-----Original Message----- From: cwarschak@aol.com To: theshipslist@rootsweb.com Cc: graemeo@netspace.net.au Sent: Tue, Mar 2, 2010 12:34 pm Subject: Re: Ship Off Course / At Sea Birth Certificate One of my ancestors was born at sea in 1859. I have never heard of an At Sea Birth Certificate but would like to know more about whether it was common to issue such certificates and, if so, where can I search for this information. My ancestor was Johann Warak (Warack on the ships passenger list). The family traveled aboard the Anna Delius and it arrived in New Orleans in May 1859. Any assistance regarding where to search for At Sea Birth Certificates is greatly appreciated. -----Original Message----- From: theshipslist-request@rootsweb.com To: theshipslist@rootsweb.com Sent: Tue, Mar 2, 2010 2:01 am Subject: THESHIPSLIST Digest, Vol 5, Issue 47 Today's Topics: 1. Ship Off Course (Or Not?) (Graeme Owen) 2. Re: Passamaquoddy 1832 (Betty) 3. Re: Ship Off Course (Or Not?) (David Dixon) 4. Re: Passamaquoddy 1832 (Joe) 5. WILLIAM TELL-Havre-New York City-1851 (THOMAS DEMPSEY) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 ate: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 22:17:53 +1100 rom: "Graeme Owen" <graemeo@netspace.net.au> ubject: [TSL] Ship Off Course (Or Not?) o: <THESHIPSLIST@rootsweb.com> essage-ID: <006601cab930$d7289410$8579bc30$@net.au> ontent-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hello All, Here's a query for the experts who know about such things. A month or so back I found the ship that my ancestors came to Australia on ack in 1857. It was 'Invincible' of The Black Ball Line out of Liverpool. I established through other means that my 'great great grandmother' gave irth to a baby during the voyage. The "Born At Sea' Birth Certificate etailed the date of birth and the co-ordinates as being 9'8 S and 32'29 W. o I 'fired up' Google Earth to see exactly where it was and was staggered o find that the given co-ordinates were not far off the coast of Brazil. I hought they must have been wrong or I was not reading them correctly and eft it at that. I then was fortunate to find (at the National Library Of Australia) a diary ritten by a female passenger on the Invincible on that exact voyage. nfortunately the passenger who wrote the diary was travelling in 'Cabin lass' and not 'Steerage' so it was not really reflective of my ancestors ourney, but a fascinating and eye opening read just the same. However in he journal she made mention of an island group which they travelled close o . . . "we were within 20 miles of an island called Terando Noronba, off he coast of South America, the northern portion of which is exactly the hape of a church with a very high steeple" . . Back to Google Earth I went o find this island, and found (slightly different spelling) 'Fernando de oronha' just a small distance due north of where the birth apparently took lace, (and within 'spitting distance' of Brazil!) My (very long winded) query is . . "What In The Bloody Hell Were They Doing ff The Coast Of South America When They Were Sailing From England To ustralia??" I'm sure there's a logical explanation but it's got me beat! Anybody got any houghts? y the way there was a small mention in her diary about a birth on board in teerage. Cheers Graeme elbourne, Australia ------------------------------