Bark Arrina ~ 28 September 1874

Winds from a hurricane on this date clocked southeast 45 mi/h then southwest 50 mi/h at Wilmington and southeast 75 mi/h at Cape Hatteras. The destruction was very great in the Wilmington area, with large trees uprooted and carried a considerable distance. At places along Water Street the waves on the Cape Fear River were above the wharf. At Smithville (Southport) the storm was reported very disastrous, with several houses blown down, the warehouses on the garrison wharf completely destroyed, and the Ocean House demolished. The Spanish barque Arrina was blown over in ten fathoms of water. 

Betsy ~ May 1, 1784

The Caledonian Mercury (Edinburg)

"The Betsey, Flynn, from Charlestown to North Carolina and Antigua, is totally lost near Cape Fear."

Schooner Col. Thomas F. Austin ~ February 24, 1916

The Wilmington Dispatch, NC, Feb. 28, 1916

Bark Casket ~ 14 September 1892

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Services for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893:

Struck on Frying Pan Shoals and was totally wrecked; vessel invisible from station at time of disaster on account of darkness and thick weather. As soon as it cleared up, life saving crew discovered ship’s company approaching shore in a small boat. Met them when two miles offshore and transferred part of the 10 men to surfboat; put a surf man in charge of ship’s boat, then took same in tow and landed all safely through the surf at station, where they were provided with food and dry clothing and cared for until next morning, when they were taken to Southport and furnished transportation to Wilmington. On 17th a boat belonging to the bark came ashore and was secured by life saving crew. Crew of Oak Island station boarded the vessel, but their assistance was not necessary. (See letter of acknowledgement.)

CAPE FEAR STATION, NORTH CAROLINA, September 15, 1892

DEAR SIR: This is to express the gratitude I feel for the services rendered to me and my crew by Captain J.L. Watts and his crew, of the Capt Fear Life Saving Station. My vessel, the British bark Casket, of Guernsey, England, from Huelva, Spain, to Wilmington, North Carolina, west ashore on Frying Pan Shoals, about seven miles south by east from the station at 11:30 p.m. in the evening of the 13th instant, during a heavy southerly wind and squally weather. The weather was very thick when my vessel went ashore, and remained thick until 8 or 9 o’clock the next morning. I could not see land, nor could anyone see my vessel from the land. In a short time after my vessel struck I was compelled to leave her in my boat, as the sea was breaking completely over her and she was going to pieces. When I left, my vessel was full of water. When about two miles from land, I met Captain Watts in his surfboat. He kindly took me in tow, and in a short time landed us safe on the beach abreast of his station. Dry clothing was furnished myself and nine men, and we were kindly cared for until today, when we leave for Wilmington. Very respectfully, RICH. R.C. TOGER, Master of the British Bark Casket

Steamer Dos Hermanos ~ 13 September 1884

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Services for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885:

The crew of the Cape Fear Station (6th District), Smith’s Island, North Carolina, afforded succor to three men who had succeeded in reaching Smith’s Island at about daybreak on portions of the cabin of the steamer Dos Hermanos, of Tobasco, Mexico, which had foundered in the gale of the night previous off Frying Pan Shoals, several miles from the land. The men were in an almost nude condition, and were furnished with clothing from the supply donated by the Women’s National Relief Association. The following day, when able to travel, they were taken to Smithville for passage to their homes, in New York and Providence. As soon as the life saving crew learned that there were four other men clinging to portions of the wreck offshore, they launched the surf boat and made diligent search for several hours, but, on account of the high sea, were unable to find them. They were picked up, however, 7 or 8 miles at sea, by the steam tub Blanch, of Wilmington, and landed at Smithville.

Note: 4 Killed

Schooner Elizabeth A. Baizley ~ 28 September 1894

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895:

The following statement was published in the Southport Leader (North Carolina) relative to the rescue of the crew of the schooner Elizabeth A. Baizley, September 28, 1894:

SOUTHPORT, NORTH CAROLINA, September __, 1894

To Captain Watts and Crew of the Cape Fear Life-Saving Station: It is impossible for myself and crew to express the great gratitude we feel toward you and your men for the services and aid given us last Friday morning, when we were taken off our wrecked schooner and saved from drowning. Your promptness in rescuing us, and many acts of kindness afterwards, will always be remembered by myself and men with feelings too deep for expression by letter or word of mouth. Deep in our hearts we shall ever hold your acts in grateful, brotherly love. Sincerely yours, H.L. SMITH, Captain Elizabeth A. Baizley

Schooner Genevieve ~ 29 November 1893

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894:

Three-masted schooner, supposed to be the Genevieve, sunk 12 miles from Cape Fear station. Saved two gaff topsails and some blocks. Searched in the vicinity for the crew, but found no one.

Schooner H. Westcott ~ 24 August 1850

The schooner H. Wescott was driven ashore in the gale at the entrance to Cape Fear. A pilot boat sank after colliding with a steamer in the gale near Smithville (Southport).

Schooner James Davidson ~ August 26, 1911

Asheville Citizen-Times, NC, Sept. 6, 1911

Schooner Kate E. Gifford ~ 30 August 1893

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894:

Water-logged by the hurricane of the 28th; drifted ashore 8 miles from station and became a total loss. Keeper who had gone to Southport to assist in landing crew of Schooner Three Sisters (see record) summoned volunteer crew and started to the rescue. After a hard struggle over an almost impassable beach, brought apparatus opposite the wreck early in the morning of the 30th and landed the crew of 7 men, with their effects, in the breeches buoy. The shipwrecked seamen were taken to the station, and there suitably provided for. Crew of Cape Fear Station assisted to rescue the crew of the Schooner Gifford, and in the afternoon took 6 of their number to Southport.

(NOTE: See also Sea Island Hurricane of 1893.) 

Tug Levi Davis ~ 29 November 1896

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Services fr the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897:

Stranded in hazy weather, about 6 p.m., 4 miles SE. of the station and ¾ mile off shore, her master mistaking an old sunken wreck for a buoy. The evening patrolman, having discovered the casualty, burned his Coston signal to reassure her crew, and the surfmen were soon on the scene, where they were shortly afterwards joined by the life savers from the Cape Fear Station and by the tug Blanche, which vessel at once proceeded to Southport to procure additional hawsers, there not being sufficient length of line at hand to reach the stranded towboat. However, during her absence the boiler of the Levi Davis broke loose and the craft bilged, her crew of 8 men being taken off in the Oak Island surfboat, together with most of their personal effects, while the Cape Fear surfmen saved a small boat belonging to the steamer. Upon the return of the Blanche the shipwrecked men were put aboard her and the life savers returned to their posts, the Oak Island crew being given a tow abreast their station. The Davis proved a total loss.

Newspaper Article:
New York Times, December 1, 1896

Schooner Nellie Floyd ~ 18 September 1906

Bark Nineveh ~ January 24, 1903

NORTH CAROLINA MARITIME MUSEUM

Beaufort, NC

www.ncmaritimemuseum.org

Late January 1903, the bark Nineveh was traveling from New York to Mayport when she began to leak outside of Delaware. They rectified the leak and continued their trip, which brought them off Cape Fear where the 442-ton ship sunk. Captain Gilbert and his men spent 52 hours in a small boat before they were saved and safely landed. According to "The Wilmington Morning Star" out of North Carolina, the captain refused to give information on what had occurred. The ship sunk on January 24.

Bark Ogir ~ 10 October 1894

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895:

Anchored off Cape Fear Bar during night of 9th; shortly after midnight the storm drove her on the outer bar, where it was found necessary to cut away her for-mast and mainmast to make her lie more easily. Was sighted at daybreak by life saving crew, who pulled out through the breakers with lifeboat and skillfully took off 9 of her crew from the spanker boom, the heavy spanker boom, the heavy sea and the wreckage surrounding the vessel preventing a nearer approach; the other two men on board refused to leave. Landed the 9 men and succored them at station; next day brought off the other two. On 12th put part of the Ogir’s crew on board their vessel and saved the only boat that was unstove and the personal effects of the crew. On 15th transported shipwrecked crew to Southport in lifeboat. Vessel became a total loss.

Schooner Savannah ~ 27 December 1912

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1913:

The 584-ton, 4-masted schooner Savannah, bound from Jacksonville, FL, to Portland, ME, with a cargo of pine lumber, and carrying a crew of 9 men all told, stranded about noon of this date on the western edge of Frying Pan Shoals, coast of North Carolina, in a westerly gale and thick weather. Vessel and cargo, valued, together, at almost $40,000, were totally lost. The ship’s crew, however, were saved by the crew of the Cape Fear and Oak Island Stations.

     As the schooner lay on the shoals, with the mountainous seas smashing against and over her, she was discovered by keeper Brinkman of the station first named. To make sure that she was aground the keeper climbed the Cape Fear light tower to get a look at her through a spyglass. On leaving the tower he asked the light keeper to set a signal, which, according to a previous understanding, would convey to the station crew at Oak Island and to the revenue cutter Seminole the information that a vessel was in trouble offshore.

     The Cape Fear crew put off the beach in their surfboat without loss of time, and covered the 8 miles to the schooner in two and a half hours. The Oak Island crew also appeared about the same time in their power lifeboat. It was agreed that keeper Brinkman should undertake the work of the rescue, a boat under oars being more readily and safely handled than a power boat in broken water about a wreck. This arrangement was duly carried out, the Oak Island crew standing by, ready to assist their comrades should the surfboat meet with misfortune while alongside. “After a hard battle with wind and sea,” says keeper Brinkman in his report, “we took the captain and eight men off.”

     The ship’s crew were cared for at the Oak Island Station until the following morning, when they were placed aboard the Seminole, which had appeared off the station during the night. The cutter and two tugs attempted to float the schooner, but without success.

Schooner Savannah (Inset: Capt. W. N. Gould)

Schooner Vapor ~ November 5, 1885

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 12, 1885

William H. Anderson ~ February 3, 1896