‘Vision’, 1911

The ‘Vision’ was a 57-ton British-built steamer – and was probably typical of underpowered (by today’s standards) early coastal steamers. She was owned by the Illawarra and South Coast Steam Navigation Company. She was run aground on Montreal beach, just north of Bermagui, on 13th January 1911 in heavy weather.

The ‘Vision’ had left Merimbula, bound for Bermagui, at 10.30 p.m. on January 11th. The wind was blowing from the south, there was heavy rain and the sea was rough.

When the weather cleared sufficiently, the captain took the vessel into Bermagui and tied up at the wharf. However, ‘after a time be considered it was not safe to be there, so he made fast to the buoy with both chains. At 6 o'clock on the 13th, the sea came in very heavily, and the port chain slipped, so the master slipped the other one, and stood to sea again.

When the Vision got out of the shelter of the heads the sea was found to be too heavy, and she made no headway, but drifted to leeward. (So) sail was then hoisted, but as it did not improve matters, the captain decided to beach the vessel, which he did without loss of life. The vessel was afterwards abandoned to the underwriters.’

A Marine Court of Enquiry later found that the ship’s master ‘in all the circumstances of this case was not to blame’, and then went on to record ‘they thought the master showed good shipmanship under the circumstances.’