It's the return of an old foe - the duck boat - in this special episode featuring Philadelphia's Finest: Tom Pain (@tohickontpain) of Ten Thousand Losses (tenklossespod) - 'a sports podcast from a Philly, leftist, & pro-labor perspective.' **production credit to Tom for the sound effect idea after 'Ride the Ducks International LLC** Sources: "Lawyer of victims in deadly Philadelphia duck boat crash calls for shutdown." WPVI Philadelphia , 20 July 2018. https://6abc.com/philadelphia-duck-boat...
Mar 19, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Season 3Ep. 12
This week we're headed north to the waters off of Greenland - it's the story of the Danish vessel Hans Hedtoft , lost on the return leg of her maiden voyage in January 1959. Sources: "Der Untergang der 'Hans Hedtoft.'" https://uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/c8fffd76f76cf314ade861efcfd56862/der-untergang-der-hans-hedtoft/index.html "Hans Hedtoft." Britannica, 25 Jan 2023. www.britannica.com/biography/Hans-Hedtoft "Hedtoft-Untergang: Drei Fragen." Der Spiegel , 10 Feb 1959. https://www.spiegel.d...
Mar 11, 2023•48 min•Season 3Ep. 11
We're going a bit further up the Ohio this week to discuss the loss of the towboat Elizabeth M in January 2005. Sources: Clowdis, Charles W. and Natasha Horowitz. "The River Barge Still Plays a Role in U.S. Transportation." S&P Global, 4 June 2009, https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/mi/country-industry-forecasting.html?id=106593483 Frazier, Reid R. "Pilot details rescue of 2 from towboat." TribLive , 5 Feb 2005. https://archive.triblive.com/news/pilot-details-rescue-of-2-from-tow...
Mar 04, 2023•54 min•Season 3Ep. 10
This week we are headed to the Queen City - Cincinnati, OH - to discuss the steamboat Moselle, whose explosive loss in 1838 spurred the US Congress to create the first federal legislation governing transportation safety. Sources: Aldrich, Mark. “Safe and Suitable Boilers: The Railroads, the Interstate Commerce Commission, and Locomotive Safety, 1900 - 1945.” Railroad History , no. 171, 1994, pp. 23 - 44. Burke, John G. “Bursting Boilers and the Federal Power.” Technology and Culture , vol. 7, no...
Feb 25, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 9
This week we dip back into the fertile shipwreck soil of the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Sources: "Empire Gem." Monitor National Marine Sanctuary , https://monitor.noaa.gov/shipwrecks/empire_gem.html#:~:text=Today%2C%20Empire%20Gem%20rests%20at,lies%20broke%20in%20two%20pieces Gentile, Gary. Popular Dive Guide Series: Shipwrecks of North Carolina from Diamond Shoals North . Gary Gentile Productions, 1993. "Richard Zapp." U-boat.net , https://uboat.net/men/zapp.htm "Type IX U-Boats." Naval Encyclo...
Feb 18, 2023•49 min•Season 3Ep. 8
This week we discuss the loss of the trawler Antares and the role played in her sinking by the Trafalgar-class submarine HMS Trenchant. Sources: "Minister says no more action on Antares sinking." The Herald , 19 Oct 1992. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12584178.minister-says-no-more-action-on-antares-sinking/ "Report of the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents into the collision between the Fishing Vessel Antares and HMS Trenchant with the loss of four lives on 22 November 1990." Marine Acci...
Feb 11, 2023•59 min•Season 3Ep. 6
**Dead Reckoning is a bonus series that we put on Patreon; consider becoming a patron if you enjoy what you hear!** This fourth episode of Dead Reckoning is a reading of "The Body on the Shore," as shared in Frederick Stonehouse's Haunted Lakes (1997), asking the age-old question of how much money your sanity is really worth. Support the show
Feb 10, 2023•15 min•Season 3Ep. 7
This week we have special guest Jamie (from Old Shipping Lines on YouTube) to discuss the sinking of the British liner SS Vestris in 1928. Sources: Berchtold, William E. "More Fodder for Photomaniacs." The North American Review , vol. 239, no. 1, January 1935, pp. 19-30. Grace, Michael. "Disaster at Sea - SS Vestris" Cruising the Past , 21 Nov 2009. https://www.cruiselinehistory.com/disaster-at-sea-ss-vestris/ "Lamport & Holt's S.S. Vestris ." 3 Feb 2012. www.bluestarline.org/lamports/vestri...
Feb 05, 2023•46 min•Season 3Ep. 5
This week we actually get a couple of shipwrecks for the price of one, in our discussion of the SS Northern Pacific , which served in both civilian and military capacities during her 7-year sailing career. [sources - full list to come] Gentile, Gary. Shipwrecks of Delaware and Maryland. Gary Gentile Productions, 1990. Support the show
Jan 30, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 4
This week we're talking about the loss of the steamer R.G. Coburn in October 1871. Other sub-topics include the Great Chicago Fire, the Peshtigo Fire, the Chicago iron & steel industry, and the dazzling array of fonts in 1800s newspaper advertisements. Sources: Bensman, David and Mark R. Wilson. "Iron and Steel." Encyclopedia of Chicago , 2005. http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/653.html "Coburn, R.G." Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, Bowling Green State University. https...
Jan 24, 2023•50 min•Season 3Ep. 3
This bonus episode spun off from Episode 87 covering the steamship Metropolis , which spent part of its career serving in the Atlantic Blockading Squadron. We look at the effectiveness of the blockade and impact that the contraband trade had on life in the Confederacy. **note, the last 5-ish minutes of the episode is just some hot mic / behind the scenes discussion from between recordings that we left in** Sources: Byrne, Frank J. "Rebellion and Retail: A Tale of Two Merchants in Confederate Atl...
Jan 19, 2023•1 hr
This week we discuss the story of the steamship Metropolis, formerly known as the USS Stars And Stripes, which ran aground near Currituck, NC in 1878. Sources: Gentile, Gary. Shipwrecks of North Carolina from Hatteras Inlet South . G. Gentile Productions, 1992. Tabb, Kip. "Beach wreckage revives mystery of the Metropolis." Outer Banks Voice, 14 Oct 2020. https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2020/10/14/beach-wreckage-revives-the-mystery-of-the-metropolis/ "The Wreck of the Metropolis, 1878." NC Depart...
Jan 17, 2023•51 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Welcome to Season Three of Beyond the Breakers! We are starting the new year by talking about the 1982 sinking of the mobile offshore drilling unit Ocean Ranger in the Hibernia Field of the Grand Banks. Sources: Collier, Keith. "The Loss of the Ocean Ranger , 15 February 1982." Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage , October 2016. www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/economy/ocean-ranger.php Dodd, Susan. The Ocean Ranger: Remaking the Promise of Oil . Fernwood Publishing, 2012 Heffernan, Mike. Rig: An Oral ...
Jan 09, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 1
This bonus episode is a discussion of the article "Dead Men Do Tell Tales: Folklore, Fraternity, and the Forecastle" Source: Rouleau, Brian J. "Dead Men Do Tell Tales: Folklore, Fraternity, and the Forecastle." Early American Studies, vol. 05, no. 01, Spring 2007, pp. 30-62 Support the show
Jan 01, 2023•41 min
This is the conclusion of our four part series on RMS Lusitania , meaning it is also the conclusion to Season Two of Beyond the Breakers. We discuss contemporary reactions to the sinking, the inquiry headed by Lord Mersey, and explanations about how this tragedy occurred in the way that it did. Thank you for all the listens, the support, and the interactions on social media this season. We look forward to bringing you Season Three next year. Sources: “Atrocity and the Lusitania.” The Advocate of...
Dec 25, 2022•58 min•Season 2Ep. 49
Here is Part Three of our season finale series - covering U-20 's activities up until she encountered Lusitania , the sinking itself, passenger stories, and the evacuation of the vessel. Sources: Beesly, Patrick (1982). Room 40: British Naval Intelligence, 1914–1918 . Long Acre, London: Hamish Hamilton Ltd Butler, Daniel Allen. The Lusitania: The Life, Loss, and Legacy of an Ocean Legend . Stackpole Books, 2000. Hoehling, A.A. and Mary Hoehling. The Last Voyage of the Lusitania . Madison Books, ...
Dec 18, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Season 2Ep. 48
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Dec 15, 2022•2 min
In Part Two of our season finale, we discuss the history of RMS Lusitania , Cunard Line, the man who ultimately sank her, and the dedicated team of British intelligence personnel meticulously tracking the movement of German U-boats. Sources: Butler, Daniel Allen. The Lusitania: The Life, Loss, and Legacy of an Ocean Legend . Stackpole Books, 2000. Hübner, Andreas. “A People of ‘Patriotic Hearts’: German-Americans, U.S. Neutrality, and the Building of an Inclusive Coalition in New Orleans, 1915.”...
Dec 11, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 47
This week we begin our three-part (correction, four-part) season finale, in which we'll discuss one of the most famous maritime calamities in history - the sinking of RMS Lusitania . Sources for Part 1: Butler, Daniel Allen. The Lusitania: The Life, Loss, and Legacy of an Ocean Legend . Stackpole Books, 2000. Hübner, Andreas. “A People of ‘Patriotic Hearts’: German-Americans, U.S. Neutrality, and the Building of an Inclusive Coalition in New Orleans, 1915.” Louisiana History , vol. 60, no. 3, 20...
Dec 05, 2022•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 46
Here we wrap up our long discussion of prison ships and prison hulks in the British Empire. Listen to Parts 1 and 2 if you haven't already! All three parts have now been unlocked for everyone on the main podcast feed. Sources: Forbes, Thomas R. "Coroners' Inquisitions on the Deaths of Prisoners in the Hulks at Portsmouth, England, in 1817 - 1827." Journal of the History of Medicine , July 1978, pp. 356 - 365 Foxhall, Katherine. "From Convicts to Colonists: The Health of Prisoners and the Voyage ...
Nov 28, 2022•56 min•Season 2Ep. 45
This week we're joined by special guest Ian to discuss the tale of the schooner barge Madeira and the harrowing survival story of her crew, featuring Olympian feats of strength and agility on the icy cliffs of Minnesota's North Shore. Sources: Hübner, Andreas. “A People of ‘Patriotic Hearts’: German-Americans, U.S. Neutrality, and the Building of an Inclusive Coalition in New Orleans, 1915.” Louisiana History , vol. 60, no. 3, 2019, pp. 261 - 288. Wolff, Julius F. Lake Superior Shipwrecks. Lake ...
Nov 22, 2022•50 min•Season 2Ep. 44
This week we discuss a fatal incident involving the cargo vessel Karina C while she was docked in Seville, Spain, on May 24th 2019. We discuss guidelines, precautions, and how they don't mean anything without a culture of safety on board. Sources: Marine Accident Investigation Branch. "Crush incident on general cargo vessel Karina C with loss of 1 life." https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5fbfaf60d3bf7f572e8cbf43/2020-18-Karina-C.pdf Maritime Executive. "Report: Alcohol Contributed t...
Nov 14, 2022•59 min•Season 2Ep. 43
**no main episode this week, but we're unlocking a bonus for you** The January 2022 bonus episode, a continuation of our Part 1 discussion prison hulks in the British empire, with an emphasis on their use in Australia. Hosty, Kieran and Bridget Berry. "Convict Hulks." Sydney Living Museums. https://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/stories/convict-hulks McKay, Anna. "A Day in the Life: Convicts on board Prison Hulks." https://staffblogs.le.ac.uk/carchipelago/2017/10/10/a-day-in-the-life-convicts-on-boa...
Nov 07, 2022•54 min•Season 2Ep. 42
We're celebrating Halloween in style with some spooky stories of the Eastland , the Kamloops , and the ghosts of Maryland's Point Lookout. And we're joined by returning champion Kaylee! Sources: "Chicago Hauntings: The Ghosts of the Eastland." CBS Chicago , 26 Oct 2021. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-hauntings-ghosts-eastland-disaster/ Coleman, Dorcas. "The Spirits of Point Lookout." Maryland Department of Natural Resources , https://dnr.maryland.gov/Pages/Spirits-of-Point-Lookout....
Nov 01, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 41
This week we are excited and honored to be joined by Professor Karen Barton to further discuss the Senegalese RORO ferry Le Joola . Professor Barton has been an enormously important voice in sharing the story of Le Joola with an English-speaking audience on a wider scale and we are so grateful to her for spending some time answering our questions. Sources: Barton, Karen Samantha. Africa’s Joola Shipwreck: Causes and Consequences of a Humanitarian Disaster . Lexington Books, 2020. Barton, Karen. ...
Oct 25, 2022•51 min•Season 2Ep. 40
This week we're on Lake Erie again to discuss the sinking of the wooden-hulled steam barge Margaret Olwill near Kelley's Island in 1899. Don't miss Tanner's livestream appearance on OTD Canadian Military History (@OTDCanMilHis), discussing the Battle of Lake Erie from the War of 1812 - Tuesday, October 18th @ 7 PM Eastern Time. Sources: Boyer, Dwight. Ships and Men of the Great Lakes. 1977 Johnston, Laura. "New shipwreck of Margaret Olwill discovered in Lake Erie." Rock the Lake , 15 Mar 2018. h...
Oct 17, 2022•36 min•Season 2Ep. 39
This week we discuss the sinking of the craft designated SIEV-221 at Christmas Island (Australia) on December 15 2010. Sources: Hope, Alastair Neil. "Inquest..." Coroner's Court of Western Australia , 23 Feb 2012. https://www.coronerscourt.wa.gov.au/_files/Christmas_Island_Findings.pdf Needham, Kirsty. "Asylum boat deaths avoidable, coroner rules." Sydney Morning Herald , 24 Feb 2012. https://www.smh.com.au/national/asylum-boat-deaths-avoidable-coroner-rules-20120223-1tqt7.html O'Brien, Natalie....
Oct 10, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 38
This week we're on Lake Erie to discuss one of the Great Lakes' most enduring mysteries - the fate of the train ferry Marquette & Bessemer No. 2 , lost in December 1909. Sources: Boyer, Dwight. Ghost Ships of the Great Lakes. Dodd, Mead, and Co. 1968. "Captain Robert Rowan McLeod." History of the Great Lakes , https://www.maritimehistoryofthegreatlakes.ca/GreatLakes/Documents/HGL2/default.asp?ID=s800 Feather, Carl E. "Still lost after all these years." Star Beacon , 27 May 2012. https://www....
Oct 03, 2022•57 min•Season 2Ep. 37
This week we're joined by Brianna (@brinnabea), who's going to teach us a thing or two about weather on the Great Lakes and how it correlates with peak times for shipwrecks during the year. Relevant charts, graphs, and slides will be posted to Patreon. Support the show
Sep 26, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 36
In this episode, the Fabulous Breaker Boys answer listener questions and discuss the podcast up to this point. Support the show
Sep 21, 2022•1 hr 2 min
