January 23, 1919
Saved Seven In A 60 Mile Gale
Dolliver’s Neck and Rockport Coastguard
Went to Aid of Two Disabled Hub Flounder Fishermen - Towed Here
Capt. Nelson A. King and crew of the
coastguard station at Fresh Water Cove were on the job yesterday when they performed
humane service in rescuing two Boston Italian flounder draggers that had become disabled
off shore and towed then in at the Fort in the teeth of a 60-mile gale that was blowing.
The boats rescued were the Caroline,
carrying two men and the 959 C, with a crew of five. Both boats
had certainly most adventurous times of it, and were being carried rapidly to sea in the
heavy gale that sprang up the night before and swept the coast during the day. The first
call for assistance was received at the Dolliver’s Neck station about 10
o’clock. It was reported by one of the caretakers of a summer estate at East
Gloucester, who had witnessed the plight of a small craft about seven miles off Eastern
Point. A heavy sea was running at the time and the little craft was being carried rapidly
to sea. In the absence of Capt.. Nelson A. King, Joseph Langley, surfman
No. 1, at the station, took charge of the life-boat which was sent out to the aid of the
disabled fisherman.
The little boat was having a hard time of it when the
lifeboat arrived along side. On board were two Italians, neither of whom could speak
English. The craft proved to be the Caroline, and she bore
unmistakable signs of having been battered about by the elements. Her hatch had been
washed away, the engines disabled and the craft was in danger of sinking any minute as the
heavy seas swept across her.
The Italians were taken aboard the lifeboat and the Caroline
taken in tow, and some time afterwards safely moored at the Fort. Just how much longer the
Caroline could have stood the strain is a question. The crew
through signs made it known that they were mighty glad to be rescued and landed in safety
after the trying hours through which they had passed.
About the time that the life-boat started out to aid the Caroline,
a call came to the Dolliver’s Neck station from the Rockport station, asking that the
power boat be sent there to tow in another Italian boat. The craft, the 959-C was
first sighted off Rockport by the lookout at the Rockport station yesterday forenoon. She
was floundering about helplessly in the sea and wind and Capt. Aubin and
his crew went to the rescue in the station’s boat.
This craft which was also engaged in flounder dragging
carried crew of five. Two were taken aboard the life-boat, but the other three insisted on
remaining aboard. The engine was out of commission and from what could be gathered, the
men must have drifted all night from as far northward as off Newburyport. Capt. Aubin
took the craft in tow, but was unable to make land, and about a half mile northeast of
Thacher’s gave up his tow, after seeing to it that the craft was securely anchored.
Capt. King and crew went down from the
Dolliver’s Neck station in the high powered life-boat and was soon on the scene and
started for this port with 959-C in tow. It was about 4.30 in
the afternoon when the craft was finally berthed at the Fort. |
