On the morning of October 2, 1893, the
body of an unknown man came ashore on the South Beach, near the lighthouse.
On the body were a suit of clothes, an overcoat, and a suit of oil clothing
(commonly used on ships for sou-westers). His pockets contained a watch
and some money. The watch had stopped at high noon. He was never identified
and the mysterious man remains even more of a mystery today.
The greatest tragedy was the "Adeona".
On November 2, 1906 -barque "Adeona",
driven from the roadstead reef. Total Wreck. It was impossible to reach
the ship, for three days due to a terrible weather conditions.
The 11 man crew stayed on board for those
three days. They met the worst of the storm and matched her inch for
inch. Then for some reason unknown they tried to reach shore. All
eleven members of the Norwegian barque drowned. Their home made raft
had been made out of deck planking which soon flipped over. On the hand
of one of the victims, there was a large gold band with the letters
P.G.P. and the words - "Ad Remine"! The next day, a chest from the "Adeona"
drifted ashore. The contents - one wooden caulking gun! «picture»
The harbor was dangerous. It has often
been noted as being very similar to the mouth of the Amazon in South
America. There are three channels. The one on the south, is closing
up. The central channel which is used by the ships. And a new channel
in the making to the north. All three keep shifting south each year.
As much as one hundred from one season to the next. The South Channel
was know as the Albion Channel (it was giving this name after the wreck
of the Albion in 1853.) In 1854,
two vessels were used to carry freight and passengers along the coast.
The "Lady de Merchant" and the "Enterprise". The Lady was owned by DeBrisay.
In 1854, the Mechanic’s and Temperance
halls were built as was the Seamen’s Institute at Platt’s Point. This
Seaman's Institute in part served as a Hospital.
In 1854, a ship called the "Helen Thompson"
which was bringing emigrants to Quebec, was sunk by an ice-berg, one
day sailing out of Richibucto. The passengers were all rescued and brought
back to Richibucto, where they were fed and clothed by DesBrisay.
A man named Desmond, from Chatham, built
the "Unity" on the river bank just opposite what is now the Golden Age
Club. The "Parnell" was
built on the South East corner of the O`Leary Wharf (back of Richibucto
Convenience Store) - she was built in 1881. This is the Wharf, which
caused a scandal that was still boiling in 1910. (This story was in
the front page of the Richibucto Review in 1910).