Shipwrecks and Seafaring Tales of Prince Edward Island

Book excerpt: In the 450 years since Jacques Cartier's arrival, Prince Edward Island's history has been tied to the sea and to ships. From the first explorers through immigrants, traders, sailors, and fishermen, thousands of seafaring people and their ships have come and gone -- many lost to the relentless sea. Julie Watson has dug through the archives and unearthed harrowing accounts, from the expulsion of the Acadians to the amazing 1836 adventure of Tommy Tuplin, age six, who was washed overboard in a storm then washed back into the ship's rigging. This book includes fascinating stories of buried treasure, legends of ghost ships, and tales of storms that have become part of the island's history and folklore. Add to these stories of seal hunts, waterspouts, U-boats, and ice boats, and you start to share in what it means to be an islander -- and what the unforgiving sea can yield.