Uncovering The Sunken Ghost Ships From The War Of 1812

Two American schooners, Hamilton and Scourge, sank in Lake Ontario during a storm in the War of 1812, with over 80 sailors lost. These wrecks are now among the best-preserved wooden shipwrecks, thanks to the cold, freshwater environment. Father-and-son divers, Mike and Warren Fletcher, joined a scientific expedition to explore the wrecks. The challenge was accessing the deep wrecks, as scuba diving was limited, requiring remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to penetrate the schooners’ interiors. To understand the crew’s experience, the Fletchers used a shipwreck simulator to recreate the storm conditions. They aimed to learn why so many sailors were trapped and drowned, with hypotheses pointing to the storm’s sudden intensity and structural issues on the ships. From the ancient civilizations of years past to the dawn of the Space Race, every week we’ll be bringing you award-winning documentaries featuring some of the world’s best historians. Subscribe so you don’t miss out.