Is this event live or pre-recorded?

This is a live Zoom presentation with a scheduled Q&A; a recording may be available afterward at the museum’s discretion.

How long is the presentation?

Plan for roughly 60–90 minutes including presentation and audience questions, though exact timing is set by the host.

Register through the Marblehead Museum booking page using the referral link provided in the listing.

Is the talk appropriate for children?

Older teens with interest in maritime history will follow the material; younger children may find the subject matter intense.

Are visuals included?

Yes—expect archival maps and ship log excerpts shown on screen to illustrate key points.

Do I need to buy the book to attend?

No; the talk is standalone, but the book is recommended for deeper context and details.

Wreck of the Mentor ZOOM: Eric Jay Dolin on the 1832 Whaleship Wreck

On a cool evening in Marblehead, Massachusetts, the past arrives with the sound of salt spray and a single ship’s name: Mentor. Wreck of the Mentor ZOOM is a live presentation that brings bestselling author Eric Jay Dolin’s reconstruction of the 1832 whaleship Mentor to listeners anywhere with an internet connection. Hosted by Marblehead Museum, the talk traces the Mentor’s final voyage, the coral reef in the western Pacific where she ran aground, and the eleven survivors who faced starvation, exposure, and tense contact with the Indigenous people of Palau. Dolin reconstructs the voyage with forensic care: hull damage, rationing, and the moment when Palauan men appeared armed with axes, clubs, and spears. The narrative balances grim survival detail with broader cultural context, showing how a remote reef could change lives and lead to fraught negotiations and a rescue that spanned oceans. For travelers drawn to Marblehead’s lighthouses, rocky headlands, and active harbor, the talk links local coastal terrain to the wider currents of 19th‑century ocean travel. Listeners will hear about coral reefs as geological hazards, island vegetation that sheltered people, and the tropical marine life that framed the survivors’world. The program is framed as both lecture and conversation: expect archival maps, ship logs, and Dolin’s step‑by‑step analysis. There is time for audience questions, and practical suggestions for further reading and museum exhibits to visit on Cape Ann. It’s an accessible event —join from a porch after a day of coastal hiking or during an overnight stay in town. Why book this talk? It brings maritime history ashore, offering context for local outdoor sites and museum collections. The story of the Mentor is a study in human endurance, cross‑cultural contact, and the environmental dangers that shaped seafaring routes. For historians, sailors, and coastal hikers, Dolin’s presentation supplies precise detail and narrative momentum. Practical details: this is a Zoom event organized through Marblehead Museum’s booking platform; see the referral link for registration. Expect a conversational pace, visual materials, and an on‑screen Q&A. The talk deepens any visit to Marblehead, tying the town’s modern harbor to a dramatic, often overlooked chapter of maritime history. After the presentation, follow up with local museum exhibits, a shoreline walk to nearby lighthouses, or a whale‑watch outing to see the sea that shaped these stories. The Mentor’s wreck invites reflection on navigation, survival, and encounter: themes that reward curious travelers who pair this lecture with field time along the coast. Whether you join from town or from a distant shore, Dolin’s account gives the historical texture to every tide‑scoured rock and every museum case. It’s essential evening fare for anyone who wants to connect Marblehead’s outdoor life to the wider voyages that shaped our coastlines. Now.

About Marblehead Museum

Marblehead Museum, located in Marblehead, Massachusetts, preserves and interprets the town’s maritime, colonial, and social history through public programs, rotating exhibits, and guided experiences. The museum offers site-specific tours and presentations that explore Marblehead’s role in early American history and community life. Notable offerings include the Jeremiah Lee Mansion Tour, a 45-minute guided walk through three floors of the Georgian Lee Mansion that reveals the Lee family’s lifestyle, the presence of enslaved individuals in the household, and local economic and social contexts of the colonial era.

Educational programming includes the Annual Ambassador Michael Brackett Smith Memorial Lecture, presented as John Glover’s Schooner Hannah (Zoom only), an illustrated talk detailing the schooner Hannah’s 1775 escape from the British naval vessel Nautilus and its significance to early Revolutionary maritime history. Another public presentation, Bittersweet: Dessert and Dissent, is a 45-minute session that examines eighteenth- and nineteenth-century anti-slavery boycotts, pairs historical desserts such as apple tartlet and gingerbread with interpretation, and concludes with audience Q&A.

Marblehead Museum works with local historians, volunteers, and community partners to deliver informed programming for residents, students, and visitors. The museum’s public calendar, ticketed tours, and virtual lectures provide accessible ways to engage with primary history and to deepen understanding of Marblehead’s past. Visitors are encouraged to consult the museum’s official schedule for up-to-date event details. Admission and registration details are posted on the museum’s official website; groups, schools, and educators may request guided visits or tailor programs by contacting museum staff directly for scheduling and accessibility information.

Wreck of the Mentor ZOOM: Eric Jay Dolin on the 1832 Whaleship Wreck

Adventure Brief

Keep the Adventure Going

Trip Details from the Operator

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Highlights

Local Insights

Related Adventures & Guides

Operated By

About Marblehead Museum

Plan a Visit to Marblehead Museum

Adventure Tips

Recommended Gear