SUNK AT THE HEADS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 920, 13 September 1910, Page 5

SUNK AT THE HEADS.

THE KETCH FELICITY WRECKED

NIGHT ON A ROCK.

CREW'S THRILLING EXPERIENCE;

.Storm-tossed, and making for:shelter, the little ketch Felicity,: while tacking into'the entrance at the .-Heads at dusk on Snnday evening,' lost''.'her :■ jib-sheet; missed stays,' and was wrecked within a hundred feet of the .lighthouse at Pen-, carfow Head, sinking in a few; minutes. Providentally, her crew of three managed on to the rocks before the end came, and remained there, cold and wet, all through, the long hours of the'night, waiting for the dawn.-;■:.; .^

The story of the wreck, is ; a thrillingone.;, The- little vessel, a ketch of 23i tons, owned by .Captain Somerville, and manned by a.crew of three—Captain J. : B.' C. Somerville, and B. BV Sonierville (sons' of; the owner), -'left Evans Bay about half-past,ten : 'o£ Suh-. day : morning, 'bound for/ Holm wood,; Pelorus So and, with a cargo'of bricks aid fruit. -..;/■:•'.;: K..' :; : ;.:. : :; '--:';-- .r-'/'; .--. Driven Out to Sea!"■';/~. '\- The weather was fair at the commencement: of the'voyage, and. good: progress was made till.the little, vessel was off Sinclair Head,, when the'.': wind,:...which, had'' been gathering'.strength, /developed, into a blustering, nor'-wester, whipping the spume from the; rising ;«ea, and increasing in force 'to 'a heavy, gale! v . '.; The ketch, edging plnnkily toward Tory Channel,' was: tossed, about like a ; cork7' and driven clean out of her. course, about twenty-five miles to the south-east.,: The : skipper at last gaye.it up, as a.bad .job, and decided.to make for Worser Bay for shelter. "'■■■/■ :: -.' -J -.-. .'■;■• ■■-'■:,■■'--.■•:■ ■-■/■'.

"Disabled. -;'- Jx?i.f r >i.t '. Tackingskilfully in the ;tecth; ofVtkel' nor'-wester, good progress was made to' the Heads, and tie'ketch ..had all;' but = cleared .the entrance when disaster, over- ; took ner.; Just as she was. being-put'.over' on a fresh tack a heavy sea;'took her on; the beam',.and she : missed stays!:;Aifierce, gust mppedtho'jib-sheet from : the;bqora,; '.the. • littlo vessel, : badly" ; crippled,'il'wa3caught in astrong set—the tide runs very: swiftly there—and; drifted side'bn: to'the: rocks, striking shortly, after.;. \i'■'■/. ■!■:■:.!. :, Most .fortunately; : ,the;. rock ; was,; a big : one, about 80 feet long'ahd 30 feetacross,rand 'standing '/well- out ,of.;the'.-,water./ Scrambling along the rigging at; the, fore,;;' ;the crew, not • without .some -.difficulty, '. managed to gain/the rock, carrying? with ': them a jbundle of cloches and two? tins of-, .preserved lineat;.'- 7.,..; : ';A] '■:■':; V: : f-"=.-.'; :■':•<> :"■ Meanwhile tho ketch was,;pounding ber ; side on the rock,: and in : a very;, few miri? ' ntes the timbers, gave way,- and >rapidly and sank. ■',•:/-■ .•."",/?';; -; :; 7 ! ,:'■"'

: "- : i'■'')-A ■'■ '-■ ! j-a It was then about half-past;'sis; and la -CClr the ; gathering .'gloom'. of '.the night -"t.the, :*■ ■;:-;' ■shipwrecked/mariners;'sought I ?f6r'a safej. : :;f;v : .retreat/ froin. --'- the.;;heavy, •;seas. which ;/"■'; ;.y\ pouhded':tbe rock and ;se'nt. the.spray .'-in !; ';'';l ; - drehching, showers about/their heads". The r-';' ''„ lighthouse was but a' short awayi;; ;/;/;•/, but/in;' the ./darkness.- nothing .-could': '_ done '.to, attf act/ attention;'tilL; the came,':: so :.the ih'ree-'men"i'sought:shelter :^;- : .;. ;; under. af:ledgo. of rock 'and;;^ttled;do^vn^)'; :V : r v for a; weary vigil."' : " : ._They;got-no;.sleep,.;of;course,, ; and.->vet; : . ; ' "and chilled to the bone^they/made'/thflV/'*./ best: of■;. a,bad j ob. •. 'WitliVa:vpair. of } pic.'■.''■'-3J\ rusty- scissors 'they managed. to / opeiuthi. v';, : ; J meat, tin's,: and .devoured--the 'contents-* v.; ).■:),■: the .meat aid'nbt/goas'far'/asthey; -vvti tild «^ ; v > i;; have liked,and. they ; were'famished "and -.-vKy/ considerubly;" exhausted-; ; 'wheh., daylight;'v. came, and, with :it, "welcome-aid: from'i the ;■/>'■; // ■lighthouse. ./■'. "/; v ■'■[■:\y-y^ ":'./;; ; -'f" ;A-'- /;;/'■/

y, ',;../ 'Help From>the Lighthouse';:.y'ji.'yfy- ' As" -soon' as the- day' .broke,' one [ of; the"'.; ■ ;: crew ; stood" upvand, waving / a;;blahket,: : -|,i' ■strove ;to attract the/attention •of ; ;.the;/;;:;;-; .lighthouse-keeper: ';HisOdistress;Xsignalg.o;!';' 'were, seen, /and': about,,6 o'clock^-'.in,--.the--/;/;?' morning ..a,boat ! was.'put-; off'"to.; Cf- : [ ■rescue.,'■ :The 'men" were taken;ashore; and-:';' . well; cared for':by; the keeper /"ahd/y/iiis/'';/:/ wife (Mr;;and Mrs.'Parkes). .The;bundley/// they-had taken;from'-.^'the-.ketch'contained/.; //; a change"/of/.clothing.-.for.'-.each,'"andlit .■:?.':-. was hot'long/before all'three. : were;'.'cOmi'; : .foftably ;'clai:;warmi; ! ;and ;;;happyv":They'v/K/ lost.everything; elseY;s:://'';.// : '/-A.y£4 ; 's ; -.v -k 'h. About /ii/ o'clock : morning':;iv ; ; they, were- able ' to; leavflj.'ori .'their.''--long/;/;/;; tramp, to; Day's I?ay,'.;wh'ich 'they reached-;v.v . ' iii''time' to; catch the. ferry steamer; Cobax;.••■.;;;;. for.--' town. .'.■' ./;/,/ ;; :/ ■/■// : /j://''./- : ; : v ;\A-.'■'■■■ . The;Pelicity,. which ■' übwUies'.'with. only.-;- ; ; : , the tops of- her..masfe-shomhg, was;on-;'.';.;;! her (third ; trip : ;from ■ Wellington. - to;, the Soundsl: Previously: to", thai, she;;-traded...;i'V;:; /behreenPupong'a; and-; the/Sounds,., carry- - V:'-\ :ing coal- and: general;.cargo/;.'"The; vessel.,'; : ; ; was; not-insured. ..-Her, .'cargo ioil'. bricks - vv was. consigned* to "Holmwood, :.P.elorua ;:.';".;: .Sound,..arid »her ...fruit''.to Mrs.; Perry,. of;■'■';,' : ■: Blackball. 'The\skipper' ! >'.Captaiti.:Aider- ../:';>:■ son,, is .a resident ;of-,»Kilbirnic,;;ahd;waß'; ■ : ;v : '.- -formerly mate on the', s.s.;Nikau.- Captain :-'O- - -..ownerXxandrihis,;- tw»': : :;;V; sons, also reside in -Wellington;;!-:.;;;. yfr.' ',-'' '■;'■'-, ; ,