The Mayday Podcast: Tales of Mystery and Misadventure
The Mayday Podcast
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The Mayday Podcast is a passion project where historian Ana Rosa and history enthusiast Luca explore the long and epic history of expedition catastrophes, maritime mysteries, and everything in between.
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Apr 6, 2022
Polar Crime Time (Season Finale!)
For our 15th episode we explore crimes in our favourite cold places: the poles! We answer the questions you never thought to ask, like: how does law operate outside national borders, and what happens if you kill someone? What’s it like living in the northernmost town in the world? Who has jurisdiction on an iceberg? And how do you deal with arson in Antarctica?
This episode will wrap season 1 for us, so thank you to all of our amazing listeners for joining us on the first leg of our podcasting adventure! Listen to the end of this episode to hear about our final tally of Mayday Moments and Mayday Rankings, a reflection on our topics this season, and a little teaser of what we’ll be covering when we return in season 2.
Check out our _website_ and find us @themaydaypod on _Instagram_ and _Twitter_ to say hello, give feedback, or suggest some future topics. Our amazing composer and producer Marlon Grunden can be found at his website _marlongrunden.com_
Sources & Further Reading
* Kenn Harper, In Those Days: Collected Writings on Arctic History, Book 2: Arctic Crime and Punishment
* Shaugn Coggins, James Ford, et al, _‘Indigenous Peoples and Climate Justice in the Arctic’_, Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
* David Kushner, _‘The Bizarre Bank Robbery That Shook an Arctic Town’__,_ Outside
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Mar 23, 2022
Andrée’s Big Balloon Crash of 1897
In 1896, Sweden had fallen far behind in the race for the North Pole. Out of the fray emerged Salomon August Andrée, who put forward a proposal so cutting edge it was immediately funded and flooded with national support. He would fly a balloon over the Arctic circle, sweeping ahead of Norwegian attempts and taking the glory for Sweden. Unfortunately, science and the weather were not on Andrée’s side.
Check out our _website_ and find us @themaydaypod on _Instagram_ and _Twitter_ to say hello. Our amazing composer and producer Marlon Grunden can be found at his website _marlongrunden.com_.
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Mar 9, 2022
YETI! Part II: 2 Snowy, 2 Abominable
On December 7th 1951, a shocking photograph hit the front page of British newspapers. Taken half a world away, high on a glacier in the Himalayas, the image showed a footprint that defied belief. Huge, human-like, with round defined toes and an ice-axe next to it for scale. This footprint would propel the mysterious Yeti from mountaineering folklore into potential scientific reality.
From our last episode, we know how the myth first appeared in Western consciousness and the role it played in pre-WWII mountaineering. In this, our second and final episode on the history of the Yeti, we explore where our furry friend went from there. Expect dodgy scientific expeditions, Hollywood stars on artefact heists, high-flying Texan oil millionaires, and some adventurers so wild that they may just be Yeti themselves.
Check out our _website_ and find us @themaydaypod on _Instagram_ and _Twitter_ to say hello. Our amazing composer and producer Marlon Grunden can be found at his website _marlongrunden.com_
Sources & Further Reading
* Graham Hoyland, Yeti: An Abominable History
* Bryan Sykes, Bigfoot, Yeti, and the Last Neanderthal: A Geneticist’s Search for Modern Apemen
* Reinhold Messner, My Quest for the Yeti: Confronting the Himalayas’ Deepest Mystery
* Edmund Hillary, High Adventure: Our Ascent of the Everest
* Edmund Hillary and Desmond Doig, High in the Thin Cold Air
* Daniel Loxton and Donald Prothero, Abominable Science! Origins of the Yeti, Nessie, and Other Famous Cryptids
* Eric Shipton, The Mount Everest Reconnaissance Expedition
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Feb 23, 2022
YETI! Part I
Western climbers have been trekking the Himalayas for over a hundred years, and through all that time they have been bringing back stories of a mysterious ape-like creature they called the Abominable Snowman, or the Yeti.
In this episode hosts Ana and Luca explore how the modern myth of the Yeti was created. What role has it played in the wild history of Himalayan mountaineering? What is the Yeti in the Western consciousness, and how does he differ from similar beings in Tibetan, Nepali and Bhutanese belief systems? Whether he's real or not is irrelevant: how did he first appear, and why did we keep 'meeting' him?
Part 2 of our Yeti episodes will follow in 2 weeks.
Check out our _website_ and find us @themaydaypod on _Instagram_ and _Twitter_ to say hello. Our amazing composer and producer Marlon Grunden can be found at his website _marlongrunden.com_
Sources & Further Reading
* Graham Hoyland, Yeti: An Abominable History
* Bryan Sykes, Bigfoot, Yeti, and the Last Neanderthal: A Geneticist’s Search for Modern Apemen
* Reinhold Messner, My Quest for the Yeti: Confronting the Himalayas’ Deepest Mystery
* Edmund Hillary, High Adventure: Our Ascent of the Everest
* Edmund Hillary and Desmond Doig, High in the Thin Cold Air
* Daniel Loxton and Donald Prothero, Abominable Science! Origins of the Yeti, Nessie, and Other Famous Cryptids
* Eric Shipton, The Mount Everest Reconnaissance Expedition
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Feb 9, 2022
The Batavia, or: A Bad Time for Everyone
On 4th of June, 1629, the Dutch ship Batavia struck a reef off the coast of a then unknown land (now Western Australia). It took a week for the Batavia to sink, but the real tragedy had not even begun.
CORRECTION: The Batavia was launched in 1628, not 1629 as stated in the episode. The wrecking of the ship and the events on Batavia’s Graveyard do take place in 1629.
Check out our _website_ and find us @themaydaypod on _Twitter_ and _Instagram_ to say hello. Thanks as always to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his _website here_.
Further Reading/Listening:
* “Australia’s worst serial killer”, hosted by Dom Knight and David Hunt on podcast Rum, Rebels, & Ratbags
* Wreck of the Batavia from the National Museum Australia
* Batavia’s History from the Western Australian Museum
* Batavia's Graveyard: The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest Mutiny by Mike Dash
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Jan 26, 2022
Who Let the Alligator Out? An Historic Animals Special
As a treat for the 10th episode, hosts Luca and Ana share some wholesome (and hilarious) stories about interesting animals in history. We meet epidemic-fighting sled dogs, unsinkable cats, war hero pigeons, beer-drinking bears, catstronauts (cat astronauts), and more!
Check out our _website_ and find us @themaydaypod on _Twitter_ and _Instagram_ to say hello. Thanks as always to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his _website here_.
NOTE: We mention that the ship Bismarck was 9 days old – it had been through 8 months of training and sailing prior to that but had only just begun its first official mission 9 days prior to the events described.
Further reading:
* Jack Couffer, _Bat bomb: World War II's other secret weapon_
* Aileen Orr, Wojtek the Bear: Polish War Hero
* al Lewis, Ships' Cats in War and Peace
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Jan 12, 2022
The Black Death, a.k.a The Big Dying
In the Sicilian port city of Messina, Genoese ships began arriving from the East in 1347 sailed by crews either dead or dying. From there, a terrible and unknown disease swiftly spread through Europe. Whole families or towns could be decimated in a matter of weeks. For the people of the 14th century it looked like the end of the world had come.
In this episode, hosts Ana and Luca explore the myths and truths of the Great Mortality, known better as the Black Death – one of the deadliest pandemics in human history.
Check out our _website_ and find us @themaydaypod on _Twitter_ and _Instagram_ to say hello.
Thanks as always to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his _website here_.
Further reading:
* John Kelly, The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death
* Norman F. Cantor, In the Wake of the Plague: The Black Death and the World it Made
* J. N. Hays, The Burdens of Disease: Epidemics and Human Response in Western History
* Frank M. Snowden, Epidemics and Society: From the Black Death to the Present
* Philip Ziegler, The Black Death
* Benedict Gummer, The Scourging Angel: The Black Death in the British Isles
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Dec 15, 2021
The Burke and Wills Expedition (now a bit sad), Part II
On 16th December, 1860, explorer Robert O’hara Burke decided to begin his overland trek to the Gulf of Carpentaria, right as Australia was entering the summer months. What followed was a disastrous tale of irony and tragic coincidence, and so, the most expensive expedition of its kind comes to an end.
Hosts Luca and Ana explore a tale quite a bit closer to home, and learn about all the reasons Burke should never have been selected as leader of one of the most famous expeditions in Australian history.
Enjoy the holiday break! We’ll be taking the next off and coming back after the new year.
Check out our _website_ and find us @themaydaypod on_ Twitter_ and_ Instagram_ to say hello.
Many thanks to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his_ website here_.
Sources and further reading:
* The Dig Tree by Sarah Murgatroyd
* Guide to the Papers of Burke and Wills by the National Library of Australia
* Burke and Wills Commission Report from the Parliament of Victoria
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Dec 1, 2021
The Burke and Wills Expedition (now even dumber!), Part I
On 20 August 1860, after years of stalling and squabbling among organisers, the most expensive overland expedition of its kind left Royal Park, Melbourne, amid much fanfare. Over-equipped and severely lacking in experienced explorers, the Victorian Exploring Expedition was a disaster before it had even left the boundaries of the park.
Hosts Luca and Ana explore a tale quite a bit closer to home, and learn about all the reasons Burke should never have been selected as leader of one of the most famous expeditions in Australian history.
Check out our _website_ and find us @themaydaypod on_ Twitter_ and_ Instagram_ to say hello.
Many thanks to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his_ website here_.
Sources and further reading:
* The Dig Tree by Sarah Murgatroyd
* Guide to the Papers of Burke and Wills by the National Library of Australia
* Burke and Wills Commission Report from the Parliament of Victoria
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Nov 17, 2021
The Dyatlov Pass Incident
On the night of February 1st 1959, a group of 9 hikers in the Ural Mountains experienced an unknown disastrous event. By morning they were all dead. Join hosts Ana and Luca as they explore one of Soviet Russia’s greatest and most enduring mysteries.
Check out our _website_ and find us @themaydaypod on_ Twitter_ and _Instagram_ to say hello.
Many thanks to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his_ website here_.
Sources/Further Reading:
* An Unknown Compelling Force (2021), documentary by Liam le Guillou
* Svetlana Oss, Don't Go There: The Mystery of Dyatlov Pass
* Donnie Eichar, Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident
* Launton Anderson, Death of Nine: The Dyatlov Pass Mystery
* Keith McCloskey, Mountain of the Dead: The Dyatlov Pass Incident
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Oct 31, 2021
Spooky Halloween Shipwreck (& Lighthouse) Special
As a special Halloween treat we're bringing you a collection of spooky stories of ghost ships, sunken ships and maybe-almost-definitely fake ships, plus an eerie lighthouse thrown in for good measure! Listen now to hear about the sinking of the SS Andrea Doria, the cursed adventures of the Mary Celeste, the mystery of the Flannan Isles Lighthouse and the ghost ship Ourang Medan, which may or may not have actually existed...
Check out our_ Instagram_ for pictures of the ships and lighthouse mentioned in our episode, and go to our_ website_ or find us @themaydaypod on _Twitter_. Many thanks to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his_ website here_.
Further Reading/Viewing/Gaming:
* The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan by Supermassive Games
* 'The Flannan Isle Mystery: The Three Keepers who Vanished'
* The Vanishing (2018 film)
* The Lighthouse: The Mystery of the Eilean Mor Lighthouse Keepers by Keith McCloskey
* The Mystery of the Mary Celeste…
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Oct 20, 2021
Mutiny on the Bounty (and in some other places), Part II
On 28 April 1789, William Bligh found himself adrift in the pacific ocean with 18 of his loyal crew in a boat made for half that number, abandoned by his best friend to a slow and painful death. What happened next leaves hosts Luca and Ana baffled and amazed.
Check out our Instagram for some amazing pictures related to the HMS Bounty. Check out our website or find us @themaydaypod on Twitter and Instagram to say hello.
Many thanks to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his website here.
Further reading/viewing
* Paradise in Chains by Diana Preston
* ‘The Bounty bastard’, Rum, Rebels, and Ratbags podcast by ABC Radio, with Dominic Knight and historian David Hunt.
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Oct 6, 2021
Mutiny on the Bounty (and in some other places), Part I
On 28 April 1789, the HMS Bounty was seized in the early hours of the morning by Fletcher Christian and a handful of mutineers. What proceeded and what followed was a dramatic tale of friendship, betrayal, overconfidence, and incompetence. In this first episode covering the tale of the HMS Bounty, we explore the lead up, the Mutiny, and what became of Fletcher Christian. In part two, we’ll discuss the stranded William Bligh and his loyalists, and the repercussions of the events of Part I.
Part II coming Wednesday 20th October.
Check out our Instagram for some amazing pictures related to the HMS Bounty. Check out our website or find us @themaydaypod on Twitter and Instagram to say hello.
Many thanks to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his website here.
Further reading/viewing
* Paradise in Chains by Diana Preston
* ‘The Bounty bastard’, Rum, Rebels, and Ratbags podcast by ABC Radio, with Dominic Knight and historian David Hunt.
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Sep 22, 2021
Scott’s Fatal Expedition to Antarctica, Part II
Our story of Scott’s team continues in our second and final episode on the Terra Nova expedition to Antarctica. Listen now to learn about how sea ice can mess up research trips for geologists, why you shouldn’t study Emperor Penguin eggs in the winter, and what exactly happened on Scott’s fatal journey to the South Pole.
CORRECTION: We mention in the episode that Amundsen was involved in the rescue of a ship stuck in the Arctic, and say that it may have been an American ship. It was actually an Italian airship.
Check out our _Instagram__ _for some amazing images taken on the Terra Nova Expedition. Check out our _website_ or find us @themaydaypod on _Twitter_/ _Instagram__ _to say hello.
Many thanks to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his _website here_.
Further Reading/Viewing
* Robert Falcon Scott, Scott’s Last Expedition (1913)
* Apsley Cherry-Garrard, The Worst Journey in the World (1922)
* Susan Solomon, The Coldest March: Scott's Fat…
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Sep 8, 2021
Scott’s Fatal Expedition to Antarctica, Part I
On November 12th 1912, a tent containing the bodies of three men was found on the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. In this episode, we discuss what brought them to Antarctica, and what troubles awaited there.
Check out our _Instagram_ for some amazing images taken on the Terra Nova Expedition. You can also jump over to our _website_ or find us @themaydaypod on _Twitter_/_Instagram_ to say hello.
Many thanks to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his _website here_.
Further Reading/Viewing
* Robert Falcon Scott, Scott’s Last Expedition (1913)
* Apsley Cherry-Garrard, The Worst Journey in the World (1922)
* Susan Solomon, The Coldest March: Scott's Fatal Antarctic Expedition (2001)
* Edward J. Larson, An Empire of Ice: Scott, Shackleton, and the Heroic Age of Antarctic Science (2011)
* _The Great White Silence_ (1924)
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Aug 25, 2021
Introducing the Historian and the Enthusiast
Welcome to the introductory episode of the Mayday Podcast!
Listen in to hear what this podcast is all about, who exactly Ana and Luca are, how we’re going to deep dive into mysteries and misadventures in history, and how the mayday signal was first created.
For more information on our future episodes and on ourselves, you can check out our _website_ or find us @themaydaypod on _Twitter_ and _Instagram_. You can also find a transcript of this and future episodes on our website.
Many thanks to our composer and producer Marlon Grunden, who you can find at his _website here__._
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