Strange seas

This week we look at three similar nautical mysteries and try to get to something to float to the top.

The Fate of the crew of the Sara Jo

BokakAtoll

The Sara Jo and her crew left on a clear morning for a day of fishing and never returned. 10 years later the Sara Jo and the body of one of the crew were found on an atoll. Where had the boat been and what had happened to it all those years ago?

The story
The Atoll

Bouvet Island

bouvet island

Bouvet island, an uninhabited subantarctic island, has never had any residents yet somehow in 1964 a wooden dingy was found in it’s lagoon. How did it get there, who did it belong to, and where were they?

The story
The island and it’s history

The MV Joyita

MV_Joyita

The MV Joyita, a nearly unsinkable ship, was found adrift in 1955 in the South Pacific. The 25 passengers and crew were missing as was some of the cargo. What would drive them off of a ship that was never going to sink?

The story
An answer?

Amazing coincidences

Dorothy Arnold

In December 1910 Dorothy Arnold, a wealthy New York socialite, left her family’s Manhattan home to go shopping, and never returned. Despite a massive search and extensive investigations, no trace of her was ever found.

Some of our Research:
The basic facts
Another perspective
Lightly blaming the family

Unnatural phenomena

LarryLost

On August 7th, 1973, radio operators in California picked up the terrified cries of a young boy who identified himself as Larry. Larry was unable to tell authorities where he was, or even what state he lived in. As the days drew on, the signal from his radio became weaker, the search for Lost Boy Larry was called off as he was presumed dead. Was this a hoax, or did a young boy get cooked to death in an overturned truck?

Some of our Research:
Just the basics
Some of the original newspaper articles
The Websleuths take on this story

Cryptids

MongolianDeathWorm

The Mongolian Death Worm is a cryptid that has never officially been captured (though Westerners have been trying since 1922). The creature lives in the Gobi desert and only surfaces in the months of June and July, supposedly after heavy rains. It reportedly can spit acid at AND/OR electrocute anyone who gets near it. And someone wants to find it why?

Some of our Research:
A big chunk of research about the worm
A more pragmatic approach
Some great illustrations and dissections

Strange seas

eilean-moor

In December 1900 three lighthouse keepers were discovered to have vanished from the island of Eilean Mor. There were the usual inexplicable clues-a meal left uneaten, a chair knocked over-which indicated a hasty exit. Were they abducted by a UFO? Et by the Kraken? Murdered by pirates?

Some of our Research:
One telling
A little more fanciful version
From the Northern Lighthouse board