Is the Zebrina Ghost Ship in 1923 Real?

1923 returned after a short hiatus on February 5. While the Yellowstone prequel is just in its first season, it has already received a large fan following.

Episode five of 1923 was action-packed, as the Duttons continue to face many challenges. In hopes to get back to his family during these hard times, Spencer journeys back to America with his fiancee Alexandra.

It proved a difficult task to find a safe and fast passage from Africa to America. However, Spencer eventually found a man named Captain Lucca who agrees to take them through the Suez Canal on his tugboat.

Captian Lucca tells Spencer and Alexandra eerie tales of ghost ships that roam the sea, including the legendary Zebrina.

On their journey, they eventually encounter an abandoned vessel, getting uncomfortably close to the ship.

Unfortunately, the captain dies during their journey which results in the tugboat crashing into the ghost ship they encountered earlier.

The tugboat overturns from the collision and Spencer and Alexandra are nowhere in sight, leaving their fates unknown.

What is a Ghost Ship?

A ghost ship is a ship where the entire crew has perished, fled, or been captured, leaving the boat still sailing with no passengers.

The ship continues to travel across the sea with no destination, bringing an uneasy presence to anyone who comes across it.

With the harsh conditions of life at sea, it was not uncommon for sailors to come across ghost ships. The currents and wind would often cause the ships to frequently change direction as there was no captain to steer them.

Ghost ships would often create dangerous obstacles for sailors, as they move at will with the sea. As Spencer and Alexandra found out, colliding with a ghost ship can be catastrophic.

Also read: Do Spencer and Alexandra Die in 1923?

Was the Zebrina a Real Ship?

The Zebrina was a real ship that was built in 1873. Zebrina was a schooner-rigged, three-masted sailing barge.

Initially, the British cargo ship was built to trade on the River Plate in South America. The ship was intended to transport meat from between Argentina and Uruguay. However, due to a lack of refrigeration and slow speed, the owner’s original plans for the ship changed.

Eventually, the ship was repurposed for Mediterranean trade trips, as they were much shorter. For a time, Zebrina was operated in various ports throughout Europe under different owners. Due to its design, the ship only needed a crew of five to operate.

In 1917, Zebrina began operating out of Falmouth in the United Kingdom. Under the direction of Captain Martin, Zebrina left Falmouth on September 15, 1917, with a cargo of coal. The ship was headed for Saint-Brieuc in France.

Just two days after departure, Zebrina was found ashore near Cherbourg. There were no signs of the crew anywhere, which was shocking as the ship had been traveling with 23 people at the time.

Besides some disarrangement of the rigging, Zebrina appeared to be in good condition. As of today, the fate of the crew remains a mystery.

One theory suggests that the crew could have been captured by a German U-boat. Before the submarine could sink Zebrina, it was attacked by Allied forces, sinking with the Zebrina crew aboard.

As no bodies were ever found, we may never solve the mystery of what happened to the ship Zebrina. Eventually, the ship was destroyed at Velder Creek in Portsmouth in 1953 by a fire.

Also read: Who Plays the Tugboat Captain Lucca in 1923?