June 19, 2021: Mirlo
Image courtesy of Austin Dwyer. Download larger version (jpg, 790 KB).
Mirlo was a merchant ship sunk by a German U-boat during World War I in an area known as Wimble Shoals, located adjacent to Rodanthe, North Carolina. The wreck of Mirlo was a primary target of the Wimble Shoals: An Exploration and Characterization of Submerged Cultural and Sediment Resources expedition search effort. The history of Mirlo is important to understanding World War I off the U.S. East Coast and is of special significance to the history of the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Lifesaving Service.
As a hazard adjacent to a major shipping route, it is likely that hundreds of catastrophic maritime events have occurred within the vicinity of Wimble Shoals over the past 400 years. Within the survey area, approximately 24 well-documented shipwrecking events have been identified to have occurred within or near the area. The identified vessels wrecked predominantly during the late 19th century and early 20th century.
This painting is an artist’s rendition of the burning merchant ship Mirlo.
From: Wimble Shoals: An Exploration and Characterization of Submerged Cultural and Sediment Resources.