Cape Cod’s outer beach has always been known for its shipwrecks. Between 1626 and the mid-20th century, this solitary 40-mile stretch of beach and sandbars saw the demise of over 3,000 vessels. It’s been said that if all the wrecks were raised, one could walk from Provincetown to Chatham without getting his or her feet wet. Join Cape Cod historian Don Wilding, author of the upcoming book, Shipwrecks of Cape Cod: Stories of Tragedy & Triumph, for a look back at some of these disasters, ranging from the 1626 stranding of the Sparrow Hawk to the Eldia in 1984 and more.

Since the start of the millennium, Don Wilding has been telling stories of Cape Cod Outer Beach history. An award-winning writer and editor for Massachusetts newspapers since 1985, Don has contributed the Shore Lore history column for The Cape Codder newspaper of Orleans, and is the author of two other books, Henry Beston’s Cape Cod: How The Outermost House Inspired a National Seashore, and A Brief of History of Eastham: On the Outer Beach of Cape Cod.