‘Scotia’, 1899

‘Scotia’, 1899

This is the account of the loss of the ‘Scotia’ that was included in the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ on 31st December 1889:

‘Tho schooner Scotia, the property of George Robertson of Sydney, which has for a considerable time past been engaged in the blue metal trade between Kiama and Sydney, was totally wrecked on the rocks on the northern side of Blowhole Point, opposite what is known as the 'Gap,' (Kiama) on Thursday night last (December 26th 1899)'while endeavouring to enter the harbour. The schooner Venture, which preceded her some little distance, entered the basin safely at about 9 o'clock, a light north-north west wind blowing at the time, and as the Scotia followed close in her wake she too would have also been safely moored inside the dock In a few minutes' time; but, unfortunately, on arriving within a very short distance of the entrance she got becalmed and began to drift landward.

Both anchors were immediately let go, but owing to the strong current which was running they did not have the effect of checking her, and seeing the imminent danger in which the vessel was placed, the boat was at once lowered and the crew pulled in and reported the matter to the captain of the Venture, who sent his boat out also to assist in towing her into the harbour if possible. On the boats reaching the Scotia, however, it was found that she was striking heavily on the rocks and consequently assistance was of no avail.

At the place where she struck the water is very shallow, and dangerous reefs project out for a considerable distance, rendering the chance of saving the vessel all the more hopeless. Under these circumstances it was not at all surprising to find that the vessel had nearly gone to pieces by the time - about quarter-past 11 -the boats returned to the schooner, and it was literally broken up by daybreak.

She left Sydney that day, and in the absence of the captain, who was ill In Sydney, was commanded by the mate, Charles Crowley, who was accompanied by a crew of three men, who lost all their clothing, &c.. The vessel, which was 57 tons burthen, was uninsured, and her loss therefore will be the more heavily felt by her owner. This is the second vessel which has been lost here within the last three months, the ketch Ino having been totally wrecked on the same side of the point, though somewhat nearer the harbour, on the 18th of September last.’

The 56-foot, 57-ton ‘Scotia’ had been built on the Macleay River in 1840 and was, therefore, one of the oldest vessels working the NSW coast.

This particular story illustrates a. that there were, for a period, numerous small vessels transporting blue metal from Kiama to Sydney, and that a number of them came to grief in the waters around Kiama. Similarly, vessels engaged carrying coal from Newcastle to Melbourne or Adelaide also too-frequently came to grief along the NSW South Coast; b. small vessels were very much at the mercy of the weather and sea currents – this is certainly not an isolated story of a wreck occurring because of a drop in wind, then the prevailing, powerful sea currents pushing the vessel towards rocks or a beach, and preventative measures being taken by the crew, such as dropping of anchors in an effort to hold the vessel, proving to be totally ineffective; and c. having been driven ashore, there was then a very high chance that the vessel would rapidly be broken apart and become a total wreck.