Monday, April 23, 2012

Schooner Blanche ~ 17 December 1890

The two-masted schooner Blanche ran ashore on Ocracoke Beach about 12 miles SW of the station. She was out of Sydney, Australia under the command of William Tandry and bound for Boston, MA with a cargo of log lumber. "Capt don't no how he got there," wrote keeper Howard (transcribed as found):

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890:

H.H. Ballance out on beach discover a vessel on beach in breakers, sunk. Finding live men on board put whip to his horse for the station. Arriving to station 8:30 reported sch ashore on Ocracoke beach with distress signals fliang. Keeper imedieatly cauld out crew, hitch up team, tuck apparatus cart left station 9 a.m. for the sch sunk. Very rough running over beach. Wind SW fresh gale witch made our proggress very slow. The distance about 12 miles with water and wind to contend with, it was all ce cold do. Reaching abrest of wreck sch we was near fag out but seaing the condition of the wreck men we tuck curedg went at work. First shot was unsuckcessful. Haul shot line gain. The nex shot line dropped on vessel. The crew of sch got line hauling off whip. Shot line hauled. The thire shot line dropped across deck, crew got the line hauld of whip line made fast in starboard rigging. Sent off hausser, the current so strong and force of sea was hard to handle the gear. The men from settlement rendered us valuable service. Hop us to haul on gear after hauser hauled out bouy sent off, landing in all eight persons all right. Hade to cut out hauser, cut shot line, current so fierce cold not risk man to cut them. One shot lost. The wreck crew was very bad off, they had life lines run around them to keep them from washing overboard. All the peple that was ther to sea the site and my jugment seas ther was nothing elce cold be saved. Capt was very thankful and meny thanks for our assistance.

Vessel and cargo sold by Capt gave up for lost. Captain - crew of wreck sch lost all of there clothes. Donated to them from the donation of Women Relief Association as follows: 3 pear pants, 3 pear drawers, 3 shirts top, 3 shirts under, 4 jackets knit, 3 pear shoes. Thay wear very thankfull for them."

Read more at the Ocracoke Island Journal.

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