Solving Mysteries
There are many mysteries out there in the world that haven’t yet been resolved. And along with these mysteries, there are countless questions we cannot answer if we don’t get at least a few clues.
And that’s when an odd clue would solve this mystery.
A New Case
Such was the case of this strange houseboat that one day was brought by the sea on the shores of Ballyglass, a small Irish town.
Whose boat was it and where was the person that brought it there? The answers people found later were unbelievable and this is why…
Nobody On Board
Right after seeing this boat, people got worried. What happened to the owner? Was that person in danger or missing? The mystery is revealed as soon as the authorities arrive and check the inside of the boat.
They never thought they would find this clue at # 7.
An Unexpected Event
An ordinary, cloudy day in Ireland was disturbed when some locals discovered a mystery boat floating off the Irish coast.
So they decided to call the authorities. At this point, they had no idea that the story behind this boat would take their breath away!
A Mystery Boat
The coast guard came to help immediately because if there were any people inside, they would be in serious danger.
After approaching the boat the coast guard made a really strange discovery. The boat was empty! Where did all the people go?
The Inside
When the boat was grounded on the coast, the coast guard started to investigate further the inside of the boat.
It seemed that the vessel had gone through a lot, due to the fact that its windows were all crashed and there were broken boards all over the place. But there was more…
The Strangest Thing Found on The Shore
When the Ballyglass Coast Guard operator, Michael Hurst saw the stranded craft near the beach, he looked at it in awe. In an interview with the media, he said that it was indeed “the strangest thing I’ve ever come across.”
But this is when it becomes even more peculiar!
A Glimpse Of Hope
However, even though they didn’t find a single person in there, they discovered a mysterious message that was written on the wall inside the boat and could give them the answers they needed.
The message was written by the owner of the boat.
Rick Small
His name was Rick Small and he was living in the other side of the world, in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
But now, another one question was raised. Where was Rick Small and what happened to his boat?
Where Was The Owner?
Hurst said in the interview that the boat was still “perfectly seaworthy, despite its design and the material used.”
It seems that this boat endured an entire journey on the Atlantic, and was still seaworthy! Wait until you learn about Rick’s whereabouts…
Solar-powered Boat
After some research, it turned out that Rick was involved in environmentalism and that he was truly supporting alternative energy sources, especially solar energy. So he decided to build his own solar-powered boat, along with some other vehicles.
Although they found out who was the owner, there were still some questions that needed answers.
Big Dreams
Later, they found out that Small, not only did he want to travel on his boat, but he was planning to live in there, too.
He worked hard on the making of his 20-feet-long boat and his biggest dream was to travel across the Atlantic Ocean.
Discouraged
When he finished the making of his boat, Small started preparing himself for the desired voyage. So when everything was ready, he decided to let the coast guard know about his plans.
Unfortunately for Rick, the coast guard believed that the boat wasn’t safe enough. As a result, Rick decided not to go on with the trip.
Many Theories
So, how did the boat sail by itself to the other side of the world? Many claim that the boat got loose on the dock. Others believe that maybe Rick was the one that set the boat free.
However, the most important thing is that the boat managed to travel across the Atlantic Ocean by itself without major damage.
The Mysterious Message
“I, Rick Small, donate this structure to a homeless youth. To give them a better life that Newfoundlanders choose not to do! No Rent, no mortgage, no hydro.”
That was the message that Rick had left on his boat. What did he want to say with that?
For A Good Cause
Rick Small wasn’t only an environmentalist. He was trying to help homeless people, too. So when the coast guard declined to let him travel on his boat, he decided to donate it to someone in need.
Because he was planning to live in it, it had plenty of space to be a shelter.
Waiting For Its Owner
Rick’s story started attracting tourists in Ireland because they wanted to see his solar-power creation. The local authorities decided to put the boat in storage and wait for Rick to come and take it.
However, so far no one has seen him.
Solar-powered Bike
The boat wasn’t the only solar-powered creation of Rick. He also made a solar-powered three-wheeled bike. His plan was to travel all the way across Canada, a distance over 4000 miles.
His cause was to raise awareness of the use of alternative energy sources.
A Tough Ride
The ride was tough. “The hard days are cloudy days, when it starts to rain and stuff, so I’ll have to pull over and set up and camp for the day,” Small told reporters.
The bike could run with about 17 miles per hour and the rain was bothering it. The trip took Rick 144 days, but he claimed that he truly enjoyed it.
An Unusual Object
Due to its location, Ireland’s coast guard is used to find odd things on the coasts.
This was a Cuban refugee boat that was found at Sligo Beach in Ireland. According to the researchers, the boat was homemade and it’s the first boat of its kind that has been found in Europe.
Another Odd Item
Although it may not be clear, this is a helmet.
It was found on Christmas Eve in 2015 and it was discovered by a man in County Waterford. It seems that this helmet has been through a lot!
A Bizarre Spectacle
Another odd event that happened in Ireland was in 2009 , when thousands of starfishes were found on the coast of Sligo.
However, there have also been found some other bizarre items, as war remnants and a very rare turtle. It seems that Ireland’s coasts are full of surprises!