Note in a Bottle

Judi Heit, from Oriental, North Carolina, publishes a wonderful blog about shipwrecks in North Carolina.  In 2012 Judi wrote about a bottle containing a message that washed ashore at Shelby Bay, Bermuda, on October 27, 1842:

“Schooner Lexington, off Cape Hatteras, July 15, 1842. This morning at half past two o’clock a.m., it commenced blowing a strong North Wester, which increased to such a degree that it was certain my vessel could not stand it. At 5 I tried the pumps and found that she made eleven inches. She being an old vessel, worked in her joints. At half past eleven, I determined to leave her with my crew (three men and myself) in our launch; but before leaving sounded the pumps, and found she had increased the water in her hold three feet. I write this and enclose it in a bottle, so that if we should not be saved and the bottle be found, it may be known what became of the vessel and us. At 1 p.m. got into the boat with provisions and water sufficient for six days, having beforehand offered up our prayers to God to protect and save us. Signed Wm. H. Morgan, Captain ; John Rider, Mate.”

Several powerful hurricanes and storms struck the Outer Banks in July and August of 1842. Judi Heit (on her blog site) and Sonny Williamson (in his book, Shipwrecks of Ocracoke Island), document several vessels that were wrecked, with many lives lost (the Marie, the Ann Stille, the Eliza Marie, the Transport, the Henry Camerden, the Pioneer, the Granary, the Harrison, the John Hughes, the Kimberly, the John L. Durand, the Kilgore, and the Congress).  

Read Judi Heit's blog post for more information about the hurricanes of July 15, and August 24, 1842.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is Part II of Crystal Canterbury's account of her first visit to Portsmouth Island. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news052115.htm.