This has been the saddest, and dumbest most nonsensical story I have heard in all my life. We are drawn to these old wooden ships for reasons we cant even put into words. The Bounty mutiny story has been popular since it occurred, especially for the new United States, as it seen as a microcosm of our own battle with the same overbearing tyrants.
Many keep calling Bounty a "movie prop". While I never saw the ship in person, by all accounts she was built every bit as well as any ship from her time. That she lasted 52 years and battled some very harsh seas at the lost Captains hand, is testimony in itself that she was very soundly constructed and quite capable in heavy seas.
But any ship from her era, new or old, and any modern steel vessel, would not have done well in the conditions she willingly sought battle with, and any competent sailor would not have attempted putting her in that situation, in THAT location. Ive never been at sea and ive read enough to know that much, its simply historic. The newbie crewmate's likely hadn't the knowledge or experience to know any better what they were heading into, and in fact, by all accounts were lied to before setting sail from New London. Walbridge said he would head east and round the storms far eastern side. Yet shortly after leaving port he turned Bounty southwest directly into the storm. The crew at that point were hapless passengers with a madman at the helm.
The other crew aboard likely did, or should have known better, and likely knew Walbridge's true intentions, and should have made those intentions clearly known to the newbies before casting off. But regardless whether those crew were advised or not, they were likely given misleading information about the ships true capabilities and weather handling, mechanical issues, etc.. The ship was clearly not ready to tackle those kind of conditions.
Thus while Walbridge death could be considered suicide, Christians death should be considered willful manslaughter, and the more experienced crew should be held fully responsible. Walbridge should have been relieved of command, by force if necessary, the moment he turned the ship from an easterly course.
Odds are there will never be another Bounty, we have all lost a true and historic masterpiece. The costs to build a ship like that today would be simply unrealistic. Because of one mans short sighted ideals, she will lie forever in the depths. And it all could have been prevented so easily.
