It has been estimated that, astonishingly, more than three million shipwrecks lie on the ocean floor. The figure dates back to when humans first began venturing into Neptune’s Realm. The oldest wrecks include 10,000-year-old canoes while the newest are 21st-century shipwrecks. In the period (1793-1815) in which my Kydd tales are set, many ships were sent to Davy Jones’ Locker, some due to enemy action; others succumbing to the wrath of Mother Nature. In more recent times I personally experienced a peacetime collision between two Australian warships, Melbourne and Voyager resulting in the sinking of the latter with much loss of life.

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