RAPID 1807-1811

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Description

American China Trader 3-Masted Ship

Construction

Timber

Size

366 tons length 31.7m beam 8.7m draft 4.3m

Built

By Nathaniel Thomas in 1807 in Braintree, near Boston, USA

Owner

Andrew Ritchie, Captain: Henry Dorr and 20 crew

Sunk

1811/01/07

Location

Ningaloo Reef off Pt Cloates

Latitude/Longitude

(-22.739438, 113.692643)

Sinking

Rapid departed Boston for Canton on 28 September 1810, but was wrecked on 98th day of voyage. The next day, a storm was raging and crew set fire to the ship sacrificing everything, including the 280,000 silver dollars being carried on board. The captain and crew returned to the wreck site on the ship ‘Meridian’ and organised recovery of the majority of the coins – leaving some 20,000 coins in situ.

Underwater

7m depth Anchor and large rock ballast covering keel and some timbers

Gallery

A binicle that held the boats compass is on display at Augusta Museum
A binicle that held the boats compass is on display at Augusta Museum
A binicle that held the boats compass is on display at Augusta Museum
A binicle that held the boats compass is on display at Augusta Museum

Location