The waters off the Magdelan Islands have always struck fear in the hearts of sailors.

Over the centuries, hundreds of shipwrecks have been reported off this tiny but remote archipelago in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

In November 1871, a violent snowstorm drove a brig loaded with grain into the shoals near the islands.

The ship broke apart and left only one survivor, who washed up on shore. Three or four days later, the sailor was found encased in ice. Remarkably, he was still alive.

As result of his ordeal, Augustin Le Bourdais lost both legs legs below the knee. However, he went on to live out his life on the islands as a telegraph operator. His story is just one of many of the remarkable stories connected to this unique string of sandy islands.

Indeed, many of the people who live on the islands today are descended from shipwreck survivors.

Wood salvaged from wreckage was used to build many of the island’s homes. And Madelinots today continue to find relics washed up on their shores.

One man, Leonard Clark, created hand-drawn maps of over 300 19th-century shipwrecks.

The documentary Legends of Magdelan, a co-production of Gregory B. Gallagher and Parafilms, follows the efforts of divers and amateur archaeologists as they search for shipwrecks using Clark’s maps.

The film also explores the haunting legends of the islands.

Read the whole story about Augustin Le Bourdais.