Saturday, March 17, 2012

Schooner Hennie ~ 23 January 1886

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886:

The crews of the Cape Hatteras and Creed’s Hill Stations (Sixth District) coast of North Carolina were both engaged on this date in assisting to launch the schooner Hennie, of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. She parted her cable during the heavy westerly gale of the 9th, and went ashore on King’s Point, in Pamlico Sound, about six miles to the westward of the first and three miles to the northward of the last named station. After breaking away from her anchorage an attempt was made to weather the shore by setting the mainsail, but the wind burst the canvas, and the schooner was driven high out on the beach, where the crew of three men left her and spent the night in the woods, not being able to find a house on account of the intense darkness. Owing to the thick growth of trees that intervened, the accident was not observable from either station. On the 23d the captain of the stranded vessel applied to the life-saving men for assistance and they at once proceeded to the scene of the mishap. They pried the craft up and put skids under her and she was moved about seventy-five yards into the water. On the 29th the flood tide advanced high enough to float her. She came off somewhat damaged, and her cargo of oysters, which was obtained in Robinson’s Channel, and was being taken to Elizabeth City, proved an entire loss.

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