The year of our lord 1564 on the 31st day of May outside the coast of the Swedish island Oland. The smoke from the fires is thick, heat and poisonous fumes from gun powder is mixed with screams of terror and agony. The sound of blades hitting steel, continuous musket fire and bursting cannon balls is deafening. A cannon ball screams by closely and smashes with devastating force into the railing. Wood and metal splinters cut down gun crews toiling at their weapons on the gun deck.
The Decks are awash in the blood of the injured crew, making footing treacherous as the youngest members of the crew, the 12 year old deck-hands, pour sand on the bloody deck to let the gun crews fight on. Suddenly, a powerful explosion shakes Mars forcing the deck to lift upwards and throwing the battling combatants to the deck. Mars struggles in what is clearly the last moments of life but her eventual demise is a foregone conclusion. This is the end for Mars and the once glorious battleship is sinking.Swedes and Danish-Lübeck alike desperately try to leave the sinking ship while the heat from the burning Mars causes the water around her to boil like the devil’s own cauldron. An enormous cloud of steam rises, like a ghost, out of the ocean. Mars the Magnificent is nowhere to be seen.
The stage is set for a tale of epic adventure. Mars was the largest warship of its time and sank under heroic circumstances. She went down with all her crew and hundreds of enemy soldiers. Why did they risk their life boarding the ship? She was on fire and only had minutes left to live. Was there a treasure onboard?
The tale is also about 20 years of relentless search. Few thought it was possible to find her and many have tried before us. Today is the day we proclaimed. And after 20 years the day finally came.
Finding the wreck is not the end of this tale. It is now the real story begins. Find out more about the latest discoveries and research. Ocean Discovery and archeologists around the world have formed a scienence council and work has begun uncovering the true facts about this magnificent ship.
For more info please visit: Ocean Discovery