Episode #53: Brian Crawford on Exploring Shipwrecks

This is Episode #53 and we’re casting off with Brian Crawford and Latitude 38 Publisher and host John Arndt to chat about researching shipwrecks and battling the elements at sea.

Brian is an author, historian, and open-space activist who has done extensive research on famous and undocumented shipwrecks throughout Marin County. His own sailing experience includes taking a schooner down the East Coast into a hurricane, meeting his wife in Tonga, and serving as a navigator in the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Hear how to brave the elements, persevere when taking damage, avoid shipwrecks, the most fascinating shipwrecks in Marin County, and Brian’s adventures hunting for treasure without pay.

This episode covers everything from shipwrecks to giant schooners. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• How did Brian end up at Haight-Ashbury?
• Did he have any sailing experience before his first long passage?
• How big was the biggest schooner he’s sailed?
• What’s the history of Marin County shipwrecks?
• Were there any lifeboats in the wrecks?
• What’s the most dangerous area to sail in Marin County?
• Are there any wrecks in the Farallon Islands?
• Short Tacks: What’s a story on Brian’s radar today?

Explore shipwrecks with Brian on October 1st, 2022 here: https://tidelinetickets.checkfront.com/reserve/?preview=1&item_id=165.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast spots – follow and leave a 5-star review if you’re feeling the Good Jibes!

Check out the episode and show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

• Brian Crawford on Exploring Shipwrecks
  • [0:21] Welcome to Good Jibes with Latitude 38
  • [0:27] John Arndt
  • [0:44] Subscribe to Latitude 38 at Latitude38.com
  • [0:53] Explore shipwrecks with Brian here: https://tidelinetickets.checkfront.com/reserve/?preview=1&item_id=165
  • [2:29] What’s a story that shaped Brian as a sailor?
  • [3:05] Adventures in Paradise
  • [3:42] The Journals of Captain Cook by James Cook, Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage to the Antarctic by Alfred Lansing, Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum
  • [4:34] How did Brian end up at Haight-Ashbury?
  • [7:32] How old was the crew?
  • [10:09] How long did it take to get to Nova Scotia?
  • [11:13] Did Brian have any sailing experience before then?
  • [11:49] How big was that schooner?
  • [12:53] Nor’easter
  • [13:09] Queen Mary
  • [13:54] Halifax, Nova Scotia
  • [16:14] Have you ever done the Ha-Ha? The Baja Ha-Ha is a low pressure, super fun cruising rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas – a great way to kick off the season of cruising and make friends. The 2022 Baja Ha-Ha is 10/31-11/12. Find out more and sign up at Baja-HaHa.com
  • From Icy to Tropical
  • [17:12] How did Brian end up in Tonga?
  • [20:55] How big a boat was it?
  • [22:36] Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
  • [23:37] How did Brian end up back in San Diego?
  • [25:12] Channel Islands
  • [26:37] How often does Brian sail today? 
  • [26:55] Did you know every month you can get your copy of Latitude 38 delivered directly to your mailbox? Subscribe at Latitude38.com/Subscriptions
  • Shipwrecks
  • [27:54] What’s the history of Marin County shipwrecks?
  • [28:40] Titanic
  • [30:08] What time frame are the shipwrecks Brian studies?
  • [32:38] What shipwrecks are in Marin County?
  • [35:17] Were there any lifeboats in that wreck?
  • [36:07] What’s the most dangerous area to sail in in Marin County?
  • [36:43] What type of boats wreck most commonly?
  • [37:39] Are there any wrecks in the Farallon Islands?
  • [38:15] What wrecks are inside the Bay?
  • [39:47] Are there any wrecks where you can see the remains of the boat?
  • [41:06] How many of these wrecks are modern fiberglass sailing vessels?
  • [43:41] The Wreck of the Hanalei
  • [44:18] What’s the biggest cause of shipwrecks?
  • [45:19] What type of shipwrecks does Brian research today?
  • Short Tacks
  • [47:32] What is Brian’s dreamboat?
  • [48:05] What’s a story on his radar today?
  • [49:23] Shipwrecks of Marin by Brian K. Crawford, San Francisco Maritime Museum, National Parks Service (NPS), Shipwrecks of the Pacific Coast by James Gibbs, Shipwrecks of the Pacific Northwest by the Maritime Archaeological Society and Jennifer Kozik, San Francisco Bay by Harold Gilliam
  • [50:32] What’s Brian’s favorite sailing venue?
  • [51:51] What got him into sailing in the first place?
  • [53:05] What’s his #1 safety item?
  • [55:22] Once is Enough by Miles Smeeton, Firecrest Round the World by Alain Gerbault
  • [56:56] Learn more at BrianCrawford.info
  • [57:33] Explore shipwrecks with Brian here: https://tidelinetickets.checkfront.com/reserve/?preview=1&item_id=165
  • [57:55] Make sure to follow Good Jibes with Latitude 38 on your favorite podcast spot and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts
  • [58:06] Got a great sailing story to submit? Do so at [email protected]
  • [58:17] Subscribe to Latitude 38 at Latitude38.com
  • [58:22] Email [email protected] to advertise on this podcast or in Latitude 38 sailing magazine
  • [58:26] Check out the August 2022 issue of Latitude 38
  • Theme Song: Pineapple Dream by SOLXIS

Thanks for listening to Brian Crawford & John Arndt on Good Jibes with Latitude 38. Subscribe here to receive Latitude 38 to your home each month.