Coastal cliff erosion can create pillars when rock jointing or faulting are spaced at favourable intervals and angles. These will continue to be sculpted by the waves and often become tourist hotspots (such as the Twelve Apostles in Australia) or a refuge for sea birds, which can nest safely from predators.
The Sea Bird, a merchant brig owned by Isaac Steel and commanded by Captain John Durham, or Huxham or Husham, who was returning to Newport after a trip to Honduras. On the morning the Sea Bird was due to return, she was driven ashore and landed unharmed on Easton Beach in Rhode Island. Curious as to what was going on, some men went aboard to see. They were greeted happily but quietly by the ship’s cat and dog, but not by the crew of eight. Coffee was boiling on the cooker and a sumptuous breakfast was prepared. The smell of fresh tobacco smoke was in the air. In the captain’s quarters, untouched coinage lay open and his dressing gown hung over a chair. The longboat had disappeared, but nothing more could be found.
The ship was in good condition, the instruments and cargo intact. Captain Durham was an experienced and competent man. His last ship’s entry was “Branton [Brenton] Reef sighted”, which is only a few miles off Newport. A fishing boat that arrived shortly after the Sea Bird reported seeing the ship with the captain on deck less than two hours earlier. But now there was no one there. The cargo was unloaded and the animals taken off the boat. By evening, however, when someone went to check on the Sea Bird again, it had disappeared and the animals were also gone.
Now there were many theories as to what had happened and, above all, which of these was pure legend. The first is that the Sea Bird was swept off the beach in a storm leaving no debris and was never seen again. The second was sold to Henry Collins (1699-1765), renamed Beach Bird then continued making successful voyages. Which, by the way, is also historically verifiable, the only question is whether it is also this Sea Bird. And the third, she was a Spirit Ship and appeared again and again at different ports to search for her crew.
Most likely it is the second variant and the crew was simply paid off and the Sea Bird became Beach Bird. But ghost ships are somehow more exciting and who knows maybe she is still looking for her crew.
