The Riddle of the Raven

by Jan de Groot

When Jan de Groot decided to purchase Raven, a 140-foot gaff-rigged ketch, in order to provide sailing adventures for underprivileged children in British Columbia, he had no idea of the bizarre adventure that lay ahead. Built in 1920 as a sailing cargo vessel, Raven was converted to a pleasure yacht in the late 1960s. She should have been the perfect vessel for the job Jan envisaged - and might have been, were it not for the ghost that haunted her. After the ship was launched by the Danish shipyard that built her, the owner was crushed to death between the ship and the dock. His death began a chain of unexplainable events that caused havoc for all those who subsequently sailed her. Jan's voyage on the ghost ship began with a crew of thirty-one who set sail in the Bahamas in 1972 to bring the ship to her new homein Vancouver. Almost immediately, strange events began to rattle the crew. Some were experienced sailors, some were not, but regardless of their backgrounds, all were affected by the presence of the ghost who haunted the ship and cursed the voyage with its paranormal skullduggery. Even Raven's eventual resting place on a reef not far from Haiti has raised all kinds of questions and linked her with one of the most famous ghost ships of all time, the Mary Celeste. The Riddle of the Raven is a fascinating read for all those who love tales about ships and the sea, and for those who are intrigued by the paranormal.

Genres: Nonfiction, Canada

199 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Helen]

This book has at all: ships, storms, mysterious hauntings, tropical climes, attempts to assist at-risk children, and the Mary Celeste.
There are a large number of superstitions connected with ships and I have certainly heard that you don't change a ship's name, although it happens all the time. I'd never heard that you don't name a ship for a bird, though. Animals yes (the Golden Hind) but not birds.
The Raven was originally the Goteborg but that is the same name as the Danish royal yacht so it had to be re-named. She was built in Denmark and her owner was crushed between the ship and the dock while she was still fitting out. Rather an ominous start. A consortium bought her to work in the Caribbean but she almost foundered in the Bay of Biscay and crew reported strange lights and happenings as well as sightings of a ghost while she sailed across the Atlantic. The owners put her up for sale.
Jan de Groot bought her in the Caribbean, intending to sail her to Vancouver where he would use her to take at-risk kids on coastal cruises to give them experiences of success and working as a team. He laughed at the ghost stories. The paying crew he put together ("Sea adventure! learn navigation while sailing the Caribbean! Only $1000!") should have been vetted a little more carefully probably but the rules were laid out pretty clearly and everyone understands you don't drink on watch, right? The book details the problems involved in getting the ship to sea and keeping her running properly. The idea was to have a pleasant cruise then go through the Panama Canal and sail up the Pacific Coast to Vancouver. Didn't happen. The question de Groot was left with was whether the ghost was determined to sink the ship or save it and he hasn't decided that question yet.
The Mary Celeste sometimes referred to as the Marie Celeste? She turns up as a wreck in 2001 - maybe - along with Clive Cussler, Scott St. George, and Dr. James Delgado.

[Paul Brandt]

A nice book, reporting the strange and mysterious events that happened with the Raven. It's easy to read, and although presenting a chronological order of facts it still remains a story in its own right. Regarding the mysterieus events themselves, and despite that I think I could add another explanation or two that the author didn't touch upon, they remain mysterious all the same. And although I don't believe in the supernatural I wouldn't like to see these things happen on my boat.

[Carmel]

I loved this book so much (and not just because my grandpa is mentioned in it). It's a interesting story and especially since you know it's a true story it's even more freaky but great! Loved it!

[Lori]

Very cool & creepy & all the more odd as it's a true Canadian story, that I'd never heard of before.