It seems that shipwrecks keep popping up in my travels, which always leads my librarian mind and heart to do more research. For example, on a recent visit to Biscayne National Park on Florida’s Atlantic coast, I learned about the HMS Fowey. In 1748, the Fowey struck a coral reef and sank in what is now the underwater portion of the national park. In the 1970s, a sport diver found the wreckage. Under a 2013 Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and the United Kingdom, British ownership of the ship is recognized, but the National Park Service agrees to care for the wreckage under international standards of care for cultural and archaeological sites.
These books offer some fast-paced tales of world explorers, ordinary travelers in extraordinary circumstances, and underwater discoveries.
- Graveyard of the Pacific: Shipwreck and Survival on America's Deadliest Waterway by Randall Sullivan. Where the Columbia River flows into the Pacific Ocean, it’s so treacherous that it’s known as the Graveyard of the Pacific. Sullivan researches the shipwreck history of the Columbia Bar and learns some things about himself in the process.
- The Ship Beneath the Ice: The Discovery of Shackleton's Endurance by Mensun Bound. Shackleton and crew set sail from Norway to Antarctica in 1914, but the ship was hopelessly mired in ice and sank after 10,000 miles at sea. The crew survived in the most inhospitable conditions for six months. This is the tale of the original adventure and the discovery of the sunken Endurance a century later.
- The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann. In 1742, 30 survivors of the HMS Wager landed on the shores of Brazil in a makeshift craft. Hailed as heroes for being marooned for months after colliding with another ship, they were near starvation. But, was their story true? When the officers landed in Chile later, they told a different story.
- The Last Voyage of the Andrea Doria: The Sinking of the World's Most Glamorous Ship by Greg King. The world watched as the luxury liner Andrea Doria sank off the coast of Nantucket after colliding with another vessel. This book focuses on the passengers, some wealthy and famous, others immigrants looking for a new life in America. It also brings us up to date on expeditions to the wreckage.
- The Shipwreck Hunter: A Lifetime of Extraordinary Discoveries on the Ocean Floor by David Mearns. A marine scientist who has discovered 22 major shipwrecks chronicles some of his most intriguing finds, the extraordinary techniques he used, and the detailed research and mid-ocean stamina that were required for his missions.
Library tip of the month: Are you wishing for something to read, listen to, or watch? Would you rather we choose the items for you? We are happy to gather some from what's on the shelf! Provide us with some guidance about what you’d like (and not like) here or by calling 360-906-5000. We’ll notify you in two–three days when your items are ready for pickup.
Janet Alder is Marketing and Communications Coordinator with Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries, which has 15 locations in Clark, Skamania, Klickitat, and Cowlitz Counties. Call 360-906-5000 or visit the library district website for more information.
A version of this column first appeared in The Messenger, August 2023.
Find more book columns in our Off the Shelf blog.
