004 | The Sarah Joe Mystery: Hawaii’s Most Puzzling Lost-at-Sea Case

On February 11, 1979, five friends from Hāna, Maui—Benjamin "Ben" Kalama, Scott Moorman, Patrick Woessner, Peter Hanchett, and Ralph Malaiakini—set out on a routine fishing trip aboard the Sarah Joe. A sudden storm swept over the Hawaiian Islands, and the Sarah Joe vanished without a trace.

For nearly a decade, no wreckage, no distress calls, and no bodies were found. Then, in 1988, a marine research team made a chilling discovery on a remote atoll 2,000 miles away—the remains of Scott Moorman, buried in a shallow grave marked by a wooden cross. But this discovery only raised more questions than answers:

• Where were the other four men?
• How did the Sarah Joe drift so far without being spotted?
• Who buried Scott Moorman—and why?

In this episode of Beneath the Palms, we break down:

• The timeline of events, from disappearance to discovery.
• Theories surrounding the fate of the crew and the mysterious burial.
• How this case continues to baffle experts and haunt the families left behind.

👤 Have Information? Contact Authorities:

📞 Hawaiʻi Police Department: 808-529-3111📞 CrimeStoppers Honolulu: 808-955-8300

🔗 Sources & References

Extensive research for this episode was gathered from:

• 📰 The Maui News – "40 years later, mystery still surrounds the Sarah Joe and its five Hāna fishermen who didn’t return." → Read More
• 🎥 Unsolved Mysteries – "Lost Hawaiian Fishermen" → Watch Episode
• 📖 Cold Case Explorations – "The Disappearance of Five Men Aboard the Sarah Joe" → Read Here
• 🌍 Wikipedia – Bokak Atoll – Environmental and geographical context → View Entry

🎵 Music Credit

🎶 Intro & Outro Music: Obsession by Yoza🎧 Stream her music on all platforms & visit her website → YozaMusic.com📸 Follow Yoza on Instagram → @YozaMusic

📲 Follow the Podcast for Updates & Discussions:

📸 Instagram: BeneathThePalmsPodcast

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