Graveyard of the Atlantic – Parts I and II

Most native Tarheels are aware that the waters off the Outer Banks constitute one of the most dangerous stretches of coastline in the world. As this two-part documentary notes, there have been one thousand documented shipwrecks between Currituck and Cape Lookout (182 miles). Filmmaker Kevin P. Duffus has created a documentary of misfortune and heroism, so to speak, in chronicling the history of shipwrecks along the treacherous shallows of North Carolina’s stormy Atlantic coast. To piece together the visual portion of his story, Duffus utilizes everything from 16th-century navigation charts to period photographs to photo images of the coastline taken from satellites to video footage shot by treasure hunters and recreational divers. Anyone who’s interested in naval history or the history of North Carolina’s Outer Banks will enjoy this two-part documentary. Duffus’ work is very polished, the narration by Triangle (North Carolina’s Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area) newscaster Bill Leslie is quite articulate, and Duffus makes good use of archival photos and the personal reminiscences of some Outer Banks residents and local historians.

2374. PART I – SHIP ASHORE. Looking Glass Productions, Inc. Part one of this shipwreck saga deals with pre-20th century catastrophes, such as the sinking of the ironclad Monitor off Diamond Shoals during the Civil War. Duffus is particularly keen to relate the stories of the “surfmen” who risked their lives to save sailors and passengers in distress during this era, both before and after the U.S. Life Saving Service stations were in place. Rasmus Midgett, B.B. Daily and his crew from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Station, and Richard Etheridge’s all-black crew at Pea Island all performed incredible feats of bravery in the course of rescuing shipwreck victims and were duly honored by the U.S. government for their heroism. Duffus’ pointed suggestion that these men–and hundreds like them–have not been properly memorialized by North Carolina is right on the mark and seems to be an issue that coastal Carolina residents ought to bring to everyone’s attention. . (45 min – VHS). $19.95. Reduced to $10.