The Wreck of the Lumber Freighter "LAUREL" (1929)

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The Laurel, originally built in 1920 as the West Jessup by the Ames Shipbuilding Company, was a cargo steamer based on design number 1080 of the Emergency Fleet Corporation. After sailing several voyages across the Pacific, the Laurel became a lumber freighter for the Quaker Line, a subsidiary of the States Line.
In 1929, with 32 souls on board, Laurel beached on Peacock Spit, Washington, just at the mouth of the Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon.
In this documentary, we're visiting the Columbia River Maritime Museum, the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum, and the Cape May Maritime Museum.
Show some support to the efforts of the Cape May Maritime Museum working to restore a lifeboat similar to the ones sent out to rescue those trapped on the Laurel.
www.cmmaritime.org/

[@Randomstuffs261]

Cape disappointment is what my dad would call me if I was a cape.

[@AshesOfArcadia]

Same 😂

[@bo7341]

Cape Disappointment was an alternate title for The Marvels.

[@JohnSmith-is8nq]

Yeah me too. He disowned me and my sister last june. Good times.

[@alanarcher5903]

Hilarious statement

[@treyandoss3056]

Hello sibling!

[@blairpomeroy3193]

My Grandfather John S Wheeler was on this ship. He was 26 years old and signed oa an “oilman”, which meant he was assigned to the engine room to constantly apply oil to the engine mechanics. I have a video of him telling his story in 1981. I have shared this video with Astoria museum and the digitized it for archival. On another subject, there is a comment posted from a person that compliments this video and asks the author to consider doing one on the SS Central America wreck from 1857. My great great Grand mother, Mary Swan (Cook) was on that ship with her husband Sam Swan and infant child. Husband went down with the ship. Mary and baby were saved. I have been engaged with the historians and authors of books like “Ship of Gold” that chronicled the discovery of the ship in 1988 and recovery of 3 tons of gold. I have copies of Mary’s story from the Sacramento Bee newspaper many years later. She crossed the oregon/California trail in 1854.

[@johnwymer1215]

Suuuuuuuuuuuuure prove the ancestry

[@PartTimeExplorer]

Would you email me at [e-mail] ? I’d love to hear more!

[@gayprepperz6862]

Your family has quite a history with the sea!

[@LanceBeckman]

Lol, nobody believes you and nobody cares

[@patd4914]

"Here Joe, your elbow is starting to squeak"

[@Mike-O-Sullivan]

This channel is the one that convinced me that the highlands of YT had finally exceeded the best that Discovery/History/National Geographic et al had to offer. It's an exciting media milestone. Which is to say, Part-Time Explorer is appointment viewing!

[@giggiddy]

When YT began, I used to laugh to myself that someone would think their amature video production could ever compete with the big boys in quality and accuracy. Now, if I'm looking for something and its produced by History or one of the others. I scroll past and look for one produced my someone like this one. They are superior to the big boys now- in every way.

[@giggiddy]

The graphics here and in prior videos still leave me speechless. Several times I asked how the heck they got real footage of the boat breaking apart. Its that good and accurate that I can't tell whats real and what's made up. So well done!

[@John-kj5wh]

Ppl like part time explorer do very well they know what ppl want to see and what will help them learn. Bunch of garbage on tv i left and never went back.

[@John-kj5wh]

That being said, its not easy making content like this.. could even retain some of its raw uncut rigidity if any. And id enjoy it more so. Probably a work of passion. Dude loves the sea. And i thank him.

[@John-kj5wh]

And his ol Lady roams with helping with his endeavor

[@T_da_yung_goat]

Cape disappointment is basically my Asian parents way of describing me in a Superman costume

[@BCB-9000]

This channel is my secret little place of peace. Thank you.

[@kiphowland4660]

Mine too……….don’t tell anyone

[@hannahp1108]

I'm a lifelong Oregonian, and I think unless you grow up at the coast, you just don't hear about this kind of history. I so appreciate you bringing light to these stories, and giving me reasons to go back to the Columbia River Maritime Museum! The Columbia Bar is still a notoriously hard place to cross, and the ships rely on pilots and can only go at high tide.

[@gayprepperz6862]

I've heard quite a few stories about the Columbia Bar. Don't think I want to be a ship having to pass it, especially a small ship or a boat.

[@Yes-es8it]

Hello from the Washington side

[@hannahp1108]

@@Yes-es8it Hello over there!

[@shaggybreeks]

It actually takes one pilot to take the ship across the bar, and another to take the ship further up the river, like to Portland. When my dad retired from the Navy, he became a river pilot, taking ships from inside the bar to Portland.

[@p.k.5455]

The young pilot Billy Gaye had some serious big, uh, guts! Great video as always, and many thanks!

[@iamrichrocker]

Dis Billy, brave teenager aviator get recognized with a civilaian medal? what a act of courage at night, in that storm..

[@johnholland4510]

Amazing, I love stories about the dreaded graveyard of the Pacific. Why did they put so much lumber on her for such a long voyage? Did somebody want her to sink for the insurance? Incredible graphics once again. Thanks for the great work Tom.

[@PartTimeExplorer]

My guess is that the captain had a share in the profit from the cargo and the more he carried, the more he got. He probably got greedy and reckless, which makes sense considering he wanted to standby the cargo until the very end. By the way, did you see the special thanks?

[@The_Robbing_Narrator]

​@@PartTimeExplorer Hey there! Can you do more locomotive wreck videos? They're very interesting indeed!

[@Danielwhite9005]

​@@PartTimeExplorerwhy was it called cape disappointment 🤨

[@giggiddy]

Every time I see a video of a ship full of supplies go down like this. Not only is the loss of life tragic. But all of those trees wasted. Wish I could pull those boards up from the ocean floor. Sometimes they are still usable or even sell for more if they've become petrified. Maybe I'm thinking of logs pulled from a muddy river bottom.

[@guaporeturns9472]

@@Danielwhite9005😂Your parents failed

[@ikeyschultz4969]

One of the greatest KZbinr’s continues to deliver.

[@PeppieP]

What an awesome true tale of the “Laurel”, told in such an amazing way with fantastic photographs too. Thank you so much for this amazing history.

[@bxbommer]

The animation is more than just illustrative of the narrative, it's so good, these videos rival the best WWII documentaries. Congratulations on a real triumph, one of many on the channel.

[@Binarysandbyte]

Your docs are the best. Love these rarely told stories. Thanks for your hard work.

[@AlexLostInWonderland]

I was so worried that the captain was going to go down with his ship unnecessarily. I’m glad that he accepted the ship’s fate before the ship took him with her. I can fully respect his determination to stay with the ship, especially since he did eventually accept rescue. Love your continued visits to local historical centers!

[@riverbender9898]

For me, there's something tragic about the death of a ship, even if all hands were spared. Superb recreation! Thank you.

[@Super_Bros.]

You really do make some of my absolute favorite content on KZbin.

[@eegarim]

Fantastic story! The graphics were excellent. I was reminded of the last chapter of William Least Heat-Moon’s adventure story River Story about taking a boat from the Atlantic to the Pacific on the rivers of the U.S. His description of taking his small boat across the Bar is harrowing, and he did it on a nice day in the daytime. It is worth finding the book at a local library just to read that last Chapter “Salt to Salt, Tide to Tide.” Thank you so much for this maritime history lesson!❤

[@Rachel-art-and-design]

My husband and I went to the Columbia maritime museum last October. So fascinating. Love maritime history. Great video.

[@ausnorman8050]

Been bed bound layed up sick for 4days, saw your new video posted and knew at least 20+mins it'll be a good day today :)

[@PencilpenYR]

Thanks for shedding light to more of these shipwrecks!

[@sirboomsalot4902]

Awesome! I love it when you do lesser known wrecks like this

[@MatNichols-iz9dy]

Homies, wake up. A new part time explorer just went up

[@flamebroiledsquirrel]

Fantastic animations! One of my favorite books as a youth was "Shipwrecks of the Pacific Coast" by James Gibbs ( if I remember correctly, it was part of my grandparents' library), and these videos scratch the itch I've had since, to see these many virtually unknown dramas, triumphs, and tragedies not only preserved, but brought to life. Keep up the great work😊

[@jacobandmore3915]

Hey Thomas, Another great story on a ship. Please, in the future, do a video on the SS Central America (gold ship)

[@AlejandroFlores-Ibarra]

I first heard about that ship in elementary school.

[@TheKathybarth]

Excellent story - very well presented. Although not a well known ship wreck- I am sure it was to the crew members and their families! Thank you for your channel!!

[@xX_Moonluster_Xx]

I never expected this video to take place in my home state! We definitely have a history of marining here that isn't talked about much so I'm happy to see something like this, especially because this is one of my favorite channels!!

[@keith800]

Grate video , another lesson on why not to carry to much cargo more than what the ship is designed to handle , the crew were lucky to survive which could have turned even worse if it was not for the courage of the rescuers .

[@ABQRT]

There are accounts of coastal lumber schooners that "sank" but had large deckloads, plus lumber in the holds, that actually kept them afloat and finished their voyage.

[@mattgutierrez7651]

I'll always appreciate your ability to tell these tragic stories without stopping to perverse sensationalism. Thanks for doing what you do!

[@linb4985]

Wonderful job as always. Very professional production. Happy to have someone making the content that we can`t get on TV anymore.

[@jacqueleroes2773]

Bro I love your work.. I have a entire playlist of all my favorites.. Keep up the great work.. And thank you

[@ZGryphon]

I can never get tired of the deadpan delivery of the names in the end credits. And it's always nice to see the Hohenzollern emperors supporting talented artists. :)

[@Kaidhicksii]

Another fascinating lost story that I would've never heard of were it not for guys like you. The second you mentioned the amount of lumber lowered the ship's freeboard to only *_four measly feet_* I immediately knew how this was going to end. Surely they could've split the amount of lumber up with another ship so the poor Laurel wouldn't have to ride so low and work as hard. Maybe then this would've never happened? I was wondering why the wreck seems to be so popular in that region when it really doesn't stand out like a Titanic-type disaster, until you mentioned the bravery of the rescuers, from the Coast Guard in their 36' wooden lifeboats (which instantly reminded me of The Finest Hours, another story you should definitely cover some time) to the 17 year old pilot with the connection line (mad impressive), the stubborn (some would say stupid) but inspiring determination of the captain to stand by his ship to the bitter end, and all the photos that were taken of the wreck. It was a heroic story that was forever immortalized in film, which is always incredible to see for the time period. Fun watch as always, Tom. 👍

[@elijahredacted8196]

Excited for the watch, you are truly gifted when it comes to crafting these sorts of videos. 💐

[@willmartin5183]

The graphics are truly outstanding. The cockpit shot was a nice touch. It gets better and better. Thank you!

[@Electriceye1984bySam]

I can’t tell you how much I thank you for producing these fascinating videos and with such great narration, writing, and visuals.👌🏻🥂thank you!

[@jakemj03]

Better than any TV program! Cheers from Halifax!

[@erikkosick3898]

Thanks for another great video Tom! Glad to see some of these wrecks being covered. Apparently the hulk of the Laurel played a role in the wreck of the Admiral Benson the following year. That liner ran aground 400 yards or so away from the Laurel, and her remains were visible at times during the rescue. Supposedly the Benson's officers mistook the half-submerged wreckage as a navigational buoy as they maneuvered to enter the Bar.

[@Xzeihoranth]

Those rescue workers did one amazing job.

[@spungbopscarepans]

your storytelling and animation has improved a LOT over time. this is beautiful.

[@RockyStJohns]

I love this channel so much. Very sincere thank you to all involved.

[@blueriver5269]

Great job, Tom. And the video your team created , just amazing.

[@TheShowgirl25]

Old ship history is so cool. Thank you for this!

[@gothicalpha]

Love the new animations

[@dytile1603]

I’m impressed with your 3D model of this ship, nice work

[@kinglolo88]

I was obsessed with this channel and all the boat stories. Happy to see another one added. Keep it up.

[@warpedbeyondhelp]

Extraordinary graphics!! Great story telling. Thank you. 😊

[@prestonbrahniuk6730]

What a great channel. Diamond in the rough of BS and nonsense that is our online world. Researched, concise storytelling without embellishment and outstanding animation - just wonderfully produced content, as usual. Keep up the brilliant work mate.

[@PartTimeExplorer]

Thank you very much!

[@dddaddy]

Amazing graphics, and you tell the story in a very engaging way. 👏

[@marvinsannes9397]

Crossed the bar 4 times in the s/v Sirena 38'. and 1 in a 38' motor cruiser. Sailed the OR and WA ocean for 15 yrs. 4 in Garibaldi and 11 in Newport. 2 yrs. in puget sound. Those fisherman that worked on that ocean were the best teachers as I learned to sail and live the ocean. I loved the weather, practically nothing can threaten a s/v except the land and bad judgement - a constant guard, rest, food, and boatkeeping.

[@martcon6757]

This is a credit to you and your team. What a fantastic video presentation. The quality of the animation and the details in this documentary are amazing.

[@detcordxxxi]

Another fantastic documentary. I love that you cover the unknown wrecks that most people never hear about.

[@rikspector]

Your vlogs are awesome, so well documented. Cheers, Rik Spector

[@marvinrschwartz7402]

Good job you’re the best in what we watch on channels doing this type of work. You do a great job on these yards!

[@yappytown]

I always get SO excited when you have a new video! Wonderful as always, thank you for the incredible work you do :)

[@GangGang1]

Thanks for sharing this story!

[@marktaylor9975]

This is some of this channels best work. Perfect mix of real/recreated, and on location shots. Amazing work Amazing stories And well, well done Sir! Awesome.

[@dougfitch3649]

Your graphics are out of this world!!!!!! Amazing!

[@shaunbrowne5139]

Thank you for your brilliant presentation. Your research is impeccable as is your articulation of the information.

[@roselightinstorms727]

You tell this so well. Amazing!

[@petersipp5247]

Very authentic. Nice to thank everyone like you did.

[@galenjacobs6005]

It’s always such a treat when you post!

[@felixf4378]

I can’t believe I just discovered your channel. Your videos are extremely high quality. Netflix should hire you.

[@summerrain7956]

I have learned so much through this great channel. Thank you!!

[@DarkLightSwordFight]

The graphics are soooo good. Keep up the amazing work my friend 🙏🏻🖤🤘🏻

[@thebowlbster]

As always, thank you for your hard work!

[@VanessaScrillions]

Your channel is truly a work of art! Every single video you put out is educational, beautifully done, well researched, and keeps me on the edge of my seat 😊 THANK YOU!!!

[@dirkhartman9572]

I love this, freighter wrecking stories are under rated

[@kurtwagner350]

Excellent production value per usual

[@Kamikazevondoom]

Loving the intro! Well done and awesome video 🤘🏼🍿🤘🏼

[@betraktare1]

these animations are getting better and better. Really nice work

[@RLC2020]

another excellent video. Thank you for your efforts to preserve maritime history.

[@saffytaffy]

Wow, my neck of the woods and I've never heard of this wreck! Thanks for the amazing work as always!

[@TheNinjaInConverse]

I adore these stories! Keep it up!

[@erniepenner6487]

My family and I love your shipwreck videos, We live in Ontario but I grew up in hants county Nova Scotia and visited the Maritime museum of the atlantic multiple times.

[@john-carlosynostroza]

Great job! Terrific work!

[@mikewhitt4602]

As always, an excellent retelling of the story.

[@tommygriffith9594]

Another good one. Love these stories.

[@morkorson4196]

Thank you from South Wales, I live right by Cpt Henry Morgans old house in Llanrumney. Never miss an episode.

[@blogauthor3375]

Awesome CG. Modeling and animation is pro level. If it wasn't so clear, I would have thought it to be old film.

[@thisoldbelair]

Loved it. As a PNW native I’ve never heard this story. Very well done, i love this channel! Keep it up!

[@j3dwin]

These animations are phenomenal.

[@NitroBoarder17]

Fantastic as always!!

[@RamSkirata]

your videos are outstanding! The visuals you create help tell the story so well!

[@johnlombardi1021]

you do such a great job on all your work it your great passion

[@CPorter]

By far the best looking video on your channel yet

[@LandyVlad_Rides]

Brilliant as always Tom.

[@miapdx503]

Portland Oregon here. The Columbia River bar has claimed so many ships and boats. It's a ship graveyard down there. Bless those who put out to sea. I keep you all in my prayers, and wish you calm seas and good fortune 🌹⚓

[@peterj5106]

Excellent video bro. The animations are brilliant quality. 👍

[@markbowles2382]

So good, again, thanks Tom.

[@frederickhart2242]

omg..i can't thank you enough...your editing is superb..i appreciate you..I'll join when mt funds are available..thx again and God bless you guys

[@jamiebray8532]

Another great video. Thank you.

[@JR-ut2ne]

I love these story’s. Great video.

[@JedCurrie]

Thanks for the video I like old cargo ships.

[@joaoalbertodosanjosgomes1536]

Wonderful video as always. Congratulations.

[@fibergran9]

Some of these shots looked 100% real, congrats!

[@davidbaldwin1591]

Thank you for taking me places I can't visit quite yet.

[@ScottH-kx1dm]

Thanks for telling this story. You are much appreciated....My grandmother worked in the Kaiser yards in the War living in Vanport until her and my mom moved to the Kent hotel (we knew it as the Robbins Apartments at that time) south into the Kenton neighborhood about a few weeks before the flood.

[@rougeneon1997]

Your videos I always watch immediately when I see them!

[@maris2458]

Wow! Another phenomenal video Tom. Loving the intro! The graphics are impeccable, I sometimes had to take a second look to see if it was real, lol! Can't wait for the next upload :)

[@kiphowland4660]

Very good ! Your animation was great on this one. One can tell that you strive for accuracy in telling these tales. Thank you !