Shipwreck stories

Look: Deteriorated remains of a 186-year-old whaling ship found in the Gulf of Mexico

There’s barely anything left, but the pieces that remain tell a fascinating story.

'South Sea Whale Fishery', 1825. From Adventures By Sea From Art of Old Time, by Basil Lubbock. [The...
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Commercial whaling was once a booming industry in New England.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, people hunted whales and used their blubber as a lubricant for machinery, and their bones to make various light but sturdy objects.

Whaling was also an incredibly dangerous business.

Injuries and death were common on every voyage. And as with any venture at sea, shipwrecks weren’t uncommon for the time.

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