The SV ''Sea Bird'' or ''Seabird'' (later renamed ''Beach Bird'') was a merchant brig under the command of John Huxham (or Husham or Durham). In 1750 or 1760 the ship grounded herself at Easton's Beach,
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
.
Disappearance
Her longboat was missing, and she had been returning from a voyage to
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Oce ...
and was expected in
Newport that day. The ship was apparently abandoned in sight of land (coffee was boiling on the galley stove) and drifted off course. The only living things found on the ship were a dog and a cat.
[Myres, Rau & Macklin ''The Little Giant Book of True Ghost Stories'' (2001), pp.308–310, ] The vessel was eventually sold to a merchant of Newport, who changed her name to the "Beach Bird", in which name she made many voyages.
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Aftermath
A fictional account of how she became derelict appeared in the Wilmington, Delaware, ''Sunday Morning Star'' for October 11, 1885. There are so many variations of this story that have often been retold, that many consider this story to be nothing more than a myth.
See also
*List of missing ships
This is a list of missing ships and wrecks. If it is known that the ship in question sank, then its wreck has not yet been located.
Ships are usually declared lost and assumed wrecked after a period of disappearance. The disappearance of a s ...
*List of people who disappeared mysteriously at sea
Throughout history, people have mysteriously disappeared at sea, many on voyages aboard floating vessels or traveling via aircraft. The following is a list of known individuals who have mysteriously vanished in open waters, and whose whereabouts r ...
References
1750s missing person cases
Ghost ships
Missing person cases in Rhode Island
Missing ships
People lost at sea
Unexplained disappearances
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