Mystery Ship at Ft. Morgan

It seems this mystery lady doesn't want folks to forget about her. But just who was the lovely lady that keeps making her appearances after major storms in our area?

                                                          (Photo by Joe Boyington)                      

Was she the two-masted schooner, Monticello, with a Civil War story to tell about evading the Union Blockade in 1862 and heading to Havana? Or was she a rum-runner trying to smuggle whiskey during the prohibition era? Or is she in fact the three-masted schooner, Rachael., that was carrying a load of timber that was forced ashore during a storm in 1923? 

                                                        (Photo by Michelle Carroll Stancil)

This beauty has been turning up since Camilla hit in 1969. With the changing seas and sands she disappears for awhile only to be once again reveled. Hurricane Ivan in 2004, Hurricane Ike in 2008 and now in 2012 Hurricane Issac. Several folks have commented on it being very interesting that Hurricanes all beginning in "I" and four years separating each have brought this beauty out more with each passing. 

                                                                      (Photo by Regi)

The Chazman loves history and he realized that today on our adventure to see this mystery lady that he was standing with something that might go back 100 years. Of course, when we got home we had to do a bit of investigating.

                                                             (Photos by Regi)

You can see the metal turnbuckles that time and the ocean have not been able to completely destroy. Metal turnbuckles were not used during the Civil War according to Greg Cook, of the University of West Florida, that studied the vessel in 2008.  Since the Civil War theory was taken out,  it is believed that she might just be the 155 foot schooner, Rachael, one of the largest Biloxi schooners built at the time in the early 1900's.  She was a lumber schooner and it's believed that she was carrying a load of lumber with a small crew when a storm caught them. The crew could not handle her and put out the anchor only to run aground.

                                                                (Photo by Regi)

If only this wooden hull could talk...oh the tales she could tell. We may never truly know who she was but it's a fact that she has a ton of folks whispering, owwwwing and a ahhhing!!

Until next time.....Hugs,

Regi (and the Chazman)