Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs

Latest Episodes:

The Stargazer of Nantucket w/Julie Gerstenblatt Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Rich speaks with author Julie Gerstenblatt, author of Daughters of Nantucket, which won the New England Society Book Award for Fiction, to discuss her new historical novel, The Stargazer of Nantucket.

Set in 1851, the novel follows Winifred Starbuck, an eighteen-year-old who stows away on her parents' final merchant voyage from Nantucket Island to San Francisco and across the Pacific to the ports of China, only to uncover a long-buried secret that reveals the truth behind her parents' desperate fear. Gerstenblatt and Rich dig into the real maritime history behind the fiction, including the novel's connection to the record-setting maiden voyage of the clipper ship Flying Cloud, the golden age of sail, the dangers of 19th-century trade voyages, and what it took to bring this seafaring world to life on the page.

To purchase Stargazer of Nantucket, please visit https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=Julie+Gerstenblatt

For more information about Julie Gerstenblatt please visit https://www.juliegerstenblatt.com/.

**🎧 LISTEN AD-FREE + BONUS EPISODES** 👉Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is part of the Into History podcast channel. Subscribe here: ⁠https://www.intohistory.com/shipwreckspod⁠ 👉Get exclusive bonus episodes and merch on Patreon: ⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/patreon⁠ 👉Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/apple⁠ 👉Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs Merchandise is available! ⁠https://shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠ 👉You can support the podcast with a donation of any amount at: ⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/shipwreckspod⁠ *No remuneration was received by or paid by Rich Napolitano or Nautilus Media, LLC for Ms. Gerstenblatt's appearance on Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs. An advance copy of the author's work was provided by the publisher for review.

** No AI was used to create this video. Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes, images, and sources can be found at shipwrecksandseadogs.com. Original theme music by Sean Sigfried. ⁠https://www.seansigfried.com⁠ You can also listen to Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. ⁠https://www.podfollow.com/shipwreckspod

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Based on a True Story: The Terror & Franklin Expedition Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

The Terror and the Franklin Expedition

Rich recently appeared as a guest on Based on a True Story Podcast with Dan Lefebvre to discuss fact versus fiction in AMC's The Terror, Season 1. This series is a sci-fi/horror adaptation of the novel by Dan Simmons called The Terror portraying the 1845 Franklin Expedition as they search for a passage through the Canadian Arctic on HMS Erebus and HMS Terror.

Based on a True Story Podcast compares historical accuracy versus what was portrayed on screen, and delves into some of the biggest films and television shows of all time. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube.

For more information about Based on a True Story Podcast, please visit BasedonaTrueStoryPodcast.com.

All episodes, notes, and transcripts can be found at shipwrecksandseadogs.com.

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90 Seconds to Disaster: The Herald of Free Enterprise Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

The Herald of Free Enterprise: How a Routine Ferry Crossing Became One of Britain's Deadliest Peacetime Disasters | Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs On the night of March 6, 1987, the roll-on/roll-off ferry Herald of Free Enterprise left the Belgian port of Zeebrugge bound for Dover with nearly 500 passengers and crew aboard. Minutes after clearing the harbor, the ship rolled onto its side in shallow water, claiming 193 lives in one of the most consequential maritime disasters of the 20th century. In this episode of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, host Rich Napolitano traces the chain of small failures, design flaws, and operational pressures that turned a routine cross-Channel run into catastrophe. Topics discussed include the open bow doors that let the North Sea pour onto the car deck, the free surface effect that capsized the ship in under two minutes, the frantic rescue effort in freezing water, and the Sheen Inquiry that famously diagnosed the ferry operator's culture as suffering from a "disease of sloppiness." This disaster reshaped international maritime safety law and changed RO-RO ferry future designs. **🎧 LISTEN AD-FREE + BONUS EPISODES** 👉Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is part of the Into History podcast channel — subscribe here: https://www.intohistory.com/shipwreckspod 👉Get exclusive bonus episodes and merch on Patreon: https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/patreon 👉Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://www.shipwrecksandseadogs.com/apple 👉Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs Merchandise is available! https://shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com 👉You can support the podcast with a donation of any amount at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/shipwreckspod #HeraldOfFreeEnterprise #ShipwreckHistory #ZeebruggeDisaster #MaritimeDisaster #FerryDisaster #MaritimeHistory #NauticalHistory #HistoryPodcast #ShipwrecksAndSeaDogs #Townsend #Thoresen ** No AI was used to create this video. Written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. All episodes, images, and sources can be found at shipwrecksandseadogs.com. Original theme music by Sean Sigfried. https://www.seansigfried.com You can also listen to Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. https://www.podfollow.com/shipwreckspod

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The Wreck of the Mentor w/Eric Jay Dolin Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

The Wreck of the Whaleship Mentor (1832) | Shipwreck, Captivity & Survival in Palau | Interview with Eric Jay Dolin In May 1832, the American whaleship Mentor was battling fierce storms in the western Pacific when disaster struck. Wrecked on a remote reef in the Micronesian archipelago of Palau, eleven surviving crewmen found themselves stranded in unfamiliar territory, their supplies dwindling and their fate uncertain. Within days, indigenous Palauan warriors approached bearing axes, clubs, and spears. What followed was years of captivity, tribal warfare, dashed hopes, and a fraught naval rescue mission that captivated the American public. In this episode, host Rich Napolitano sits down with award-winning maritime historian and bestselling author Eric Jay Dolin to discuss his book The Wreck of the Mentor: A True Story of Death, Despair, and Deliverance in the Age of Sail. Dolin brings this largely forgotten saga back to life, a gripping story of survival, cultural collision, and the realities of life at sea in the Age of Sail. In this episode: 👉The Mentor's doomed voyage and how the wreck occurred 👉The surviving crew's first contact with the Indigenous people of Palau 👉Years of captivity and the struggle to survive 👉The naval rescue mission and the diplomatic challenges it created 👉What the Mentor's story reveals about 19th-century whaling and American maritime history About Eric Jay Dolin: Eric Jay Dolin is the bestselling author of seventeen works of maritime history, including Leviathan: The History of Whaling in America, Black Flags, Blue Waters, and Rebels at Sea. His books have received numerous awards, including the Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature. Learn more at ⁠ericjaydolin.com⁠. * No compensation or remuneration of any kind was received by Rich Napolitano or Nautilus Media LLC for Mr. Dolin's appearance in this episode, other than a copy of the author's work. ** No AI was used to create this video. All episodes and transcripts can be found at ⁠shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠.

For ad-free listening, access to exclusive bonus episodes, and free perks, please subscribe to the Officer's Club!

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. Original theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Please leave a rating and review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podchaser⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs tee shirts, hats, and other items are available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is a maritime history podcast about shipwrecks, tragic loss, and incredible accomplishments on the world's oceans and waterways.

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(Bonus) The Curious Case of the Glenesslin Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

In 1913, the fully-rigged British vessel Glenesslin strangely sailed straight into the rocks on the coast of Oregon, despite relatively calm weather. Locals reported the captain and crew were drunk, and rumors of insurance fraud swirled. Many questions still remain about why this beautiful ship was wrecked on the rocks.
All episodes and transcripts can be found at shipwrecksandseadogs.com.
For ad-free listening, access to exclusive bonus episodes, and free perks, please subscribe to the Officer's Club!

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. Original theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

**No AI was used during the production of this episode.**

Please leave a rating and review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podchaser⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs tee shirts, hats, and other items are available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is a maritime history podcast about shipwrecks, tragic loss, and incredible accomplishments on the world's oceans and waterways.

Follow Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Doolittle Raid and Unit 731 w/Jenny Chan May 26, 2026

Show notes

In April 1942, sixteen American B-25 bombers lifted off from the deck of USS Hornet and struck the Japanese home islands in a raid that stunned the Empire of Japan. But for the Chinese people of Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces, the Doolittle Raid triggered a catastrophe. In this episode of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, host Rich Napolitano examines the brutal Japanese military campaign that followed during a campaign of deliberate terror against civilian populations who had aided the American airmen. What unfolded was one of the most horrifying chapters of World War II in the Pacific: a systematic campaign of slaughter, rape, and the deliberate weaponization of disease against an unarmed population.

At the center of that horror was Unit 731, the Imperial Japanese Army's covert biological and chemical warfare research program. Operating under the cover of a public health unit, Unit 731 conducted lethal human experimentation on prisoners of war and civilians, developing plague, cholera, and typhoid as battlefield weapons. These weapons were deployed against Chinese towns and villages during the reprisal campaign.

Guest Jenny Chan of Pacific Atrocities education examines the documented record of these atrocities, the scale of the death toll, and the deeply troubling postwar decision by American authorities to grant Unit 731 scientists immunity from prosecution in exchange for their research data.

For ad-free listening, access to exclusive bonus episodes, and free perks, please subscribe to the Officer's Club!

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. Original theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

**No AI was used during the production of this episode.**

Please leave a rating and review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Podchaser⁠⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs tee shirts, hats, and other items are available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is a maritime history podcast about shipwrecks, tragic loss, and incredible accomplishments on the world's oceans and waterways.

Follow Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs

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Dr. John Rae: A Scottish Hero May 19, 2026

Show notes

Dr. John Rae was a Scottish surgeon who became one of the most remarkable Arctic explorers of the 19th century, and one of its most unjustly forgotten. Between 1846 and 1854, Rae led four major Arctic expeditions, trekking, sailing, and canoeing more than 37,000 kilometres across some of the most unforgiving terrain on Earth.

His discovery of Rae Strait proved to be the final link in a navigable Northwest Passage, which was successfully used by Roald Amundsen in 1903–06. But it was another discovery that would define, and destroy his legacy. In 1854, Rae encountered Inuit hunters who produced artefacts from the lost Franklin Expedition and revealed that the final survivors had been driven to cannibalism. When he brought this news back to Britain, Lady Jane Franklin and Charles Dickens launched a campaign slandering the Inuit as probable murderers, and Rae, as a result, became the only major British explorer of his day never to receive a knighthood.

Unlike his peers, Rae was willing to adopt and learn the ways of indigenous Arctic peoples, which made him stand out as the foremost specialist of his time in cold-climate survival and travel, a quality that made him extraordinarily effective in the field, and deeply unpopular in the drawing rooms of Victorian England.

In this episode of Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs, host Rich Napolitano tells the full story of Dr. John Rae: ship's surgeon, Arctic surveyor, Franklin expedition investigator, and one of history's most consequential figures hiding in plain sight.

For ad-free listening, access to exclusive bonus episodes, and free perks, please subscribe to the Officer's Club!

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. Original theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠⁠⁠.

**No AI was used during the production of this episode.**

Please leave a rating and review on ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Podchaser⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs tee shirts, hats, and other items are available at ⁠⁠⁠shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠⁠.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is a maritime history podcast about shipwrecks, tragic loss, and incredible accomplishments on the world's oceans and waterways.

Follow Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs

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Lost Franklin Expedition w/NEW UPDATES May 18, 2026

Show notes

This replay of episode 35 includes new updates! A 2026 research study has positively identified remains of four men from the Franklin Expedition using DNA analysis. Also, updates about what has been found at the wrecks of HMS Terror and HMS Erebus.

The Franklin Expedition of 1845 was a British voyage led by Sir John Franklin in an attempt to navigate the Northwest Passage, a coveted sea route through the Arctic. Comprising two ships, the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, the expedition aimed to explore uncharted territories but tragically ended in disaster. The ships became trapped in ice off King William Island, and all the crew members perished. Despite numerous search missions, the fate of the expedition remained a mystery for over 150 years until the wrecks of the Erebus and Terror were discovered in 2014 and 2016 respectively, shedding light on the hardships faced by the crew, including exposure, starvation, and lead poisoning from poorly preserved food cans, contributing to their demise.

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. Original theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

**No AI was used during the production of this episode.**

For ad-free listening, access to exclusive bonus episodes, and free perks, please subscribe to the Officer's Club!

Love the podcast? Show your support at BuyMeACoffee.com/shipwreckspod.

Please leave a rating and review on ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Podchaser⁠⁠⁠, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs tee shirts, hats, and other items are available at ⁠⁠⁠shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠⁠.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is a maritime history podcast about shipwrecks, tragic loss, and incredible accomplishments on the world's oceans and waterways.

Follow Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs

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The USS Jeannette: Shattered Ambitions (Part 2) Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

The USS Jeannette expedition (1879–1881) is remembered as one of the most tragic and compelling stories in maritime history, blending ambition, endurance, and survival against the odds. Financed by James Gordon Bennett Jr. and undertaken by the United States Navy, the expedition aimed to reach the North Pole via the Bering Strait in search of the theorized open polar sea. Commanded by George Washington De Long, a crew of 33 men departed San Francisco in 1879, only to become trapped in Arctic pack ice shortly after entering the polar region.

For nearly two years, the Jeannette drifted helplessly across the frozen expanse before being crushed by ice in 1881, leaving the crew stranded on the drifting floes of the East Siberian Sea. What followed was a harrowing struggle for survival, as the men attempted to reach Siberia in three small boat parties after becoming separated in a violent storm. Ultimately, only 13 survived, while De Long and many others perished in the unforgiving Siberian wilderness.

The historical record was preserved through De Long’s recovered logbooks, and this story of polar exploration, shipwreck, and human endurance offers an exhaustive account of one of history’s most ill-fated Arctic expeditions.

Much of the research for this 2-part series comes from George De Long's extensive records. You can read them in their entirety here: ⁠https://archive.org/details/voyageofjeannett01delo/mode/2up⁠

For ad-free listening, access to exclusive bonus episodes, and free perks, please subscribe to the Officer's Club!

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. Original theme music is by ⁠⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠⁠.

**No AI was used during the production of this episode.**

Please leave a rating and review on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Podchaser⁠⁠, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs tee shirts, hats, and other items are available at ⁠⁠shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠⁠.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is a maritime history podcast about shipwrecks, tragic loss, and incredible accomplishments on the world's oceans and waterways.

Follow Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The USS Jeannette: Shattered Ambitions (Part 1) Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Much of the research for this 2-part series comes from George De Long's extensive records. You can read them in their entirety here: https://archive.org/details/voyageofjeannett01delo/mode/2up

For ad-free listening, access to exclusive bonus episodes, and free perks, please subscribe to the Officer's Club!

This episode was written, edited, and produced by Rich Napolitano. Original theme music is by ⁠⁠Sean Sigfried⁠⁠.

**No AI was used during the production of this episode.**

Please leave a rating and review on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Podchaser⁠, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs tee shirts, hats, and other items are available at ⁠shop.shipwrecksandseadogs.com⁠.

Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs is a maritime history podcast about shipwrecks, tragic loss, and incredible accomplishments on the world's oceans and waterways.

Follow Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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