NavList:

I had asked:
"Has anyone seen a version of this story that details WHEN the first mate suggested that they abandon ship? If it was 24 hours or even 12 hours earlier, that might have made a difference (it would probably have saved two lives though the ship would still have been a total loss), but if only an hour, then no."

I got one answer by private email that the first mate's testimony was that his first suggestion to abandon ship was only some minutes before the captain finally agreed. If so, then it doesn't make much difference. We will see if that's right.

I wrote previously:
"It's very interesting that the rumors about rot have been confirmed."

Looking at the detailed testimony as posted at gcaptain.com, it appears that the rumor I heard less than 24 hours after the sinking may have some weight. It turns out that the rot was severe, and Walbridge KNEW it was severe and presumably reported this to the owners. Walbridge KNEW that the ship would be at risk in heavy weather, if hurricane strength or not. The witness, Todd Kosakowski of Boothbay Harbor Shipyards, when asked if Walbridge had anything to say about the rot replied, "He was also concerned. I told him I thought that he had to pick and choose his weather... he said that he was terrified of what we had found."

The specific rumor that I heard on the Monday after the sinking (while killing time during the storm in the only restaurant that had power on this nautically well-connected island) was that the rot was widely known to be severe, and it appeared possible that this was a deliberate attempt to sink her for an insurance claim. These things do happen. It may well turn out that this was a crime --a conspiracy to sink a hopelessly compromised vessel. But I must emphasize that this is a RUMOR which suddenly appears to be supported by testimony.

-FER

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