![]() ![]() ![]() Men working in the engine room discovered a leak – water was pouring into the hull. On 6 October, the ship was just over a hundred miles from Boston, her next port of call after a stop in St John’s, Newfoundland. Launched at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, on 21 April 1860, within months the Connaught had completed her maiden voyage. She’d bring emigrants to the New World, deliver mail and, of course, ferry wealthy passengers back and forth in luxury. A side-wheel steamer, the Connaught would traverse the North Atlantic. She was a mighty ship – 370ft (113m) long – and the second largest steamer in the world at the time, outsized only by Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s gargantuan SS Great Eastern. They worked on her for nine months straight. It took a thousand men to build the Connaught. He is one of only a handful of people who knows exactly where the huge wreck lies – and he believes he’s figured out how to retrieve its bounty. Micah Eldred has pinned his hopes on finding the treasure of the Connaught. It’s because of this that a tall, neatly dressed Floridian has come to Gloucester to inspect his boat. By sheer luck, the SS Connaught’s passengers were saved, but its haul – millions of dollars’ worth of gold coins – sank to the bottom of the ocean. In 1860, 100 miles (161km) off this shore, one of the world’s biggest steamer ships slowly began to fill with water. More than 100 years ago, however, there was a near tragedy not too far away. Now, as a humid afternoon unwinds, they moor up and start heading to busy bars and restaurants. Many have been out on the water all day, trying to catch a fish, or just breathing in the air of the North Atlantic. The town is filled with holidaymakers, locals and pleasure boaters. A warm sea breeze is blowing in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |