Another ghost ship story

[SidneyF]

The little wooden steamer Humboldt (688 n.t.) was a Pacific coast lumber carrier when she was built in 1897 and was converted to a passenger ship for the great Alaska gold rush. Captain Elijah Baughman was the pilot on her first voyage to Skagway. In 1900 he was made Master and remained as such for the life of the ship. In 1933 she was laid up at the San Diego boneyard. Captain Baughman retired to San Francisco at that time. 2 years later on the night of Aug. 8, 1935, Captain Baughman died. Slipped his cable as old timers use to say. That night the Humboldt slipped her cable and sailed again for the last time. About midnight, a Coast Guard cutter hailed an unlighted ship moving silently in the San Diego harbor. It was the Humboldt, out of her retirement and headed right toward the open sea.

 

The Coast Guard boarded her and found her warped decks and dusty cabins deserted. That decided it was a freak of wind and current and towed the ship back to her graveyard.

 

No one guided the Humboldt that night, but the relationship beween a man and ship who spent their lives together for so many years can be a strangely mystic one. It is said that there are more things on heaven and earth, and on the sea, then we are aware of. End.

 

My father went to sea for 30 years before he got a shore job. For two years, 1929-1931, he was Purser on the Humboldt.

 

From the book "Pacific Coastal Liners" Superior Pub. Co. Seattle, 1959

[FCOWHER]

Cool story. Joe V.

 

Serenade of the Seas 12/31/05

Zuiderdam 4/23/05

RCI - 2 times

Princess - 3 times

QE2 - 1 time

Royal Majesty - 1 time

Carnival - 1 time

[cruizinrican]

Great story and great history lesson! Boy what a great tale of a man, his ship and the sea!

 

Things that make you go hummmm?:rolleyes:

[irishkat]

That was a really cool story :D

[JrMafia90]

That was a really cool story :D

 

Yes it was.

[Philly Steve]

Neat read. Thanks for sharing!

[sillylizzie]

Great story, thanks for sharing! :)

[bluehorizonlover123]

Maybe the ships enjoy cruising as much as we do.