‘Ino’, 1889

The ‘Ino’ was a 40-ton ketch that had been built in 1864. On 19th September 1889 she ran into rocks at the entrance to Kiama Harbour. The ‘Kiama Independent and Shoalhaven Advertiser’ on 20th September 1889 provided the details:

‘TOTAL WRECK OFF THE KIAMA BATHS
THE KETCH INO COMPLETELY BROKEN UP

Wednesday night last was, as our readers are aware, a very dirty, dark and wet one, and the impenetrableness of the darkness was more keenly felt by the weary mariner as his sturdy craft ploughed its way against the tremendous powers of the elements. The night did not pass away without leaving behind it a disaster to chronicle, although, fortunately, no fatalities to human life are linked with it.

The ketch Ino, bound from Wollongong to Moruya, encountered the dirty weather that prevailed on the night in question, and, as the heading of this article enumerates, became a total wreck. It appears she was laden with a cargo of 40 tons of coal - her full burthen - which she was carrying to the dredge at Moruya. Having proceeded on her journey a little to the south of the port of Kiama, Captain Banister determined to put back and try and make this port. There was a fresh south-east wind blowing at the time, but no sea to speak of was running, and the captain steered his craft himself. He, however, on account of the darkness, misjudged the distance from the shore, and when rounding the south-east reef - that is just near the new bathing hole - the vessel struck. It was about 11.30 p.m. when this occurred, and by about 4 o'clock yesterday morning she was completely broken up. The hands, all told numbering four, were saved in the vessel's boat.

They lost most of their belongings which were on board the vessel, but managed to save a considerable quantity of their clothes, together with a violin. All the papers of the ship were also lost. She was owned by Captain Banister, and was well insured in Metcalf's South British Company.

As soon as possible after the vessel struck the captain roused Pilot Fraser, who administered to the wants of the shipwrecked crew. Coffee was prepared at his house for them and also breakfast, and everything that he could do to assist them he did. It is a strange coincidence that one of the crew has been wrecked twice within the last seven or eight weeks. He was one of a crew of eleven who shared the misfortunes of the wreck of the Nicoli at Byron Bay so recently as the time stated above, and now he is a participator in the present mishap. The masts and rigging of the Ino are floating about, being held to the hull by the gear; and the hull is covered by some seven or eight feet of water. The crew left for Sydney yesterday by the Illawarra.’

A few days later it was reported that the wreckage had drifted into the seaway, completely blocking the entrance to the harbour.