Shipwrecks And Rescues 1550-2000
February 27, 2004 - June 6, 2004
Sailors have risked their lives on the ocean since the early days of sea navigation. Bad weather, coral reefs and other natural hazards conspire to destroy cargoes, ships, and human life. The Florida Straits are particularly dangerous for maritime traffic.
Men and women run great risks to rescue those in danger off the Florida coast. From nineteenth-century wreckers and lighthouse keepers to the modern day Coast Guard, rescuing ship passengers and cargoes has been a dangerous, complex, and sometimes profitable business.
Shipwrecks And Rescues 1550-2000 told the dramatic stories of men and women who passed through the Florida Straits. Some were shipwrecked while carrying treasure cargoes. Others tried to help enslaved people of African descent escape to freedom. Still others risked their lives on the water in attempts to begin new lives in Florida. Through it all, fellow mariners braved the waves to rescue them. These were some of their seafaring tales.
