The Tragic End of the Ferndale
A British bark shattered by Grays Harbor breakers leaves sixteen dead, but a local woman's bravery saves three survivors from the surf.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The victim of the fury of the sea lies broken in the sands of the beach. The British bark Ferndale went ashore fifteen miles from the entrance to Grays Harbor at 3 o'clock. Captain Blair and sixteen men were drowned; seamen Eric Sondberg, Charles Carlson, and Peter Patterson were the sole survivors. Survivor Eric Sondberg related that the ship had been tacking for days in thick weather. At 3 a.m., an immense breaker came over the stern, filling the deck. The vessel struck the breakers, and despite a futile attempt to save the ship, the masts and rigging—all made of steel—were carried away. Sondberg eventually swam for his life, reaching the beach exhausted. He encountered Mrs. Edward White, who had prepared a fire and coffee at her home. Upon hearing cries for help, he watched as Mrs. White waded into waist-deep water, heroically dragging Carlson and later Patterson to safety, saving them from certain drowning. The bodies of the crew members were recovered and buried on the shore. The ship, valued at $90,000, is now only fragments in the surf.
“She got him safely ashore, but he was delirious with exhaustion and would certainly have drowned had that brave woman not rushed to his rescue.”
The treacherous North Beach near the Grays Harbor entrance claimed many lives during the era of sail. While modern maritime technology has mitigated these specific risks, the legacy of the 'Graveyard of the Pacific' remains a defining feature of the Washington coast's maritime history.
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