RAINIER (1885) The 51.55 ton bark Rainier was lost in the Arctic in 1885. The vessel was worth $50,000 with cargo at the time of the loss.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska Unknown
Source: Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992)
REINDEER (1871) The 332.33 ton wooden ship Reindeer was abandoned in the ice near Point Belcher and Wainwright Inlet on September 14, 1871. The vessel had an estimated value of $40,000. Her home port was New Bedford, Massachusetts.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska 70 36 N 160 W Chart 16005
Additional Information: ON 21315, SL HQDR
Sources: 1. Alaska File of the Revenue Cutter Service 1867-1914, 2. Harper’s Weekly (December 2, 1871) “Destruction of the Arctic Whaling Fleet of 1871”
REINDEER (1894) The 357 ton 120 foot wooden bark Reindeer was forced ashore by ice and lost at Return Reef, Midway Island at 2:00 p.m. Saturday August 4, 1894. The vessel departed San Francisco March 20, 1894 bound for whaling in the Arctic with 38 crewmen aboard. There was no cargo except for “about 40 tons of coal and casks, etc.” The crewmen attempted to hold the Reindeer by throwing out an anchor but the strong breeze and ice forced her ashore. There was no loss of life, but the Reindeer, valued at $24,000 was a total loss. There was $15,000 in insurance on the vessel.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska 70 27 N 148 47 W Chart 16004
Comment: The Wreck Report states “long. 146 degrees”. WG
Additional Information: Tonnage 357.49 Gross 339.68 Net, Length 119.7, Breadth 28.5, Depth 17.5, Built 1877 at New Bedford MA, Registered San Francisco, ON 110312, SL JSGF, Master B Cogan of Oakland CA, Owner Jas. McKenna of Alameda CA
Source: U S Customs Report of Casualty March 14, 1895 by McKenna at San Francisco
ROMAN (1871) The 358 ton wooden whaling ship Roman was crushed by the ice and lost off of the Seahorse Islands near Point Belcher September 7, 1871. The officers and crew escaped over the ice with little but their lives.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska 70 53 N 158 42 W Chart 16005
Sources: 1. The Northern Mariner (April 2006) “Shipping Losses of the Nineteenth Century” Pg 62, 2. Alaska File of the Revenue Cutter Service 1867-1914 (1966) Microcopy 641, 3. Harper’s Weekly (December 2, 1871) “Destruction of the Arctic Whaling Fleet”
ROSARIO (1898) The 148 ton 99 foot wooden whaling schooner Rosario was crushed by ice and lost ¾ of a mile south of Point Barrow at 6:15 p.m. Saturday July 2, 1898. The crew barely had time to escape as the southwest gale forced the ice into the vessel. There were 26 officers and crewmen aboard and 80 tons of outfits and stores. The vessel and her cargo were total losses. The Rosario was valued at $3,000 and her cargo at $4,740. Vessel insurance was $850 and cargo insurance $1,750. There was no loss of life.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska 71 23 29 N 156 28 30 W Chart 16003
Additional Information: Tonnage 148 Gross 141 Net, Length 99, Breadth 26.9, Depth 9.5, Built 1878 at San Francisco CA, Registered San Francisco, ON 110347, SL JSWH, Master E Coffin of Edgartown WA, Owner F A Sheldon of San Francisco, Last Port San Francisco March 23, 1897, Destination Whaling Voyage
Sources: 1. U S Customs Wreck Report December 2, 1898 at San Francisco by E Coffin, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1898) Pg 168
ROSCOE (1872) The 313 ton whaling bark Roscoe was stove in by ice and abandoned off Point Barrow while at anchor August 19, 1872. The vessel departed New Bedford November 1, 1870 bound for whaling in the Arctic. The Roscoe was valued at $37,000 with her cargo of whale bone and 800 barrels of sperm oil. The cargo was valued at $18,000.
Mapping and Location: Northern Alaska 71 23 29 N 156 28 30 W Chart 16003
Additional Information: Tonnage 313.37, ON 21317, SL HQDT, Master Edward Darwen Lewis
Sources: 1. The Northern Mariner (April 2006) “Shipping Losses of the Nineteenth Century” Pg 62, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1868) Pg 207