Schooner Ario Pardee ~ 29 December 1884

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

Just before midnight of the 28th the south patrol of the Wash Woods Station (6th District), North Carolina saw a schooner close in, about a quarter of a mile south of the station. The sea was running high, and the weather was thick and foggy. He hurried to the station and reported his discovery to the keeper, who at once turned out the crew and had the beach apparatus hauled down the shore to a point abreast of the vessel and placed in position. Several shots were fired, but they failed to effect communication. Her red and white running lights were burning, but no signals of distress were seen. The sea was so bad that it was deemed hazardous to launch the surf boat before morning. After daylight it was seen the vessel was anchored just outside of the breakers and badly crippled. The keeper tried to communicate with her by means of the International Code, but no answer came, for the reason, as was afterwards ascertained, that she had no signals on board. She, however, set her ensign union down, as a signal of distress. By this time the crews of the False Cape and the Currituck Beach Stations arrived on the ground to render assistance. The surf boat was soon successfully launched and the vessel boarded. The keeper provided each of the vessel’s crew with a cork life preserver and placed them and their baggage in the boat, and at 9 o’clock had them all safely landed. The schooner proved to be the Ario Pardee, of Perth Amboy, NJ, from Rondout, NY, bound to Chester, PA, with a cargo of cement and a crew of four men. An hour later she parted her chains and drove upon the bar, where she soon began to break up. The crew were sheltered and fed at the station 12 days. The captain, having lost his shoes, was provided with a pair from the stock donated by the Women’s National Relieve Association. The vessel and cargo were a total loss. The following statement was handed to Keeper Corbel by the captain of the schooner:

WASH WOODS, NORTH CAROLINA, December 31, 1884

I sailed December 8, 1884, from Perth Amboy, with a crew of five men, all told, on the schooner A. Pardee, of Perth Amboy, bound from the port of Rondout, New York, to Chester, Pennsylvania, with a cargo of cement. Sailed at 7 a.m. Wind northwest. Passed Sandy Hook 11 a.m. When abreast of Long Branch, the wind shifted to north, and commenced to snow. At 6 p.m., wind blowing a gale from the north, took in sail, and run the vessel before the wind under a reefed mainsail and jib. Gale lasted fifty-six hours, in which we had continuous high seas, washing everything movable from deck; stove water casks and split sails. Afterwards took a gale from south, lasting about twenty-four hours, and run before that. Then took a gale northwest, and run that out. Then, wind shifting to northeast, made what sail we could and run for land. Made lightship off Five-Fathom Bank. When about five miles off took westerly gale, lasting twelve hours. Hove vessel to. When wind abated, made sail again and stood for land. Made Indian River Inlet, Delaware. Wind hauled to north. We tried to beat to Delaware Breakwater. When about five miles southeast of Cape Henlopen, blew away jib. Hove the vessel to again, wind blowing a gale and snowing. The next day, our boat being stove and the vessel leaking badly, spoke to steam Chattahoochie and asked to be taken off. The steamer made two attempts to take us off. They got one man by life buoy and line. The sea running very high and night coming on, she left us. We lay hove-to about sixty hours, when gale abated. Made what sail we could and steered west for land. Weather very foggy. At midnight December 28 we sighted a bright red light ahead [probably Currituck Beach light] and saw breakers. Let go both anchors. In a short time saw lights on shore and heard guns fired at intervals during the night. Heard two shots pass over the vessel, but could not find any line. At daylight 2th we discovered that we were near a life saving station and saw signals by flags. We had no code to answer signals. Set our ensign in distress. Soon life boat was launched and we were rescued, (about 9 a.m.) Vessel still afloat, but sea running very high. At 10 a.m. vessel parted chains and came ashore, and soon began breaking up. Vessel was about a quarter of a mile from shore, in two and a half fathoms of water, when we were rescued by Captain Corbel and his brave crew, and only for their aid we would most likely have all been lost. We, the master and crew of the schooner Ario Pardee, desire to return our most sincere thanks to Captain Corbel and his men for their timely rescue of us from our perilous position and their kind treatment of us since. HENRY A. SMITH, Master ; JOHN W. COMER ; OLE JENSEN ; JOHN FORCE

Newspaper Article:
New York Times, December 28, 1884

Schooner Arleville H. Peary ~ 31 October 1908

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1909:

Became water-logged, and drifted ashore 2-1/2 miles S. of False Cape and 2-1/4 miles N. of Wash Woods stations. Her distress signal was discovered by the patrols from both stations, who burned a Coston in answer and gave the alarm. The Wash Woods crew hauled their apparatus to a point on the beach abreast of the wreck, where they were met by the surfmen from the False Cape station. The first shot line went beyond the reach of the imperiled seamen, but a second line landed directly on the schooner’s cabin. The whip and hawser were then hauled off with little difficulty, and the crew of 6 men were taken off. By this time the boat wagon from the False Cape station had arrived and the lifesavers went aboard the schooner for the men’s clothing and personal effects. The shipwrecked crew was cared for at the Wash Woods station until November 3, when they were furnished transportation to Knotts Island to obtain passage to Norfolk. The schooner was a total loss.



Whip Line

Whip Line & Hawser

Schooner Allie B. Cathrall ~ 5 February 1896

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896:

The Allie B. Cathrall stranded at night in thick and stormy weather at False Cape, North Carolina. A night patrolman discovered her shortly afterwards, showed his Coston signal and gave the alarm at station. A start was immediately made for a wreck with beach apparatus. Communication was established with the first shot and the crew of six men was soon safely landed in the breeches buoy. Gave them shelter and succor at the station until the 19th, while unloading her cargo of lumber. The vessel was a total loss.

Schooner Benjamin C. Terry ~ 20 March 1889

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889:

Shortly before 7 0’clock in the morning, during a heavy north-easterly gale of wind with rain, the schooner Benjamin C. Terry, of and from New York, bound to Norfolk, Virginia, parted her cables and stranded three-quarters of a mile north of the False Cape Station (Sixth District) coast of North Carolina. A few minutes later she was discovered by the patrol, who brought the news to the station with all possible dispatch. The keeper immediately informed the Little Island Station by telephone and started for the scene with the beach apparatus. The sea was sweeping over the beach and somewhat retarded their progress, but they pushed on, at times knee deep in the sand and water and dragging the apparatus-cart after them. Within a hour they were abreast of the vessel, which lay about one hundred yards off shore. The gun was placed in position, charged and fired, the first shot carrying the line on board. The whip and hawser were then hauled off. At this juncture the keeper and four surfmen from the Little Island Station arrived and assisted in the work of landing the crew—seven in number—the breeches-buoy making seven trips for that purpose. The shipwrecked sailors were then conducted to the station where they were cared for until the following morning. Residents in the locality lent valuable assistance to the life-savers on this occasion. The vessel was placed in the hands of a wrecking company, but they were able to float her, owing to subsequent storms which drove her farther up on the beach and made her a total loss.

Bark Clythia ~ 22 January 1894

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

Stranded on Pebble Shoal during foggy weather; heavy surf running, making boat service impossible. After a hard struggle along the beach, life saving crew arrived opposite bark with apparatus cart and fired a shot over her as she lay (300 yards from and head on to shore); crew of False Cape Station then reached scene and helped land her crew of seventeen men and their personal effects with breeches buoy. Provided for ship’s company at station, sending 9 of them to Norfolk on 25th. Succored remainder of crew and agents for underwriters and wrecking company until 28th, on which date, sea moderating, transferred them to vessel. Employed in transmitting messages for wrecker until February 1, when the Clythia was abandoned on account of stormy weather, the crew being cared for at station until February 6, when they departed for Norfolk giving up the bark for lost. Saved and sold at auction all articles of value remaining on the wreck and turned the proceeds over to master, at whose request the sale was made. The following is a statement received from the officers of the Norwegian bark Clythia, stranded near Wash Woods Station, North Carolina, January 22, 1894:

The twenty-second day of January we stranded two or three miles north of the Wash Woods Life-Saving Station, and were saved with the rocket line; were on shore six days the first time. It is with pleasure we state that the life-saving people were active and took care to bring us on shore, and happy are this shipwrecked crew which came to such a station, where all do everything for the wrecked crew’s comfort in any way. We think, really, if we had been wrecked in our own country we never would have been taken so much care of as now. With thankful hearts we always will remember Captain Corbel and his men, and never lose them from our minds. J. Heffermehl, Master; A. Christensen, Mate; D. Kamenni, Second Mate; J.A. Jonsen, of Clythia.