The Perilous Rescue at Pillar Point

The steamer Richard Holyoke left Seattle on February 24th, bound for San Francisco. Off the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the ship encountered a heavy southwest gale. The wind died down on the 26th, but a heavy southwest sea and a strong current drifted the vessel toward the Vancouver shore, near where the Lizzie Marshall was lost. Both anchors were let go, but the ship was within fifty yards of breakers. As soon as the ship anchored, a gale from the southwest blew hard. Fearing the vessel would strike and go to pieces, the captain lowered the quarter boats, leaving the ship himself. A violent squall then struck, causing the second boat to be lost to the surf.

The steamer Richard Holyoke, hearing of the ship's position, came down from Seattle in the teeth of the strong westerly wind and high sea. She reached the vessel at 10 a.m. on the 28th. Despite an anchor being hopelessly fouled in the rocks, the steamer succeeded in getting a hawser to the ship. She towed the vessel to Port Townsend, picking up the captain's boat on the way. The ship now lies at Port Angeles, the only evidence of her narrow escape being the loss of one anchor and a damaged rudder. Had the gale shifted to the northwest during the time she lay there, she would have gone onto the ledge and added to the long list of unfortunate sailors who have lost their lives on the coast.