‘Growler’, 1888

Some seamen, it seems, are just plain unlucky. The crew of the ‘Growler’ were certainly so!

The ‘Growler’ was a 36-ton schooner that had been built in 1879. On Friday 16th March 1888 she left Tomakin with a considerable load of timber (‘17,000 feet’), a crew of three, and one passenger. The captain (later speaking to a newspaper correspondent) takes up the story:

‘All went well until abreast of the Shoalhaven Bight, when we experienced rough weather, there being a very heavy sea running and a strong wind blowing. When abreast of Black Head the vessel was struck by a terrific and sudden squall, which carried away the fore-sail, stay-sail, and jib, and the steering gear.’

‘We managed, with considerable difficulty to run on before the wind and made for the buoy which is moored off the Gerringong jetty. This we reached early on the 17th, and after securing the vessel with all the available rope and chain we temporarily repaired the steering gear, and then went ashore on the beach to make new sails.’

They had almost completed this task on Sunday 18th March when, at 1pm, they reboarded the ship to have dinner. Then, unfortunately, the seas worsened. ‘We were not long there, however, when we found that she was breaking from her mooring. From the time we observed her first shifting, only five minutes elapsed till she was on the rocks. It was utterly impossible to save her with the sea that was running at the time.’

‘And it was with the greatest difficulty and danger that we escaped from her in the dinghy.’

‘I had all I had on board, including all my valuable papers, &c. The remainder of the crew lost all their effects (the reporter adding ‘the unfortunate voyagers betook themselves to the Ocean View Hotel, Gerringong (where they) were compelled to borrow some necessary articles of wearing apparel’)…The vessel in question is now lying on the rocks a total wreck. It is expected that most of the cargo will be saved.’