August 29, 1927
Capt. Alvaro P. Quadros
Swept From Deck of Sch. Mayflower
Craft Arriving from Off Shore Show Marks of Recent Gale
Stories of death and disaster reaped by the
tropical gale that swept the Atlantic coast last Wednesday and Thursday continue to filter
in. Sch. Mayflower docked at the Boston fish pier with her
flag at half-mast yesterday afternoon, and reported the loss of her skipper, Capt. Alvaro
P. Quadros of this city, who was swept to his death last Wednesday night on
western bank when a giant comber smothered the vessel and carried her gallant leader into
the sea while all hands were struggling to keep their craft from capsizing.
The Mayflower was on
Western Bank late Wednesday afternoon when the gale burst upon the craft, swirling an
angry ocean into mountains. The craft was not far from Sable Island. At 8
o'clock, there began an all night fight to save the vessel from going down. Seas
swept her from stem to stern. Water poured into the forecastle and cabin and the
situation became desperate. At times, it looked as if the crew might have to take a
chance with their dories.
How Capt. Quadros was lost ,
no one in the crew could tell. It was not discovered until morning came that the
skipper was missing. He was last seen aft and it is believed that one of the huge
waves carried him over the quarter. The news of the loss of this intrepid skipper
was received with genuine sorrow and cast a gloom along the waterfront and among the
fishermen. He was a fine fellow, a good fisherman, thrifty and typical of the
leaders of the Gloucester fishing fleet. Capt. Quadros had
been in command of the vessel about a year. He was about 44 years of age and is
survived by a widow and two children.
The captain had many thrilling experiences,
the most hazardous being in the wreck of sch. Ralph Brown
on the morning of February 10, 1926, on the rocks at Brier Neck with the loss of three
members of the crew. A thick northeast snow storm broke while the Brown
was off the Highland. Capt. Quadros started to run for port and
during the darkness and height of the storm the vessel bid up on the rocks at Brier Neck.
A falling spar fell across the cliff and made a bridge by which 18 of the men made
their way to land. Three other poor fellows were washed away.
[In 1922, Capt. Quadros'
brother, John P. Quadros, was
lost from the Ralph Brown. It is assumed that he washed
overboard, but what happened was never known, as no one saw or heard anything.] |
