West Central Alaska Shipwrecks ( G )

GARDNER (1901)     The river steamer Gardner was lost in 1901 at Jones Point.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   65 07 N 166 38 W   Chart 16006

Source: Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992)

 

GAZELLE (1885)     The 273 ton bark Gazelle was lost at Saint Lawrence Island in 1885 while on a whaling voyage.  The vessel departed San Francisco February 6, 1885 and was worth $50,000 with cargo at the time of the disaster.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   63 30 N 170 30 W   Chart 16006

Sources: 1.Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992), 2. Alaska File of the Revenue Cutter Service 1868-1888

GENERAL MCPHERSON (1900)     The 90 foot wooden schooner General McPherson drug anchor, stranded and was lost at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday September 12, 1900 on the east side of Safety Harbor.  The following comments were from the Wreck Report filed September 18, 1900 by the vessel’s master, J S Morris of Seattle:

“Gale, cloudy, heavy sea, dark.”  “Heavy SE Gale and tidal wave….east side Safety Harbor…Stranded”  “Three anchors out with 60 fathoms best hawser, 45 fathoms second hawser, and 45 fathoms cable on steam anchor.”  “Left the wreck without assistance.”  “Total loss”

The General McPherson had departed Nome September 9 for Point Safety with a crew of eight and $500 worth of lumber weighing ten tons.  Both the vessel and her cargo were lost, but the crew made it to Safety.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 29 N 164 45 W   Chart 16200

Comment: Probably Port Safety, Safety Sound near Nome

Additional Information: Length 89.5, Breadth 21, Depth 7.6, Built 1867 San Francisco, Tonnage 109 Gross 93 Net, Registered Seattle, ON 85955, Owner A H Miller of Whatcome Washington, Vessel Value $7,000, Vessel & Cargo Insurance Unknown

Source: U S Customs Wreck Report filed September 18, 1900

GEORGE (1908)     The sloop George was lost at Nome February 5, 1908

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 30 N 165 25 W   Chart 16006

Sources: 1. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992), 2. The H W McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest (1966) Pg 156

GEORGE W PERKINS (1905)     The schooner George W Perkins stranded and wrecked on the beach at Nome June 21, 1905.  The vessel was valued at $6,000 at the time of the loss.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 30 N 165 25 W   Chart 16200

Comment: This could be the Governor Perkins.  WG

Sources: 1. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992), 2. The H W McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest (1966) Pg 115

GERTRUDE (1921)     The 17 ton wooden gas schooner Gertrude was lost 12 miles SW of East Cape after a collision with the ice at 4:00 a.m. July 4, 1921.  The Gertrude left Nome on July 1^st bound for the Siberian Coast with a crew of five and a cargo of 15 tons of general merchandise.  The crew survived the wreck but the vessel and cargo were listed as total losses.  The following are statements taken from the report of casualty filed by C K Larson of Nome, owner and master of the Gertrude:

“12 miles SW of East Cape….Strong SE wind, foggy weather, daylight.”  “Collided with ice….vessel was in ice for seven hours and became badly punctured before she got out and close to the shore.”  “Ran vessel on the beach and put lines on to hold her in easy position, but could do nothing with her, and she was pounded to pieces by the waves on the beach.”

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska – Siberia Unknown

Comment: Probably East Cape Siberia but could be Apavawook Cape on St Lawrence Island

Additional Information: Tonnage 17 Gross 11 Net, Built 1920, Registration applied for, Vessel Value $4,500, Cargo Value $5,000, Insurance none

Source: U S Coast Guard Report of Casualty filed July 15, 1921

GOOD HOPE (1902)     The 12 ton 34 foot wooden schooner Good Hope slipped anchor and was driven ashore in a strong SE wind at 9:00 a.m. September 11, 1902 two miles west of Lanes Derrick, Nome Roadstead.  Basil Daniloff, owner and master of the Good Hope and John Slater his only crewman were lost in the casualty.  The Good Hope, valued at $1,100 was carrying four tons of general merchandise worth $400.  Some of the cargo was salvaged but the vessel was a total loss with no insurance.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 30 N 165 25 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Length 39.9, Breadth 11.1, Built 1901 in Nome

Source: U S Customs Wreck Report filed July 28, 1903 by George T Everton Administrator of the Estate of Captain B Daniloff

GOOD HOPE (1933)     Four passengers and four crew were lost when the 14 ton gas screw Good Hope struck Shishmaref Shoals and was lost October 13, 1933.  The vessel departed Deering bound for Nome with Henry Ivanoff at the helm.  His engineer was Murphy Apaodruk and two deckhands Roy Olok and Edward George.  Passengers were Elmer Hendrickson and three natives, Clara Foster, Catherine Aden and Bertha Ioktongak.  The Good Hope was also carrying the U S Mail.  Weather at the time was described as high winds, terrible wind, dark night…storm.  The vessels dory washed up on the beach with a bag in it containing the ships papers and log book.  The disaster occurred ten miles north of Cape Prince of Wales.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   66 15 N 166 04 W   Chart 16005

Additional Information: Tonnage 14, Age 8 years, Registered Nome, ON 225038, Owners Henry Ivanoff and two brothers, Vessel Value $6,500, Insurance none obtainable

Source: U S Coast Guard Report of Casualty filed Nome by Wm W Sazug agent and charterer October 31, 1933

GOVERNOR PERKINS (1905)     While the three man crew of the 51 foot wooden steamer Governor Perkins were ashore, an onshore storm came up and the vessel parted her mooring gear and washed ashore near Nome July 14, 1905.  The following are excerpts from the wreck report:

“Nome Beach near mouth of Snake River…Stranding…West force of, 10. Dark…Parting of moorings gear with heavy onshore wind and seas.”  “Storm broke suddenly, engine room being flooded impossible to get up steam owing to heavy sea running and impossible to get to her to render any assistance.”  “Immediately on the vessel coming ashore ropes were put round her and over her bite so men on shore could hold her down.  Listed inshore to prevent her working.  And to protect her as much as possible all moveable equipment was removed to a place of safety to protect it being washed away.”  “Hull  total loss, engines and boiler badly damaged.”

The Governor Perkins was valued at $6,000 no cargo, and had $4,000 worth of insurance.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 30 N 165 25 W 16006

Additional Information: Length 51, Breadth 12, Depth 5.1, IHP 35, Built 1884 San Francisco, Tonnage 17 Gross 8 Net, Registered San Francisco, ON 202021, Master T A Whistler of Nome, Owner Charles Anderson of Alameda California

Source: U S Customs Wreck Report filed by Whistler July 15, 1905

GREAT BEAR (1916)     The 367 ton wooden gas screw Great Bear stranded on the center of Pinnacle Rock on the west side and seven miles out from Saint Matthew Island and was lost Thursday August 10, 1916.  Captain L L Lane of Seattle blames faulty dead reckoning and a lack of knowledge of current conditions was to blame.  The Great Bear departed Unalaska August 6^th bound for Saint Paul and Saint George Islands with a crew of 21 and 275 ton of general merchandise worth $50,000.  The crew survived the wreck but the Great Bear, valued at $80,000 and her cargo were both lost.  The vessel had no insurance.  The weather at 12:57 a.m. when the accident occurred was “wind blowing about ten miles an hour, weather intensely thick and dark, heavy SW ground swell, very dark.”  The crew of the Great Bear was assisted by the USCG Cutter McCullough fifteen days after the wreck.  Before the wrecked vessel was completely destroyed by heavy weather, some of the equipment and supplies were salvaged by the power schooner Gladiator and taken to Nome. The Great Bear had been outfitted like a private yacht.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska 60 24 N 172 42 W   Chart 16006

Comment: One L L Lane of Seattle also wrecked the Helen Johnson in 1910 going from Nome to Point Hope. WG

Additional Information: Tonnage 367 Gross 223 Net, Built Port Blakely Washington 1916, Registered Seattle, ON 214235, Owners L L Lane and John Borden of Chicago, Vessel Value $80,000, Insurance none

Sources: 1. U S Coast Guard Report of Casualty filed at Nome August 27, 1916, 2. Seattle Daily Times (November 27, 1916) “Wreckage of Ill-Fated Great Bear Disappears in Fierce Bering Gale” Pg 13

GREYHOUND (1907)     The 52 foot 9 ton wooden gas screw Greyhound was crushed by ice at 4:00 a.m. Friday January 4, 1907 on the sand spit between the Snake River and the Bering Sea.  The following are excerpts from the wreck report filed by owner E M Andrews of Nome:

“Pulled out on beach for winter.” “Ice drove on shore by wind.”  “SE gale, high sea pushing ice inshore, very dark.”  “The wind was so strong and raised the sea so high that a solid field of ice was pushed ashore, crushing everything in its path.”

Andrews reported that the Greyhound was a total loss and worth $4,500 to $5,000 no insurance.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   64 30 N 165 25 W   Chart 16006

Additional Information: Length 52, Breadth 10.5, Depth 3.8, Service tow, IHP 30, Built 1904 at Nome, Registered Nome, ON 201318, Master Thomas Quinn of Nome

Source: U S Customs Wreck Report filed at Nome January 9, 1907

GROWLER (1973)     The 160 foot freighter Growler capsized and was lost in a heavy storm October 1, 1973 in the Bering Strait 11 miles north of Wales.  All three crewmembers were lost including captain James Halliger of Seward, engineer Harry Germeau of Port Townsend WA and Ralph Geiger of Sequim WA.  The converted Navy patrol vessel and landing craft was carrying construction equipment between Nome, Kotzebue and Bethel.  An empty life raft washed ashore on a beach two miles north of the village of Wales.

Mapping and Location: West central Alaska   65 37 N 168 05 W   Chart 16220

Sources: 1. BOEM Alaska Shipwreck List (2011), 2. Seattle Daily Times (October 5, 1973) “1 dead, 2 missing in freighter capsizing” Pg B 4