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Kaleb Roberts

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If you could learn one thing, what would it be?

If you could learn to grasp one idea, what would it be? No matter how small and trivial, or giant and ridiculous.. What would you learn? What would you grasp?

Topics: Understanding human character people
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  • Eric Hazelle

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    Dec 21 2012: I"m going to leave it to your other respondents to contribute the important and relevant stuff. Let me toss in a couple "fun" ones. First: What happened to the Mary Celeste? This sailing ship was found abandoned in the middle of the ocean; her crew completely disappeared. She was seaworthy, still sailing. Why did her crew leave her to disappear in the ocean? Second: What's in the Oak Island "Money Pit"? This elaborately dug treasure (?) hole on an island in Canada has frustrated treasure seekers for centuries. It's obviously man-made, but constant flooding prohibits its excavation.
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      Kaleb Roberts

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      Dec 22 2012: I've never heard of the Oak Island "Money Pit" but Goodle and myself may have a date looking into these things. What are your theories?

      • Eric Hazelle

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        Dec 22 2012: I wish I had a theory. Whoever buried whatever is in the money pit went through a lot of work; there are layers of rope mats, oak planks, etc. down past levels where the water table seeps in. Some say it's "Blackbeard's Treasure", but how could a pirate go to all that trouble; trouble which we, in the 21st century haven't yet overcome? It's a fascinating hunt; you and Google have fun! As to the Mary Celeste; part of the ship's cargo was alcohol. It's been speculated that the crew feared a leak, fire and explosion, and cast off from the ship until the fumes could be dissipated. The ship caught a breeze, and sailed away from them. Possible, I guess.

    • Gordon Barker 10+

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      Dec 23 2012: Actually, the Mary Celeste is not a mystery. The ship was a merchant type carying a load of alcohol in barrels. The barrels that cary liquids (like wine or alcohol) must be made from white oak which have occluded pores and are water tight. Red oak have open pores and any liquid will seep out (meaning they are only good for dry goods). Of the 1701 barrels of grain alcohol, there were 9 barrels of red oak in the hold that were empty (previously being filled with alcohol). The crew must have smelled the odour and worrying about an explosion or fire, taken the yawl (rowboat) and attached it to a halyard (line) and gone into the lifeboat to be attached to the Mary Celeste but at a safe distance. The hatches were left open to vent the explosive vapours.
      At sometime during the event, probably in stormy waters, the halyard broke free and the two boats were now a drift from one another. The Mary Celeste was found where it should have been under no sails and at the mercy of the currents, but the lifeboat was not found, having probably sunk with all hands.

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