Listen to Fascinated by Shipwrecks Episodes

On November 21, 1915, the Endurance sank in the Antarctic pack ice in the Weddell Sea. Sir Ernest Shackleton's quest to cross the Antarctic continent was doomed. What transpired in the aftermath of the sinking was an incredible feat of human endurance when Shackleton and his 27 men beat the odds, s…

In this compelling episode, historian David Saint-Pierre delves into his lifelong research on the tragic 1914 sinking of the Empress of Ireland, Canada’s forgotten maritime disaster. Growing up along the St. Lawrence River, David developed a deep fascination for the ship, eventually dedicating …

Dr. Nathan Richards, professor at East Carolina University, joins the Fascinated by Shipwrecks podcast to explore the overlooked world of abandoned ships and the diverse paths students can take when learning about maritime archaeology. From his early inspiration at a ships' graveyard in Australi…

On November 2, 1856, the French steamship Le Lyonnais sank off Nantucket after a fatal collision with the American sailing vessel Adriatic. Only 18 of 132 people survived, and Adriatic's captain, Jonathan Durham, faced trial for abandoning the scene. In 2024, the wreck was discovered by Atlanti…

Inspired by Jacques Cousteau as a child, Vince Capone has become a leading expert in underwater search and sonar technology. In this episode, he shares stories of discovering America’s oldest intact warship, the Lake George Radeau, and helping find the long-lost German sub U-215. Now, he's chasi…

What does coastal geology have to do with shipwrecks? A lot, as it turns out. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Art Trembanis, Associate Professor, Marine Science and Policy at the University of Delaware, about the many facets of his work and his expertise in autonomous robotics. Learn about…

Making a career of being a maritime archaeologist can take you on exciting trips around the world. Ryan Miranda graduated from East Carolina University’s Maritime Studies Program in 2020, and wrote his thesis about the famous ship titled Oak, Steel, and Men: The History of USS Constitution throu…

The USS Monitor was commissioned during the Civil War for the Union Navy in answer to the Confederate Navy’s new ironclad ship CSS Virginia (formerly the USS Merrimack). Monitor famously fought Virginia at the Battle of Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862. Known as the first irconclad warship to be e…

What’s it like to challenge the identity of a documented wreck? Jacques Marc did just that on one of his first wreck dives on British Columbia’s south coast. And he was hooked for life. As an avocational archaeologist (someone who volunteers), Jacques has been instrumental in helping grow the Un…

Jim talks about his storied career, starting with his budding interest in archaeology and history at age 10 and how the buried California Gold Rush ship Niantic changed his path. He also gives moving accounts of just some of the captivating wrecks he’s worked on. Having participated in over 100 …

How do you document a wreck? We talk with Jim on what a day in the life of his career looks like and touch on the process of investigating the US Navy destroyer USS Stewart. The Stewart is a century-old US Navy destroyer that earned the unenviable distinction of serving under both American and …

Shipwreck discoveries often hit the news and can uncover intriguing stories from our seafaring past. Behind these discoveries are the stories of the ships, their crews, and what life was like for them. But we may forget there are also fascinating tales of those who devote their lives to this wor…