Episode 322: Nova Scotia's rugged coastline and treacherous waters have made it a graveyard for ships throughout history. The SS Atlantic, a White Star Line steamship, sank off Nova Scotia on April 1, 1873, in one of the worst maritime disasters before the Titanic. On its 19th voyage from Liverpool to New York with around 975 people on board, the ship ran short of coal and diverted to Halifax. Navigational errors caused it to strike rocks near Prospect, Nova Scotia. Rough seas hindered lifeboat launches, trapping many passengers below deck. Local fishermen and others aided in rescue efforts, but 562 people perished, marking it the greatest civilian loss in the North Atlantic at that time.

Sources:

Nova Scotia Archives - Where the Land Meets the Sea: Shipwrecks of Nova Scotia

HMS Tribune: Halifax's first maritime disaster is almost forgotten

Atlantic's Last Stop by Robert Chaulk

They Went Down To The Sea by lay Spicer

Hypothermia: How long can someone survive in frigid water?

The Chilling Truth About Cold Water

SS Atlantic History - Rev. Ancient's Account

The SS Atlantic | Canadian History Ehx

The Final Voyage of SS Atlantic

The S/S Atlantic of the White Star Line, disaster in 1873

HFX Studios

The Wreck of the SS ATLANTIC - Halifax, NS 1873

SS Atlantic - The Mystery of the Davidsons' Grave

The Grave of the Davidsons, from the SS Atlantic

Sable Island: Shipwrecks at the graveyard of the Atlantic

Sable Island: Shipwrecks at the graveyard of the Atlantic | CBC News

Shipwreck Treasures

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