tiabunna's photos with the keyword: shipwreck

One of Australia's most famous shipwrecks, the Dutch East Indies Company ship Batavia was en-route on its maiden voyage to the port of the same name (now Jakarta) when it went aground in 1629 on the islands of Houtmans Abrolhos off Australia's west coast. And that was only the start of an amazing story of mutiny, murder, mayhem and retribution, all explained in this link. The link (recommended) also has many fine images of a modern replica of the Batavia. The wreck was found in the 1960s and, in the 1970s, maritime archaeologists recovered much of the cargo and a section of the hull. Amazingly, it had survived the wave action for over 340 years under part of the cargo which included the bricks and stonework seen in these images. Yes, that rope around the display is a fence, so Happy Fence Friday, everyone, and I hope your weekend goes well.

Many ships were wrecked on the Auckland Islands, as they lie on the 'Great Circle' sailing route from Australia to Cape Horn. This headstone in the lonely little cemetery near the failed Enderby Settlement tells its own story. More on shipwrecks and castaways here: www.teara.govt.nz/en/castaways/page-1 View on black.

From an old slide. Macquarie Island has had many shipwrecks over the years. Shortly after the island was first discovered in 1810, the Sydney Gazette carried the report of the discovery and "... several pieces of wreck of a large vessel on this island, apparently very old and high up in the grass ..." . Unfortunately the sealing gangs used any timber as firewood for rendering seal blubber, so any traces of that earlier mystery ship had long disappeared before we visited. How fascinating to have known its age and origin, and what a fertile source for speculation! In subsequent years many ships were wrecked on the island, the most recent prior to our visit being the "Gratitude" which was caught on a lee shore by an easterly gale in late 1898. This section of keel is all that remained in our time - and that, we expected, would be the last shipwreck there. What a surprise when the news bulletins in late 1988 carried reports that our own ship, the "Nella Dan" also dragged her anchor in an easterly gale and, after being stranded on the rocks near the Station, was finally hauled off and scuttled near the island.