sank in Lake Michigan in 1910.

Rich and Rob explore how the Pere Marquette Railroad helped shape maritime and rail travel across Lake Michigan, why the Pere Marquette 18 was considered the fleet’s most notable ship, and what happened on her final voyage from Ludington to Milwaukee. Rob walks us through the theories behind the sinking, including possible hull damage from its excursion service, the emergency distress call that made Great Lakes history, and the rescue efforts that followed.

You’ll also hear about:
⚓The history of Ludington’s car ferry industry
⚓How railroad ferries helped avoid Chicago rail bottlenecks
⚓The aftermath of the sinking and the changes it inspired
⚓The wreck’s discovery nearly 500 feet down in Lake Michigan
⚓Why the SS Badger remains a living link to this maritime legacy

A perfect episode if you’re interested in Great Lakes history, shipwrecks, rail ferries, maritime disasters, or the hidden stories behind the places we live.

Read more of Rob Alway's work:
⚓Mason County Historical Society | https://masoncountymihistory.org/
⚓Mason County Press | https://masoncountypress.com
⚓Oceana County Press | https://oceanacountypress.com/

Listen now to learn how one shipwreck helped define an entire era of Lake Michigan travel.

#ShipwrecksAndSeaDogs #GreatLakesHistory #PereMarquette18 #Shipwreck #LakeMichigan #MaritimeHistory #Ludington #RobAlway #RailFerry #HistoricShipwreck

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👉Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is part of the Into History podcast channel. Subscribe here: ⁠⁠https://www.intohistory.com/shipwreckspod⁠⁠

👉Get exclusive bonus episodes and merch on Patreon: ⁠⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/patreon⁠⁠

👉Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/apple⁠⁠

👉Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs Merchandise is available!
⁠⁠https://shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠

👉You can support the podcast with a donation of any amount at:
⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/shipwreckspod⁠⁠

*No compensation or remuneration of any kind was paid to or paid by Rich Napolitano, Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, or Nautilus Media LLC for Mr. Alway's participation in this episode.

** No AI was used to create this episode.

Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes, images, and sources can be found at shipwrecksandseadogs.com.

Original theme music by Sean Sigfried.
⁠⁠https://www.seansigfried.com⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Andrea Doria: Pride of Italy

On the night of July 25, 1956, the ocean liner Andrea Doria was off the coast of Nantucket steaming towards New York. Converging on the same path but in the opposite direction was the Swedish passenger ship Stockholm. Nantucket. Thick fog blanketed the Atlantic that night. Radar showed each ship the other's blip, yet through a chain of misread signals and last-second turns, the Andrea Doria and Stockholm collided.

The Stockholm's reinforced bow tore into the Andrea Doria's starboard side, ripping open several decks and killing passengers instantly in their cabins. The Italian liner, already listing dangerously due to a design flaw in her fuel tanks, began taking on water and rolling further with every passing hour.

What followed was one of the great maritime rescues of the 20th century. Nearby ships, including the Ile de France, diverted course and worked through the night to pull survivors from lifeboats in the darkness. By morning on July 26, with more than 1,600 people safely evacuated, the Andrea Doria finally rolled onto her side and slipped beneath the waves, watched by cameras and a stunned public.

This episode traces the final hours of the Andrea Doria: the decisions on the bridge, the scramble to save lives, and the questions that still surround how two ships equipped with modern radar ever found themselves on a collision course.

My guest for this episode is wreck diver Andrea Murdoch Alpini. You can find him at https://www.phidiving.com/ and https://www.wreckdiving.it/.

This episode was originally published as Episode 4 of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs on October 4, 2022.

Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano.

All episodes, images, and sources can be found at [⁠shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠](https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com).

Original theme music by Sean Sigfried. [⁠⁠⁠](⁠⁠https://www.seansigfried.com)https://www.seansigfried.com⁠⁠⁠

**🎧 LISTEN AD-FREE + BONUS EPISODES**

👉Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is part of the Into History podcast channel. Subscribe here: ⁠⁠https://www.intohistory.com/shipwreckspod⁠⁠

👉Get exclusive bonus episodes and merch on Patreon: ⁠⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/patreon⁠⁠

👉Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/apple⁠⁠

👉Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs Merchandise is available! ⁠⁠https://shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠

👉You can support the podcast with a donation of any amount at: ⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/shipwreckspod⁠⁠

** No AI was used to create this episode.

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