The Wreck of the Barquentine ELMINA on Long Beach Island, NJ (1884)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ย. 2024
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As night fell on January 8th, 1884, two boys spotted the barquentine ELMINA stuck on the shoal off Long Beach Island, New Jersey. The alarm was raised at the life saving stations of Long Beach, Ship Bottom, and Beach Haven and every effort was made to save the crew of the stranded vessel, but some things went dreadfully wrong.
In this video, learn about this unknown wreck remembered only in the 1884 report of the New Jersey Life Saving Stations, and also learn a bit about how these old time stations would use the Lyle Gun to bring souls ashore.
Gotta tell you, along Drachinifel, Casual Navigation, Central Crossing and Chief MAKOi; Tom and Emma's channel has fast become one of my favourites. No clickbait, no nonsense. Just pure history, research and knowledge.
Thank you for sharing these lesser known stories.
Thankyou for recommending additional channels also good. I very much admire, respect, enjoy and am highly impressed with the dedication, knowledge (including technical) and skills of Tom and Emma . I first watched their piece on the Fremont, grounded hulk on the New Jersey coast.
@@carlcushmanhybels8159 You're most welcome. Glad to be of help. I subbed after watching the ones on the "Schwalbe" and the "Germanic".
Cheers!
Thank you so much, and I'm glad you enjoy these videos!
If you like Chief MAKOi you will love zoffinger.
You might also like the channel called "Big Old Boats."
I was born and raised in a landlocked city almost in the center of the U.S., so my knowledge of anything to do with maritime history is pretty scant. I stumbled upon one of your videos a few months ago that triggered my interest in the subject, and now I am hopelessly addicted. I have watched most of your videos now, and I am always totally enthralled with these stories. I must say that it is not just the subject matter alone, but the way in which you present it. You are very, very good at this! Thank you for generating a new interest for me. I am learning a lot!
Thank you so much; that means a lot!
Let me guess, KANSAS?
@@rogerrendzak8055 pretty close
I’m from Kansas the only Martine tragedy was the Titanic and now I know a lot more
@@billybaba3778 I’m guessing Missouri is where you are from
I grew up on LBI NJ. My mother's father was an assistant at Barnegat Lighthouse. The life saving building is in Beach Haven Terrace. The buildings are all still around. My friend Debbie owns the Maritime Museum in Beach Haven. You presented this story very well. Thank you.
What a sad story! The illustrations and details really bring this tragedy to life. Years ago I bought my kids a book at a rummage sale called, "When Cape Cod Men Saved Lives." It's a book about firing the shot to the boat, sending the breaches buoy over and rescuing people and how men at the Cape Cod coast guard station and the men on the Cape before them worked to rescue the people on ships that were foundering close to shore. Somewhere I had another book about a young man on the Cape who worked a sailing ship until he fell from the rigging and hurt his shoulder. He couldn't work the sailing ship anymore, so he spent his life mapping out the changing sand bars under the coastal Cape waters which were ever changing. Ship Captains paid good money for those maps in order to keep their ships from being caught on the sand bars while sailing around Cape Cod for Boston. Thank you, Tom and Emma!
A heartbreaking tale of maritime disaster & human tragedy. Very eloquent presentation.
Thank you, Tom & Emma!
Great mini-documentary, Tom and Emma! The illustrations/animations perfectly clarify the rescue story. The writing and storytelling imbue the narrative with the importance it deserves but never before received. Two things really stand out here: The heroism of folks willing to stand their ground on a stormy beach through the night to help strangers; and your ability to find, research and explain events that bring our own past so vividly to life. That requires any number of skills and damn hard work. It's been a pleasure to watch your productions evolve. I first stumbled across a video in which you hiked to an abandoned 19th century mountain hotel, which was charming and quirky. Not too long afterwards, you blew my tiny mind and made me cry with the tale of White Star's Atlantic. I like how you avoid repitition (and possibly burnout for yourselves,) with forays into Lego, liner artifacts, collaborations, and variations on your historical themes. Are either of you an actual historian? Because you seem to be. Thanks!
I love when obscure, very unknown historical events come to light! On a personal basis I found out quite recently I live very close to a site where, in 1858, a US Army Colonel and 700 troops butchered over 800 Indian horses to keep them from falling back into Indian hands. It took them two days to kill the horses (some of them had foals) and for years after you could find horse sculls along the river. The only thing that marks this event is a stone monument erected in 1946, directly north of where the horses were killed and on the spot where the troops had camped for the two days. I could easily walk to where the event happened and, if I wanted to, could metal detect where the troops set up camp. History consists of lots of little events that major historical events overshadow.
Wow, that's neat. What state do you live in? One of the Dakotas?
@@maxaronow712 actually Washington state. It’s right along the river and is within probably a 10 minute walk from where I live.
No shipwrecks or massacres in my area but I used to live in the city that was home to Republic Motor Truck, which at one time was the world's second-largest truck manufacturer. Ask anybody in town about it and they'd never know. No trace of the company exists today other than a side street named Republic.
How sad and barbaric
How sad and barbaric
A tragic story for sure, but one that would have been forgotten entirely if not for you. You quite literally resurrected a piece of history man, thank you.
Look up the sinking of the USS S-5 submarine; it includes one of the best lines I've heard out of maritime history. Through a little hole the crew drilled through the stern sticking a few feet out of the water, nearly passed out from fumes and exertion the captain identified himself; "What ship is this?" "USS S-5" "Where are you bound?" "To hell by compass".
Wow lol
What a terrible captain way to demoralize and cause panic among your crew. Wonder how they ended up in their situation...
I absolutely love these slightly eerie, well-told stories about long gone shipwrecks. Especially ones that aren’t too widespread. Great video, well done!!
We trained to do the breeches bouy in sea scouts as a timed competition, today in going to do 38 mile sailboat race from Olympia WA. Thanks for the history lesson.
Truly fascinating. I used to spend idyllic summers as a child in the 1970's and 80's walking up and down this very stretch of beach where this happened in Beach Haven and Ship Bottom. Never heard a thing about it before this, never saw any plaques or anything to be sure. I wonder why history chose to forget what sounds like a great story of local heroism.
This is easily one of the best mini-documentaries I've seen on TH-cam, regardless of genre or subject. For a maritime history fan like me, this channel is a treasure chest.
This video was as only 12 minutes yet it felt longer than that.The way you presented this tragic story is excellent.Thank you.
thanks for bringing these men's stories back to the light for the first time in likely over a hundred years.
Resurrecting a long forgotten tale of tragedy.... How many other tales like this have been long forgotten?
to many to fathom m that’s for sure…
If we would know then they wouldn't be forgotten...
These videos and mini docs are truly so well done! Learn an incredible amount from this channel. The best source for maritime history out there online, hands down!
Your deep dives are doing a service to humanity! This wreck has been taken from obscurity and now has a chance to be remembered long into the future
Tom thanks for shedding light on this tragedy. I’m sure there are many stories like this that will never be retold. Hopefully you’ve got some more for us in the future. You’re doing a great service by sharing the heroism of these long dead men. And also the production quality on this video is really next level. You really one of the most underrated creators of this genre on TH-cam. I hope you get the recognition that these high quality videos deserve in the future. As always, I cannot wait to see what you have for all of us next brother! Keep up the good work!
I am glad you found this. Now they will not be forgotten.
There have been many *many* shipwrecks around Long Beach Island. My family has been vacationing there since my father was a child, and we've collected a number of books with stories of the various shipwrecks, lifeguard/coast guard stations, and the lighthouse on the northern tip of the island.
Very glad I found your channel. Thank you for doing an amazing job of bringing to light these gems of maritime history.
A very well told story, which I found fascinating. A British lifeboat crewman recently said on our tv that, even though they know they've done all they possibly can, they feel it as personal failure if a shout ends unsuccessfully. Another one said that the Victorian lifesaving servicemen were the true heroes, compared to him and his crew. "With all the equipment we have, we know we're pretty certain to come home. They had guts, muscle, and very little else." Hats off, please, to all such people, then and now.
You did a good job covering this forgotten tragedy Tom
Your videos are top notch. Excellent research and narration. You made me feel the anguish of the rescuers as they realized they had done all they could and it wasn't enough. Well done!
Your channel has rapidly become one of my favorites. I love catching up on your past videos.
You really do an incredible job at telling these lost stories, with such little information to begin with. The visuals, music, the way they are written and narrated... A true talent! Great work again 👏
I'm utterly enthralled by the phenomenal quality of your videos. The historical intrigue, spellbinding visuals & passionate delivery are incredible. You clearly deserve a boatload of Oscars, Sir! WOWZER!!
We used to take my mom to Barnegat lighthouse at least once a year, and I grew up in Cherry Hill! Not far from LBI at all, and I have never heard of this shipwreck! Its a beautiful place and I can't wait to go back in August. Thank you for the video! ❤️ I miss home sometimes.
Another great story to hear of another disaster lost to history almost forgotten until now may the eight crew members rest in peace.
Thank you for your excellent documentaries - I happen to be from Salcombe in Devon in England where the Elmina was registered and I've been told by the curator of the town's Maritime Museum that they haver information on the Elmina in a local book. I'll pick this up and let you know if there is any relevant information.
It’s always a pleasure to watch your videos and learn new things, keep up the great work !!
Another great comprehensive documentary. The Isle of Wight where I live has over 150 wrecks around a 70 mile peninsula. You wonder how these men resued anyone when you consider the power of the sea. Especially as some lifeboat crews sadly never returned . You think how close you appear to the shore, but hiding in the surf are rocks that can tear a person apart. Heroism at its true meaning of the word. Think you captured this promimantly.
Absolutely loving your channel and all the effort you put into keeping these stories alive!
Thank you!
Another great accounting of a nautical disaster, presented in your usual superb retelling.Thank you !
I grew up visiting LBI every summer, it was so fascinating- and heartbreaking- to learn about this local history. Thank you!
Fantastic documentary... I spend the last 60 plus summers about a mile south of where the wreck occurred.
There *was no documentary. Thank you for bringing this story back to the surface again.
The way she was stuck in the surf with the survioirs just out of reach reminds me of the Atlantic
Cheers Tom - yet another great informative video on a now known ship wreck.
everything this guy makes is great to listen to while trying to sleep, thank you :)
It's like therapy ;)
This is one of my favorite channels. So glad I stumbled on to it.
Ditto 👍!!!
Tastefully done. It's a bit of a trope sometimes, but this really is forgotten history and someone needed to tell their story. Speaking from experience (not nautical), there's no words to describe the despair when helplessly watching a tragedy develop in front of you. Thanks for this
Another well presented piece of naval history
Super interesting video. I wished everything I saw on TH-cam was this quality. Congratulations.
I live in Ocean county and dove a lot out of Beach Haven and never heard this story.
Someone at Lakehurst told me about another one near there.
South American Pirates had siezed a Spanish ship and were going to sell its cargo up the Delaware but got stopped by a Revenue Cutter off Cape May. The US hired a crew of my co-workers relatives to sail it to NYC to be sold at auction but she was lost off Barnegat light.
Since she was lost I'm not sure how they know where.
I believe there is a wreck off the coast of point pleasant beach also.
@@tula1433 Yes, there is one off point Pleasant and another off Bay Head but in NJ the sand moves and you never know from one storm til the next if you can see them or not.
My all-time favorite beach dive are two stacked on top of one another in Long Branch behind the Catholic retreat.
The World and their History shall thank you and Emma for remembering those who lost their Battles with the Sea. Through ur Fantastic Videos, their Story shall be remembered, even when Mind and Time forgot about them. Fantastic Work
Really enjoy your channel, keep up the great videos.
Whoa whoa whoa!! It's Long Beach Island, NJ. 5 miles out to sea,18 miles long. Comprised of many boroughs and townships. Long Beach Township, Beach Haven (The Queen City), Ship Bottom (Named after the shipwrecked Fortuna), Surf City, Barnegat Light, Love Ladies, Holgate, Harvey Cedars, Haven Beach, Beach Haven Park, Peahala Park, the Dunes, Beach Haven Crest, etc etc.
Long Beach Island, NJ was the site of the Untied States first shark attack. 1916, Engliside Ave, Beach Haven, NJ. The shark then went up the Jersey coast racking up a few more causalities and inspiring Peter Benchley to write novel JAWS.
Yes very true!
Wait, I thought those attacks were much farther north, closer to NYC. Something like Montauk 🤔?
@@rogerrendzak8055 when Peter Benchley wrote Jaws, it took place in Massachusetts. One of the shark hunters came from Montauk. Benchley took his inspiration from the attacks in Beach Haven then up the Jersey coast, into a river.
very interesting saga ! Thanks for shedding light on this tragedy and the heroism of the station crew. Well done.
Your presentation of this story is perfection. The illustrated ship and figures on the beach add a wonderfully eerie touch. And always the subtly poignant music you choose. And the ever-graceful narration that preserves the mystery throughout. All of your videos are good, but this is one of my favorites.
Thanks for sharing this story with us, youre an excellent story teller
I love this dudes channel!
Thank you for sharing this; I absolutely enjoy these. I love the ship artwork of this era and maps of this era are works of art too .
The saddest part of the whole story has to be the fact that if you hadnt stumbled upon the report by chance, it would have been forgotten to history. How many others have been lost to time? Completely forgotten by all but the descendants of those involved? Thanks to your efforts, at least this story will live on.
Captivating and, at the same time, tragic. The presenter, as he always does, sets just the right tone.
Tragic! I wonder if there's any records of the US communicating to the Brits and back. Maybe the sailors' names are recorded there.
Thank you for documenting and preserving their story.
I love your shipwreck storys
I knew about this, and probably because it was written up in the old South Jersey Magazine, which I have a huge collection of. Unfortunately they are all in storage at the moment. Thank you for telling the story. It's so sad...
By the way, my mom grew up on Long Beach Island. She, my uncle and my grandmother lived through the hurricane of 1944. They took refuge in Bond's Lifesaving Station, and their house in Holgate was washed completely away. My grandfather built a new house sometime later, further north in Beach Haven. That house was recently torn down by a new landowner, in order to build one of those modern monstrosities.
Your storytelling abilities are probably at a zenith now. I felt a distinct sense of sadness as well as a thrill at certain parts. The fact that not a word has been breathed of this before you, or any revisitation or acknowledgement of this incident since the year of the tragedy is criminal, but unfortunately also unsurprising. There are probably countless other stories of the same tragic caliber that have been forgotten just by Long Beach New Jersey alone. You or someone else should seriously try to do something about the wreck itself. Considering how close to sure it is, I imagine some sort of archaeological exploration could be done in low tide.
It reminds me of a story we have here of a civil war vessel that caught a similar fate off the coast of Egmont Key called the USS Narcissus.
That's an evocative ship's name and a great hook, to start with!
@@jeffcampbell1555 I quite agree. It participated directly in The Battle Of Mobile Bay
Thank you for the wonderfully constructed documentaries, so nice to find videos on the lesser known era of maritime disasters!
I’ve been watching all day inside a studio while I’m not busy haha
You are a wonderful story teller. You tell it with your heart, and your facts! Thank you
Great job of researching this tragedy.
The best narration is always found here. I learned so much and thank you and like 🙂
The mortar gun is fascinating, I've not heard of that before! Gems like this story are why I just subbed to your patreon, thank you so much.
Lifeboatmen and women are truly heroes, whether in the past or today. So sad that panic and errors sealed the fate of the crew despite the best efforts of the rescuers.
I go to LBI all the time and I have never heard of this wreck. Also there is supposed to be a wreck just off ship bottom, nj. but also not much info about it. There is a little bit of wreckage under the beach in harvey cedars,nj. That is visible from time to time. Thank you for sharing this.
Well done for digging this up. Just to think, if not for this video it's possible no one in our generation would ever hear of this story.
I have looked at a number of your videos and find them informative and interesting. I like your style and the direct presentation format which is not drag out the lesson or conclusion, but to incorporate it into the body of work. I liked and subbed. (here's to 100K).
I lived in Brant Beach, N.J., part of Long Beach Island, New Jersey, 1959-2020.
There is a former Life Saving Station in Beach Haven Terrace which is part of Long Beach Twp.
This, and The Bond's Holgate location are still there.
The Ship Bottom life Saving location was demolished in the 1970's.
There is a place called the Maritime Museum, located in Beach Haven New Jersey, in Long Beach Island...
Many wrecks discussed at the museum, including a Morro Castle room!
I love your videos and I'm so glad I found your channel.
I can't help but mention a slight resemblance you have to the kid, TheReportoftheWeek. You both have such wonderful deadpan humor as well.
I live in Oregon, and stories about shipwrecks fascinate me. Our coastline is so dangerous...many ships and boats are resting on the seafloor...God bless the lost souls. Even today, with our technology and sound vessels, the ocean is undefeated...
What phenomenal animation I truly believe this may be one of his best works!
Thank you Tom for a great video please keep it up!
I loovvvee the different map overlays u got going on man!
Magnificent piece if history thanks for sharing.
I’ve grown up on the island and I love finding new history about it. I’m surprised I haven’t heard about this ship wreck. Great video and if you want to look more into the island and it’s history I bet you’ll find a few more great video ideas 😎
I lived on LBI for a few years and the ocean was a beautiful but formidable force to reckon with. There exists a sandbar to this day that extends along the island just as it did 200 years ago when this ship sank. You can visibly see the top of the sand bar under certain conditions from certain spots on the island.
EXCELLENT !!!
Your genius with your stories and information
Tom you are a great story teller, keep up the good work.
You used to be able to see an old ship mast in the Barnegate Bay for a very long time. I had seen it myself when i lived in LBI in the early 80s. Although by the 90s you could not see it anymore.
Amazing TH-cam channel.
Congratulations.
Enjoyed your telling of this tragedy. Thank you
Excellent work! Do you know if there are any signs of the wreck still there? Do you have the coordinates? Keep the stories about LBI coming please!!
Wonderful video as usual
The founder of the Van Swearingen family was shipwrecked on Long Island, on its way to New Amsterdam. They had to save themselves and spend time on the beach till help arrived.
Very informative and poignantly communicated. Huzzah to the brave souls involved in the rescue effort.
I’m from Long Beach Island and account a lot of the wrecks close and off shore on the island and I’ve never even heard of this story tbh
Wonderful documenting. A tragedy that was almost lost to the sands of time
I like seeing the person who's teaching us 🙂
That a ship's Crew could make such extraordinarily bad decisions, to drop the anchor whilst on the sandbar and to tie the rescue line and discard the pulley, thereby removing their only prospects of survival.
They obstructed every effort made to save them and their ship.
This would make an incredible movie, I'm imagining a film that takes place entirely on the beach and never gives us the ship's perspective. The audience only have the faint cheers of the sailors as clues to the unfolding mystery. This story needs to be more well known.
Now that was intense, god I would love to see that as or in a novel
That is a shame that it happened
As always so horrible so fascinating thank you.🙏
Ty, great video!
Great story! More shipwreck stories please :) makes my gloomy days pass by easier.
Thank you for researching this.
Goodness, 8 lost certainly doesn't register compared to losses on other ships but for some reason I think this story bothered me more than any large disaster I've read of.
There are over 250 shipwrecks off the coast of LBI due to the rocky shoals below.
love this sort of content
would be amazing if you did a vid on the Union Brig Ethan Allen, and the several prizes she took in my backyard in 1862-3, by the actions of North Clearwater Harbor, and the Union blockade of Tampa in the US Civil war. I have copies of Union admiralty dispatches and some pictures of the Ethan Allen, if you're interested.
there's also the two confederate blockade runners in the Hillsborough river that are still visible at low tide.