Ahoy Shipmates

The SMS Seeadler was too large to enter the sheltered lagoon of Mopelia, and consequently had to anchor outside the reef. On 24 August, disaster struck.

According to Luckner, the ship was struck by a tsunami which wrecked Seeadler on the reef. However, some American prisoners alleged that the ship drifted aground while the prisoners and most of the crew were having a picnic on the island.



A picture of the wreck and the island.

The crew and their prisoners were now stranded on Mopelia, but they managed to salvage provisions, firearms, and two of the ships' boats.

Regards


Sean