On August 12, 1955, the schooner Levin J Marvel capsized in the Chesapeake Bay near the town of North Beach, Maryland. The ship sought shelter from Hurricane Connie in Herring Bay during a weeklong adventure cruise that became deadly. The Marvel’s 23 passengers and 4 crew-members were washed into the storm about a quarter mile from shore. The townspeople organized a remarkable rescue effort in severe conditions and saved many lives that day. In the end, fourteen passengers lost their lives, the largest number of fatalities on the Chesapeake to this day.
For the Marvel’s captain, the storm was just the beginning. The Coast Guard decided to make the disaster an object lesson in order to persuade congress to legislate an inspection regime for passenger vessels. He was painted as the incompetent master of a decrepit ship and charged with negligence and manslaughter. He might have ended his days in prison if not for the pro bono work of a retired Baltimore magistrate.
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Levin J Marvel 