The Mary Celeste: The Ghost Ship Mystery

On December 4, 1872, the brigantine Mary Celeste was discovered adrift in the Atlantic Ocean. The ship was intact, its cargo of 1,701 barrels of industrial alcohol was largely in good order, and the crew's personal belongings were in their places. However, to the surprise of its discoverers, the vessel was completely empty. All ten people on board (the captain, his wife, their daughter, and seven crew members) had vanished without a trace. This unsolved mystery has made the Mary Celeste the most famous ghost ship in history.

The Strange Discovery

The Mary Celeste was spotted by the Canadian ship Dei Gratia. As Captain David Morehouse and his first mate boarded the ship, they made a series of baffling discoveries. There were no signs of struggle or violence. The ship's logbook was in its place, with its last entry dated ten days prior. The small lifeboat was missing, as were the ship's two sextants. Clothes, shoes, and even the captain's piano were in their places. A half-eaten meal sat on the table in the galley. It was evident that the people on board had left in a hurry, but voluntarily.

Theories About What Might Have Happened

For over 150 years, the mystery of the Mary Celeste has given rise to numerous theories, ranging from the plausible to the far-fetched. One of the earliest theories was that the crew had mutinied and murdered the captain, but this idea was rejected because there were no signs of a struggle and the valuable cargo of rum was untouched. Another theory, more popular in fiction, is that the ship was a victim of a sea monster attack. Another idea is that they were victims of an unexpected natural phenomenon. The most credible and scientifically supported theory is the following:

The Alcohol Gas Plume Theory

The cargo of the Mary Celeste was industrial alcohol. Scientists have hypothesized that pressure and leaking alcohol vapors from a few faulty barrels could have created a highly flammable gas cloud. The captain, fearing an imminent explosion and seeing the ship filling with alcohol vapors, might have ordered the crew to evacuate. The crew would have then boarded the lifeboat, attached to the ship by a rope to tow it while waiting for the air to clear. If a squall had risen, or the rope had snapped, the lifeboat could have been swept away, leaving the crew at the mercy of the waves and their fate. This would explain the urgency of their departure and the fact that the ship was left intact.

The Mystery Remains

To this day, the mystery of the Mary Celeste officially remains unsolved. While the alcohol vapor theory is the most logical, there is no definitive proof. The fascination with this ghost ship story continues to inspire writers, artists, and researchers, reminding us that the ocean holds its own secrets, which are sometimes stranger than fiction.