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Ringling Shipwreck Still an Unsolved Mystery
Ringling Yacht credit Ringling Museum
“The Greatest Show on Earth” may no longer be the circus, but could be something connected to it during the Roaring Twenties. In 1922, people weren’t surprised when John Ringling of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus launched his lush $200,000 yacht, Zalophus, (Greek for Sea Lion). Known as the “Father of Modern Circuses,” he was not only raking in dough from performances by acrobats and clowns, he was making big bucks selling real estate off Florida’s Gulf Coast.
That’s where the 125-foot palatial yacht came in. Ringling used it to wine, dine and usher millionaire friends to Sarasota Bay’s barrier islands where he planned future development. The 125-foot pleasure craft had six spacious staterooms, five bathrooms with brass bathtubs and additional space for the attendant maids and valets. Ship historian David Weeks wrote, “The yacht’s furnishings and décor were lavish enough to satisfy Ringling and his wife’s taste for opulence and fine detail…so fine that some guests may have found it all to be a bit bizarre.”
Ringling Logo credit Ringling Museum
The Zalophus sailed the Gulf for eight years until one morning at 3 a.m., February 4, 1930, when it struck a partially submerged metal object that ripped a hole in the hull. The captain and crew acted quickly as the vessel took on water, lowering the lifeboats and delivering all guests safely to the beach only a mile away. Ringling and his wife weren’t aboard the yacht, but several of Sarasota’s rich and famous survivors were interviewed the next day. One, Samuel Gumpertz, was the creator of New York’s Coney Island Amusement Park. Another, William Greve, was the imposing president of Prudence Bond Company. What the Sarasota Herald didn’t report was the presence of New York Mayor Jimmy Walker and his mistress, notable Broadway actress Bettie Crompton. Their tryst wasn’t divulged until nearly three decades later.
Ringling Wreck Map credit Ringling Museum
Ringling collected on a $100,000 insurance claim and then expressed interest in buying back the devalued remains sunk in 15 feet of water near Lido Key. He said he wanted to salvage the two diesel engines and paid the Cubbedge-Walpole Insurance Company in Sarasota $10,000 for the salvage rights. That’s when the mystery of the Zalophus surfaced. The engines weren’t worth what he paid for them. He spent additional money for barges and a salvage crew, leading to speculation that he wanted to secretly recover something valuable left in the remains. But seven months of salvage efforts produced an empty shell of a hull battered by storms, tides and currents. The vast majority of its contents remained buried beneath the sand. Locals still wonder if there’s a secret submerged in the shallow water site located not too far from the beach.
“Oh, there’s something valuable on that site, but it’s buried under eight to ten feet of sand,” says Capt. Carl Fismer—better known as the Fizz—of Islamorada, Florida. Owner and operator of the Spanish Main Treasure Company, he is to shipwrecks what Sir Edmund Hillary was to mountaineering. In over 40 years of underwater exploration, the Fizz has discovered hundreds of wrecks including Spanish galleons, Civil War blockade runners, pirate vessels, a slave ship and much more. Now he can add one more notch to his list of discoveries if funds become available to seek the remains of the Ringling craft and possibly solve its mystery.
Capt. Carl Fismer credit Robert Knecht
“I found the wreck site some years ago,” Fizz reveals. “There was dredging going on in those days to replenish the beach. Sailing in the dark, wee hours, the boat struck one of the big metal drums that supported the suction and discharge hoses of the dredge. The supports were big and bulky, resembling hot water heaters. When I found one sticking out of the sand, I knew I was on to something. It had a big dent in it! Upon further investigation, I found some of the cable Ringling used for his phone that ran from the beach to the barges. To me, this was more evidence that he was interested in something other than those two engines.”
Fismer speculates that in addition to something very valuable—such as a strongbox—many opulent items were aboard. “Opulent” was a word Ringling’s wife, Mable, used frequently. Justifiably so, she packed the boat with fine china, oriental porcelain, Tiffany tea sets, Stieff silverware, marble sculptures, bronze busts and other precious possessions. All the bathrooms had fourteen carat gold plated fixtures. In their rush to board the lifeboats, guests had little time to retrieve jewelry and other personal belongings.
No doubt there’s interest in salvage, but no funds are forthcoming. Fismer and his friend, Harvey Kaltsas, tried to raise money for an expedition, but had little luck. Salvors need a reliable boat equipped with sidescan sonar, magnetometers, air lifts, an able crew and divers who will spend many hours on the bottom. There’s also the state of Florida to deal with. It’s never an easy task to obtain a permit, even though the state gets 25 per cent of anything valuable and first choice of museum display pieces that are salvaged. As the Fizmer mentions in his best selling book: Uncharted Waters—The Life and Times of Captain Fizz, “Treasure is Trouble.” Yet, the real trouble is that not enough people are willing to invest in an enigma that emerged from John Ringling’s unexplained desire to seek something out of the wreckage other than two paltry engines. But again, “Treasure is Trouble” and the “Greatest Show on Earth” might remain forever under the soggy Sarasota sands.
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I enjoyed the story of the Ringling yacht! I knew nothing about it until I read your story. Do you think you might organize a group and dive on it? I am very curious to see what you might find. Let me know as I would be interested in investing in such a venture.
Well Done Ells. I was Guest Speaker at the Ringling Yacht Club shortly after this discovery. I thought I might strike up interest in excavating this site. There was none so I moved on. Some years before I was lucky enough to be in “The Great Wallendas” movie with Lloyd Bridges. Two years later I was talking to the Producer of the movie, and ask if it had done well Money Wise. Her reply was not in the United States, but it Europe it did well because they were more Circus oriented. I guess. Carl “Fizz” Fismer
Capt. Fismer,
My grandfather was the captain (Capt. “Al” Roan) of the Zalophus that fateful morning, and I am well pleased to see a person of your accomplishments take an interest in something that is of great interest to my family. My 85 year old father is the youngest, and last surviving, of Capt. Roan’s four children. According to may father, and others, my grandfather free dived under the hull (on several occasions) while it was beached on the south end of Longboat Key. What my grandfather was looking for is still a family mystery, but we would like to join you in an effort to solve that mystery – if you are still interested. My father has Capt. Roan’s exterior, and interior, photos of the Zalophus and may be able to provide some insight. I invite you to contact me at the email provided.
To Julie: Thank you for writing. I would love to organize an expedition to the Zalophus, but I think Capt. Fismer is the one who could carry it out. we would need investors however. I will stay in touch and keep you posted on any future plans to visit the shipwreck. Best Regards, Ellsworth
To Capt., Fizz: Good to hear from you. I remember the movie, “The Great Wallendas.” I can see where people in Europe would be more orientated to the circus. I am still loving your book. I am reading it for a second time. Thanks for sending me the info on the Ringling wreck. It helped when I wrote about it. Maybe someday we can dive on it. Stay in touch with Greg. It sounds as if he has a handle on it. Cheers, Ells Boyd
Hi Greg: Gosh, what you posted is so interesting! Your grandfather was the captain! And your father knows so much about the Zalophus. I would love to see the photos you mentioned. Contact me at: [email protected]. Best regards, Ellsworth
Thanks for the great article Prof, I had never heard of this before. I hope they find something on the wreck after all the effort to map and explore it.
Best wishes, Capt. E. Allen
Good to hear from you Ethan. I was thinking the same thing. I wish someone would come along with the capital necessary to take a good look at what remains beneath the sands of the Ringling Wreck. Expeditions today cost so darn much. I have had several inquiries about it. Cheers, E. (Check out my current article on the PSS Pacific. I believe you are familiar with it).
I got this site from my buddy who informeed me concerning this
wweb page and now this time I am visiting this web page and reading very informative
articles at this place.
Good! I’m happy you like it. Keep reading–There’s a lot more interesting shipwreck info coming up in the future.
Thank you! I hope you continue to read them. I’ve got some interesting ones coming up for the New Year. I wish you the best for 2018. Best regards, Ellsworth Boyd Wreckmaster
Hello to you all. I never heard about this.. I own the birth site of John Ringling and were the first circus was held. Please send me copies of any information. So i can display it to people.. Or at least have it here at the house.. How exciting!
John Ringling birthsite%
Connie Reinhardt
14463 great river road
Mc gregor, Iowa. 52157.
Thanks for your response. Isn’t that wonderful1! I looked up your place online. What a lovely bed & breakfast, with all the Ringling history that goes with it. I shall put this on my “places to visit” list for the future. Many Cheers!
Also, I forgot to tell you: I have an article, “Ringling Wreck Remains an Unsolved Mystery” in the October, 2017 issue of Lost Treasure Magazine. PP. 58-61, accompanied by 13 photos. To purchase a copy, email: [email protected] and see if you can get one.
This is a great story. Greg, you say your grandfather was the captain? Do you think he scuttled the ship based on orders from Ringling? Yachts of this size dont just sink in the calm waters of west FL.
No, the yacht wasn’t scuttled. There was dredging for beach restoration going on and big metal drums were anchored out there, partially submerged. The yacht struck one and sank on the spot. Keep reading Numa.net. There will be some big Ringling Wreck news coming up in the not too distant future.
H Puffnstuff, thank you for your interest. Some people have considered the possibility that John Ringling had my grandfather scuttle the Zalophus, and this a honest question since the cause was unknown to us until Capt. Fismer and Dr. Kaltsas found the site, but the odds of this are extremely remote. Remember, there were some very high profile people on board, and scuttling a vessel is a risky proposition. I don’t for a moment believe that John Ringling would risk lives for insurance money, and he certainly would not want the bad publicity. I know for certain that my grandfather wouldn’t take part in such a malevolent act. The other thing to consider is the navigation element. This event was caused by a submerged flotation tank a mile off shore. The chances of anyone intending to use this submerged tank to scuttle the vessel in the middle of the night without the use of modern navigational equipment are nil at best. I did, however, ask Capt. Fismer if this was even remotely possible at our first meeting, without hesitation he said “no”.
Greg: Thanks for your comment. I think that you & Capt. Fizz are absolutely right. There will always be naysayers, but this one is way off base!
Ellsworth, it’s been a year since your tantalizing comment that “There will be some big Ringling Wreck news coming up in the not too distant future.” Any updates that you can share? Thanks.
Thanks for your interest. Greg thought he had enough funding to go ahead and make a search, but it didn’t go though. He’s still trying. The project is on hold. He’s not going to throw in the towel. He will continue to try and get funding to conduct an initial search. It’s just going to take time. I shall write about the wreck again when the search is completed..
Would love to know more about any salvage efforts
Greg is still trying to raise the funds. I shall let everybody know if and when the search team gets out there to take a look. Thanks for your interest.
now 75 yo man but in my 20″s got some infor. from a treasure hunting friend that was dieing in the hospatial where I worked he took me of a spot where two bronge cannon was buried, filled with gold coins and jewels, I found the spot after days of looking, dug down about 6 feet, I hit one of the cannons but sand was filling in fast, in the end of the cannon was burlap, with a oak plug, I torn some burlab with some oak wood, at that time the hole was filling in fast, I barely
got out of the hole before I got covered over,, about scared me to death,,always wanted to go back and try again, now it been made into a state park
A cannon stuffed with gold coins and jewels sounds like a scam to me. You don’t have to worry–you will never be able to dig something up in a state park!
My great grandfather was Captain Arthur Rowe, and the captain of the two previous boats Ringling had, but not the Zalophus. So cool to see Greg Roan’s comments! I always wondered who captained the most opulent craft Ringing ever owned. For a few pictures of Capt. Rowe and John Ringling, please visit the about me page at my site!
By the way, whenever we asked our grandfather (his son) about the Zalphus booty, he said it was just a media tale. I always doubted it. Good to see this article. Cheers.
Hi Rachel: Thanks for your interesting comment. I shall go to your site. You might be interested to know that Greg Roan is still raising money for an expedition to see if there might be some interesting artifacts remaining beneath the sand at the Ringling wreck site. Keep an eye out in my column for further developments. Cheers, Ellsworth
To Ellsworth: I appreciated your article on the Zalophus. But it was the comments that inspired me to write. I have been searching for a descendant of Captain Al Roan. Let me explain why, and then you can decide whether to pass my email address on to Greg Roan. My wife, Lara, is Ida Ringling’s great granddaughter. Four years ago I was entrusted with bringing Henry Ringling North’s papers and photos from Switzerland to the US. Henry had a set of interior photos of the Zalophus and another set of the boat under construction. There was also a cryptic note from Al Roan thanking Henry and his siblings for their kindness. I’m trying to understand the significance of the note for a book I’m writing on the North family, which is why I was hoping to talk to Greg.
The Henry Ringling North Collection, which includes Ringling family documents from the 19th Century, was donated to The Milner Library, Special Collections, at Illinois State. From another relative I have a set photos of John Ringling and a party of about 20 preparing to sail on the Zalophus, in 1927 or 1928. Copies of these were given to The Ringling and a few of them are on display in Ca d’Zan. I’d be willing to share these with anyone who’s interested.
Jim: This very intriguing. You have some information that I am sure Greg will be interested in. I shall tell him about it and he will contact you. If for any reason he doesn’t contact you, let me know. Thanks. Best regards, Ellsworth