Famous Shipwrecks
John Harman Jul 17, 2017
The ocean is a unique and mysterious place. Full of different creatures, coral reefs, and colorful scenery, the ocean is a spectacular sight. But what is even more amazing and mysterious is the stuff that is out of place in the ocean. There have been things discovered in the deep blue sea that are out of place, things that create an eerie feel and carry an interesting history.
Many of these historical and out of place things are ships. Shipwrecks scatter the ocean floor, like seashells on the beach, only they carry stories, history, and as some may think, treasure. These shipwrecks aren’t hidden from the world, they can be rediscovered by new people and explored. Scuba diving is the best way to get up close and personal with these sunken ships.
According to PopularMechanics.com, there is an estimated of three million shipwrecks on the ocean floor. There are so many that while trying to find the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 730, two shipwrecks were discovered by accident. In World War II, during the Battle of the Atlantic (which lasted for about six years) over 4,458 ships were claimed by the ocean—including merchant vessels, warships, and submarines.
The stories, tragedies, battles, and cargo that go with these sunken ships will can truly picture when seeing these ships up close. And yes, there are cargo ships at the bottom of the ocean full of treasures. Spanish galleons that transported jewels and gold across the Atlantic sunk, leaving these riches deep at the bottom of the sea, waiting to be discovered.
While there are millions of vessels at the bottom of the ocean, many that have not been discovered or explored yet, there are many that have become famous and are well known around the world. These historical shipwrecks make the list for the most famous wrecks at the bottom of the ocean:
RMS Titanic
We will start with probably the most famous shipwreck—the Titanic. This ship has become well known for the movie that created a tragic love story surrounding the horrible wreck. The movie brings fans closer by showing footage of the actual wreck, creating an eerie and more realistic reaction.
This ship was apparently unsinkable, which was proven to be very wrong when it hit an iceberg, and sank in less than three hours. More than a thousand people died that night, making this one of the most tragic wrecks in history. The Titanic remained home to many personal items, which have been excavated and are in exhibits around the world.
The Queen Anne’s Revenge
This ship was a warship in the 18th century and belong to Blackbeard, the legendary pirate. Blackbeard’s true name was Edward Teach, yes Blackbeard was a true pirate and not made up by popular Disney movie, although the story of him capturing mermaids and finding the Fountain of Youth may not have been true events.
The Queen Anne’s Revenge started as a British Navy ship, but was captured by the French and then taken by pirates. In 1718, Blackbeard ran the ship aground and escaped the British by boarding another ship.
RMS Republic
The RMS Republic was a steam-powered ocean liner that met its end in 1909, when it collided with the SS Florida. The collision happened at 5:30am but the ship did not sink until the next day around 8:40pm. Six people lost their lives in this wreck.
This is a ship that is rumored to carry treasure—anywhere from 250 thousand to three million. Like the Titanic, this shipwreck is that star of a movie, The Million Dollar Wreck. The movie shows the lives of father and son, trying to recover the treasure and claim it for themselves.
The Mary Rose
This warship is an old one. Launched in 1511 this ship served in battles and was sunk in 1545 in a battle against the French. The shipwreck wasn’t rediscovered until 1971, and the remains can now be found in a museum in Portsmouth. The ship was also discovered with over 25 thousand artifacts. Salvaging this ship was one of the most expensive projects in maritime history.
Wilhelm Gustoff
This shipwreck was the deadliest wreck in maritime history. This ship was overloaded is attempt to flee the Red Army. In 1945 it was sunk by a Russian submarine, sinking in minutes. Similar to the Titanic situation, and surely many more shipwrecks, the water was freezing. Since this ship was a refugee ship, it had no passenger list, so the number of fatalities is unknown for sure, but it is estimated that around nine thousand people lost their lives on the ship, with only 900 being saved.
This wreck is known as a war grave, making it illegal to dive. The history behind it is intriguing and tragic.
These shipwrecks are only a few, a selected few, of the massive amount of shipwrecks scattered across the bottom of the ocean. Many shipwreck are diveable, but some are not, for respectful reasons, like the Gustoff, or because they simply are not reachable.
A shipwreck holds a lot of history, and although we only truly know about a few, there is many discoveries to be made. The ocean is still a mysterious place, and these wrecks are littered across the bottom of the sea. There are a few ways to get to these magnificent historical sites, and one of those ways is by becoming a certified scuba diver.
Atlantic Edge Scuba is passionate about scuba diving and the mysteries of the ocean, we believe that everyone should learn how to scuba dive so they can explore the depths of the sea—learning new things, making new discoveries, and exploring some of the most unique pieces of history on this planet.
Explore shipwrecks and learn about this mysterious vessels, their stories and history. You will be amazed at how much of the past lies in the water. Sign up for a Learn To Scuba Course to get started working towards your certification. With this certification you will be able to explore the ocean all over the world, go on dives in the National Aquarium in Baltimore, and you can explore shipwrecks.
This is an experience that you will be able to take with you for the rest of your life. If you are a history nerd, love discovering new things about the unknown, or just want the experience of a lifetime, get your scuba certification. You won’t regret it once you see a shipwreck, a coral reef, or the amazing sea creatures for the first time. Contact Atlantic Edge Scuba today to learn more!
