Downed ships Down Under—now there’s a random topic of interest!

I was traveling with the wife for a 4-day conference in Brisbane this summer, and for my first visit to the continent, I wanted to read whatever I could about Australia. After perusing thrift store shelves, the only semi-Australia-themed books I found were Every Bloke’s a Champion—Even You! by Ian “Watto” Watson (2012) and this book about old shipwrecks. I was really stoked for this one.

Actually, come to think of it, there were a few “Western” novels that seemed to be about ranchers in the Outback. Those would have appealed to me too, though I think they were less shoot-em-up Westerns than drama, and I try to read nonfiction when reading geographically. Still, I wish I had bought at least one.

Wrecks and Reputations covers two shipwrecks off Australia’s southern coast that took the lives of many seasoned sailors and their charges. The first was the loss of the Schomberg (1855) on her maiden voyage. Although everyone survived this wreck, Charlwood recounts at length how the event ruined the reputation of Captain Bully Forbes.

The loss of the Lock Ard (1889) was a far more heartbreaking tale, for it took the lives of all but two aboard. Both survivors were 18 at the time, a boy and a girl, leading many to speculate that Fate alone had spared them for romance. This wasn’t the case, and although they did meet occasionally in the years that followed, nothing could force their love through such a terrible tragedy.

While one might consider this “romance” anticlimactic, it must be remembered that this is a true story! These were real people who suffered terrible loss, and any desire on the reader’s part to see this couple end up together is the same desire the Australians had at the time to find one tiny speck of joy amidst such terrible loss. Charlwood captures well society’s hopes, and he treats respectfully the couple’s distance.

Charlwood also captures the terror of the wrecks and investigations that followed. He takes us directly to the scenes of discovery and includes some of the colloquialism of 19th Century Australia. It’s a book of history and geography with a touch of culture that made is a great geographical read for my journey.

His epilogue also traces some of the later discoveries by divers off the Australian coast. It was reminiscent of Expedition Wydah (1999), the best book on maritime archaeology and treasure hunting I’ve read. Sea Hunters by Clive Cussler (1996) is a close second. All three get me excited to read more about shipwrecks and discoveries!

While I’m no archaeologist and only an amateur treasure hunter, I too have begun exploring the remains of shipwrecks—all off the coasts of southern China. These wrecks are upwards of 900 years old, and although I’ve not been diving on them (they’re protected), I have been uncovering their cargos in the form of porcelain shards along the beach. Along with my family, we’ve collected nearly 1,000 pieces already, and some contain maker’s marks and other identifying features. All other beach goers view these shards as picnic trash, but we know better.

I’ve been cataloguing my finds with almost-museum-like precision, but to what end? I’m not sure yet, apart from a love for history. But such is the reason a book like this resonates so well with me, and why random finds like this should excite any armchair adventurer.

I wonder what other sweet finds await me in book stores an ocean away…

©2025 E.T.