SOME SHIP WRECKS
In 1853, there were nine wrecks lying
along the beaches and on the bar. Four of these saw a watery grave and
in 1851 - The "Lady Constable", the "Minerva", the "Ethel", and the
"Princess Victoria". 1852 saw the "William", and His Majesty’s ship
"Corinth", 1853 saw the "Albion", the "Eliza Grange" and the "Adelaide".
But there were more and more - many more
and soon the Richibucto Roadstead Reef were starting to look like a
Maritime graveyard for those great sailing ships. The truth is that
from 1843 - 1903, there were 50 wooden vessels wrecked and of those,
16 were floated.
Of the 34 still at the bottom these are
some of their stories:
June 1846 - barque "Morning Star",
along with the "Evening Star" and the "Ockbrook" driven from roadstead
on reef . Total wreck. Four men of the "Evening Star" in an attempt
to go ashore drowned.
August 1846 - barque "Campbells",
grounded, going out, gale springing up and was driven ashore and became
total wreck. No lives lost.
In 1850 - the barque "Elizabeth
Grange", driven from the roadstead reef. Total loss but no lives lost.
June 1857 - Full rigged ship,
"Eliza", bound for Quebec, driven ashore at Richibucto head. Total wreck,
no lives lost.
June 1861 -barque the "Mary Ann",
driven from roadstead reef. Total wreck. No lives lost.
Fall of 1862 - Full rigged ship
"Milton", driven from roadstead reef. Total loss. No lives lost.
Stay with us readers it gets more interesting
- even the treasure hunters are awake. Most of these ships carried deals;
but what did the rest carry? What did the "Corinth" carry.
And why was a ship of His Majesty's Fleet in the area? Well, Benedict
Arnold types never did work for free!!
Dec 1863 - barque "Jurverna" driven
from roadstead reef. Total wreak. No lives lost.
In 1872 - barque "Thames", coming
in without a pilot ran ashore on reef. Total wreck with no loss of lives.
In 1875 -barque "Leonara", driven
from roadstead reef. Total wreck and no casualties.
In 1891 - barque "Kodan", grounded
while going out. Driven onto the south reef. Total wreck. Pilot Albert
Long had great difficulty to keep the crew on the vessel. They were
bound to leave where they would almost certainly face death. Thanks
to captain Longs intervention, all heeded his peas and were safe.
August 1866 - Iron Ship the "Duke
of Northumberland", driven from the Roadstead Reef. Total Wreck. Two
men left ship on a raft of spars and it was only through the efforts
of Louis and Thomas Micheaud that they were saved.
Mystery and more mystery was about to
be heaped upon the good residents of early Richibucto.