Unknown or Uncharted Alaska Shipwrecks ( S )

S & E #3 (1926)     The 25 ton wooden scow S & E #3 was lost in Johnstone Strait at 5:25 p.m. Monday June 14, 1926.  She was under tow and carrying a deck load of 24 ton cargo of anchors, cables, wire netting and rails valued at $3,000.  The scow departed Seattle June 12th bound for Hidden Inlet.  The following are remarks from the casualty report filed by master C P Haugen:

“Brisk northwest wind, sea choppy”  “Scow believed to have sprung sudden leak”  “South end of Hanson Isl. In Johnstone Strait, Alaska”  “Scow turned turtle”  “Tug towing scow altered course immediately and headed for shore”  “Scow was pumped dry and thoroughly inspected about five hours before disaster.  Four attempts were made to right scow after she turned turtle but strong ebb tide prevented this.  The tug was forced to let go about fifty feet from shore in order to avoid going ashore.  The tug worked from the time of the accident, 5:25 p.m. to 9:50 p.m. attempting to save the scow”  “Total Loss”

The S & E #3 was valued at $600 and was a total loss along with her cargo.  The cargo was insured for $3,000.  The vessel had no insurance. There was no loss of life.

Mapping and Location: British Columbia

Comment: Casualty Report mistakenly puts Johnstone Strait in Alaska.  WG

Additional Information: Tonnage 25 Gross and Net, Built 1919, Registered Seattle, ON 167640, Master C P Haugen of Seattle, Owner Dixon Entrance Fisheries of Yakutat

Source: U S C G Report of Casualty at Ketchikan June 19, 1926

SAMANTHA G (1984)     The 74 foot vessel Samantha G burned and sank September 2, 1984.

Mapping and Location: Alaska Unknown

Source: Unofficial Shipwreck List (Kodiak)

 

SAPPHIRE (1897)     The 109 ton sealing schooner Sapphire was destroyed by fire 20 miles offshore from Ucluelet.  Aboard the vessel were captain William Cox and three crewmen.  The Sapphire caught fire, which quickly spread and ignited her powder kegs.  The crewmen aboard narrowly escaped before the explosion.  There was no loss of life.

Mapping and Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Sources: 1. The H W McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest (1966) Pg 24, 2. Victoria Daily Colonist (April 27, 1897) “Entirely Discharged” Pg 2 Col 1

SAPPHO (1882)     The 263 ton bark Sappho was stove in by ice and became a total loss while whaling in the North Pacific May 6, 1882.  The bark departed on her whaling voyage from San Francisco December 25, 1881.  The vessel had a value of $25,000 with her cargo of whale oil and bone.  The disaster occurred off Bukhta Provideniya, Chukotka, Russia, northwest of Saint Lawrence Island, Alaska.

Mapping and Location: Russia   Chart 16006

Sources: 1. Shipwrecks of the Alaskan Shelf and Shore (1992), 2. The Northern Mariner (April 2006) “Nineteenth Century Commercial Shipping Losses” Pg 64

SARAH (1879)     The 142 ton two masted schooner Sarah became a total loss while cod fishing in the North Pacific in 1879.  The vessel was owned by Lynde and Hough of San Francisco.

Mapping and Location: Alaska Unknown

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

SARANAC (1875)     The side wheel steam ship Saranac was lost in Seymour Narrows June 15, 1875.  The vessel with her 10 guns and crew of 300 men was out of San Francisco on a trip to Alaska to collect curios for the Centennial Exposition.  She was running at 14 knots when she struck heavily on her port side and began filling rapidly.  She was headed for Vancouver Island where she was grounded among the rocks.  No lives were lost.

Mapping and Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Source: Lewis and Dryden’s Marine History of the Pacific Northwest (1895) Pg 229

SEA LION (1895)     The 51 ton Canadian sealing schooner Sea Lion was lost with all hands in the North Pacific in 1895.

Mapping and Location: Unknown

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

SEA WITCH (1907)     The 1,289 ton bark Sea Witch became waterlogged and was abandoned by her 16 crewmen on December 6, 1907 at Lat. 45 41 N Lon. 127 30 W.

Mapping and Location: Unknown

Comment: This vessel is included in this compilation on the off chance that she drifted north and wrecked along the vast Alaska coastline.  WG

Additional Information: Tonnage 1,289 Gross 1,172 Net, Length 197, Breadth 87.8, Depth 24.2, Built 1872 at East Boston MA, Registered San Francisco, ON 115064, SL JLQM

Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1907) Pg 377, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1905) Pg 155

SIGRID (1924)     The 11 ton 36 foot wooden gas screw fishing vessel Sigrid stranded and was lost near Vancouver Island at 8 p.m. January 25, 1924.  James Hodnet, master and owner of the Sigrid was on board with his Wife and one crewman when the disaster occurred.  They had departed Seattle January 20, 1924 and were on their way to Katalla, Alaska.  The following are excerpts from the casualty report filed by Mr. Hodnet:

“Reef 7 mi. S. of Campbell River, Vancouver I.”  “Driven onto reef by wind in darkness”  “About 30 mile wind, weather wet, rainy, foggy, very dark night”  “Attempting to make shelter at lighthouse, miscalculated force of wind and nearness of reef”  “Came as a surprise”  “Total loss, engine later salvaged”

The Sigrid had a value of $2,500 and the ton of supplies on board was worth $200.  The vessel and half her cargo were lost with no insurance.  There was no loss of life.

Mapping and Location: British Columbia

Additional Information: Tonnage 11 Gross 7 Net, Length 36.2, Breadth 10.3, Depth 4.9, Built 1917 at Seattle WA, IHP 20, Registered Seattle, ON 215615

Sources: 1. U S C G Report of Casualty August 16, 1924, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1924) Pg 273

SIMEON I ANNA (1797)     The Russian vessel Simeon I Anna was lost in 1797 on her way to the Pribilof Islands from Okhotsk, Russia.

Mapping and Location: Unknown

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

SOPHIA SUTHERLAND (1900)     The schooner Sophia Sutherland was lost in the Arctic August 31, 1900.  The vessel was towed into Baillie’s Island, Northwest Territories, Canada by the steamer Beluga, where she was lost in a gale.

Mapping and Location: Northwest Territories, Canada

Sources: 1. H W McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest (1966) Pg 63, 2. The Daily Journal, Salem Oregon (November 1, 1900) “The Fleet of Arctic Whalers” Pg 1

STAR NO 71 (1942)     The 39 ton 61 foot wooden scow Star No 71 foundered in Alaskan Waters September 15, 1942.

Mapping and Location: Alaska Unknown

Additional Information: Tonnage 39 Gross and Net, Length 61.4, Breadth17.9, Depth 4.2, Built 1929 at Bellingham WA, Owner Pacific American Fisheries, Registered Bellingham WA, ON 170280

Sources: 1. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1945) “Vessels Reported Lost” Pg 778, 2. Merchant Vessels of the U S (1944) Pg 435

 

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