The Grafton, The Invercauld and the The Multiple Wrecks of the Auckland Islands
Summary
This episode details the 1864 shipwrecks of the Grafton and Invercargill on New Zealand’s Auckland Islands. Host Ben explores two contrasting survival stories: the Grafton’s crew, who built a shelter and maintained order, versus the Invercargill’s survivors, who faced starvation, death, and cannibalism. Despite being miles apart, the groups remained unaware of each other’s presence during their harrowing ordeal.
Topics discussed
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Overview of the 1864 shipwrecks
Host's summer writing struggles
Auckland Islands history and colonial attempts
Failure of the Hardwick settlement
Francois Raynal's background and journey
The Grafton expedition planning and crew
The Grafton's voyage and wreck on Campbell Island
Grafton crew stranded on Auckland Islands
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Building shelter and establishing camp
Daily life, governance, and winter survival
The Invercargill wreck and initial survival
Invercargill crew starvation and cannibalism
Holden's isolation and Grafton's boat building
Holden's raft and rescue by passing ship
Grafton crew's voyage to New Zealand
Survivors' fates and story conclusion
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Outro: Pets, trivia, and contact info
Final sign-off and next episode preview
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