Next Meeting: Tuesday, April 8th, 2025

7:30pm at the Courtyard by Marriott on Speen Street in Natick.

Jennifer Selliti: "The Adriatic Affair: The Discovery of the 1856 Passenger Steamship Le Lyonnais"

The American sailing vessel Adriatic collided with the French steamship Le Lyonnais on November 2, 1856, off the coast of Nantucket in what can best be described as a maritime hit-and-run. Adriatic’s captain, Jonathan Durham, rendered no aid and left Le Lyonnais to fend for herself. 114 people died in the collision and in the days that followed. French authorities eventually arrested Durham and put him on trial, creating an international incident that became known in diplomatic circles as “the Adriatic Affair.” In August of 2024, Jennifer, her partner Joe Mazraani, and a team of explorers from D/V Tenacious discovered, dived, and identified the wreckage of Le Lyonnais on the eastern edges of Georges Bank. This presentation highlights the history of this fascinating shipwreck and what it took to find Le Lyonnais far offshore and in dangerous waters.

Jennifer N. Sellitti is a lawyer and a shipwreck hunter. A criminal defense attorney by profession, she and her partner, Joe Mazraani, spend their spare time operating D/V Tenacious, a vessel that locates, dives, and salvages artifacts from shipwrecks in the North Atlantic. Jennifer is a USCG licensed captain and a certified diver. Jennifer is passionate about educating the public about maritime history. She serves on the board of the New Jersey Maritime Museum, is an associate member of Boston Sea Rovers, and speaks frequently about underwater exploration. She is the creator of All Aboard!, an educational program aimed at bringing maritime history into classrooms and communities. Her first book, “The Adriatic Affair: A Maritime Hit-And-Run Off the Coast of Nantucket” (Schiffer Publishing) was released on March 18, 2025.

Please join us for the MetroWest Dive Club's General Meeting for the presentation. We will have FREE PIZZA just after 6pm and the meeting will start promptly at 7:30pm. If you have a copy of Jennifer’s book then bring it for her to sign. You can order it on Amazon (it’s on sale), or you can buy it at the meeting. We will also raffle off three copies if you want to try your luck!