Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Brigantine Annchen ~ 17 July 1888

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

Towards evening of the first of these dates, a vessel was seen approaching the North Carolina coast, a few miles to the westward of Cape Hatteras, and shortly after 7 o’clock she stranded between the Creeds Hill and the Durants Stations (6th District), North Carolina and nearer the first-named. This being the inactive season, the life-saving crews were disbanded, and the keepers were therefore delayed in proffering assistance through having to send some distance to summon their men. No time, however, was unnecessarily lost, the keepers having sent out as soon as the vessel’s signal of distress (a small flag at half-mast) could be seen. The life saving crews arrived at the wreck at about 8 o’clock and found her to be the German brigantine Annchen, of Papenburg. The sea being smooth, the crew had landed in their own boat, and the life savers returning ashore, found them abreast of the vessel. There were 7 all told. The brig had loaded spirits of turpentine at Savannah, GA, and was bound to Glasgow, Scotland. Early in the morning of the 16th, when some 42 miles off shore, she had sprung a bad leak, and being unable to make any harbor the captain found it necessary to beach her. The crew were taken to the Durant’s Station, where they remained two days. During the forenoon of the 28th the Creed’s Hill crew took the captain on board his craft and helped to save a number of articles of value. The greater part of the cargo was subsequently saved in a damaged condition, but the vessel became a total loss.

No comments:

Post a Comment