Captain Mary Oceaneer

**Captain Mary Oceaneer** is a character originating from *Mystic Manor* though she is most affiliated with the attractions *Oceaneer Lab, the Oceaneer Club*, and *Miss Adventure Falls*.

## History

### Biography

#### Background

Captain Mary Oceaneer was an Englishwoman and skilled sailor in the victorian era. Mary was also an avid scientist, inventor and lover of pirate history. She was often accompanied by her pet macaw, *Salty*. On the July 30th of 1898, she launched her vessel the *R.V. Oceaneer Lab*. From this vessel they would study the ocean and even work as early scuba-divers.

Prior to or during 1899, she would become indoctrinated into the *Society of Explorers and Adventurers*. This was an international secret-society of colonial explorers and aristocrats. Unlike her peers, Mary's exploration was much more nautical based as opposed to land theft and her collection of antiquities was the result of underwater archaeology rather than colonial pillaging.

#### Adventures

In 1899 she voyaged down the Orinoco river of South America where she was attacked with arrows, likely by Indigenous peoples upset by S.E.A.'s invasion of their territory. On the December 31 of 1899, she attended a party in the Hotel Hightower of New York City thrown by her contemporary in the society, the evil Harrison Hightower III. Hightower had thrown the festivity as a celebration of him stealing an idol known as the Shiriki Utundu from the Mtundu tribe of the Congo after they saved his life. That night, Hightower was killed by Shiriki for his crimes though the public would only believe he mysteriously disappeared.

Mary would be amongst the society members who often met in the estate of S.E.A. member Dr. Albert Falls in the *Wilds of Adventureland*, a realm composed of various exotic locales connected by the mystic Rivers of Adventure. On the August 19 of 1921, Mary awarded Dr. Falls with the, "Hightower Spirit of Adventure" award, named for the late Harrison Hightower III. Prior to 1928, Mary also created a map of, "Legendary Beasts of the Mediterranean" depicting several oddities in the aforementioned sea; said portrait was hung up in the Falls estate. In 1928, Falls mysteriously disappeared and Oceaneer would spend the following decade working with the Falls family to try and find him.

Prior to the year 1938, Mary wrote the books *Parrots as Pets* and *Charting Course*. In 1938, Captain Oceaneer went on an unsuccessful expedition to locate Dr. Albert Falls. Following this, she sent society members to the Forbidden Mountain near the Asian kingdom of Anandapur while tracking down mysterious stories, likely of the Yeti which lived in the mountains.

Mary would also excavate notable artifacts such as the cursed *Treasure of Cortés* from Isla de Muerta, a wooden pipe from the collection of the mermaid-turned-human Queen Ariel, the *Dead Man's Chest* containing the heart of *The Flying Dutchman*'s captain, and a magical contract belonging to the deceased sea-witch Ursula. Mary also excavated in Shipwreck Cove in South America and Castaway Cay in the Bahamas while also coming to learn of the lost nation of Atlantis, writing, "I come in peace" on her diving-bell in Atlantean.

#### Typhoon Lagoon

By the 1950s, the society was far less secret and Mary was a world-renowned archaeologist and naval-captain. By this time, Mary's pet Salty was absent and in his place was another macaw named Duncan. Mary had also seemingly shifted to using a boat called the *M.S. Salty IV*, a vessel seemingly named for her beloved pet. Mary was featured on the front-page of the diving magazine *Under the S.E.A. Quarterly* and began performing excavations in the tropics of *Blustery Bay*. However, Mary's ship got stuck in a hurricane which wrecked the vessel and scattered its treasures across the bay.

Mary and Duncan were stranded near *Miss Adventure Falls* in the municipality of *Placid Palms* along the lagoon of the volcanic Mount Mayday. The two made a new base from the wrecked *MS Salty IV* and began working to recover their lost artifacts. In the time they were there, Placid Palms was turned into the tropical resort of, "Typhoon Lagoon".

## Jungle Cruise appearances

### Bengal Barbecue

Oceaneer makes a small cameo on a miniature portrait of the 1899 S.E.A. attendance at the Hotel Hightower.

### Jungle Cruise

In Alberta Falls' office in the Amazon River Base, there is an obscured post-card from Captain Mary Oceaneer. She mentions being part of an expedition looking for the lost Dr. Albert Falls. The post-card is difficult to read but from what can be made out it reads:

*"Ahoy Skippers,*

*Hope things in the jungle are in shipshape.  I just wanted to give you an update on my expedition.  Sadly, there has been no sign of your lost grandfather.*

*However, i am hearing some strange stories from the Forbidden Mountain near Anandapur.  I’m leading some members to investigate. On the way back maybe they can bring back a decent cup of tea.*

*Exploratio Continua*

*Capt. Mary Oceaneer*

*Society of Explorers and Adventurers*".

### Skipper Canteen

There are various connections to Mary Oceaneer within this restaurant. Within the library are books by her titled *Parrots as Pets* and *Charting Course*. The former of these books references Mary's pet macaws, Duncan and Salty. In the entryway to the meeting-hall for the Society of Explorers and Adventurers is a fez identified as belonging to her.

In the hall itself is a certificate for Dr. Albert Falls', "Hightower Spirit of Adventure Award" which is signed by Capt. Mary Oceaneer. There is also a map created by the captain showing, "Legendary Beasts of the Mediterranean". This map shows illustrations of several monsters including the Nautilus submarine and giant squid from *20,000 Leagues Under the Sea*, a sea-serpent from World of Motion labelled *Kimballum Horriblus*, the Crocker Fish from Sindbad's Storybook Voyage and a creature possibly depicting the Leviathan from *Atlantis: The Lost Empire*.

### Tropical Hideaway

There is an oar on the wall of this location which reads, "**M. Oceaneer**, Orinoco River, 1899".

### Other connections

#### Pirates of the Caribbean

Mary was a big fan of pirates and excavated several artifacts from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. These artifacts include the Dead Man's Chest of Davy Jones, the cursed treasure of the sunken Isla de Muerta, and assorted artifacts from the pirate's parliament of *Shipwreck Cove*.

#### Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

Sam has a post-card from the crew of the Miss Tilly shrimping-vessel, identifying them as having also been in Blustery Bay during the typhoon.

## Trivia

* In her Jungle Cruise post-card, Oceaneer mentions sending members to investigate the Forbidden Mountain of Anandapur. This is a reference to the setting of the attraction Expedition Everest in Disney's Animal Kingdom.
* Mary might be named for artist Mary Blair whose concept-art for Peter Pan decorates the Oceaneer Lab.
* In the Amazon River Base is a piece of luggage with a sticker reading, "Castaway Cay". Castaway Cay is an island which Oceaneer was active in.

## External links

* *Captain Mary Oceaneer* on the *Haunted Mansion Wiki*.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.mousesteps.com/2021/08/29/jungle-cruise-changes-now-complete-at-magic-kingdom-photos-video/