Maritime record MWX1832 - Patria

Year Built: 1898 Builder: N Olsen Where Built: Gjomle, Fjoere Owner: A Ribe and Co, Grimstad Master: D Danielson Crew: 11 Date of Loss Qualifier: A
`On only her second deep water trip when she was lost, during her maiden voyage she had sailed a Union Castle liner hull down in an afternoon, logging more than 15 knots. On the day she was lost she encountered bad weather off Portland Bill causing every sail to split and loosing a yardarm. Crippled and aware that the tide was sweeping them inshore the captain called the crew together and stated boys, we have only got the choice between Chesil Bank and the Devon coast. I think there is a chance of saving some of you if I attempt to sail her up the beach instead of drifting in, are there any objections? The beach was crowded with spectators as she drove close in, eventually driving hard up the beach, engulfed in huge waves. The rocket line was used to rescue all of the crew. The following day the second mate had to have a leg amputated and the cook, who had been trapped in the wreck, went mad and had to be put in a straight jacket, his mind having gone. (1)
The Norwegian barque PATRIA, was stranded on a passage from Frederickstad for Durban with a cargo of deals..((3) Lost in a SW9 wind on Chesil Beach.(4)
A barque was sited floating low in the water and moving very slowly, giving rise of fears that she was waterlogged. After a heavy squall it was seen that most of her sails had gone and thus hopelessly disabled, the Captain of the Norwegian PATRIA ran his ship onto the beach. The rocket apparatus was ready but although there was confusion on the ship over its use all the men were rescued, including two who chanced leaping from the barque into the waves.(5)
Norwegian barque a total loss on Chesil Beach, close to the EMMA MARIA wrecked the previous day.(6)

As a young seaman, A.H. Rasmussen was on board the Norwegian Barque Patria as she was being driven towards Chesil Beach on 26th October 1903 , in his autobiography Sea Fever, he described the wreck;
The skipper called us aft.
‘Boys,’ he said, ‘we have the choice between Chesil Bank and the cliffs of Portland. I think there is a chance of saving some of you if I attempt to sail her up on the beach instead of drifting in. Any objections?’
Chips spoke up for all of us: ‘No sir, sail her up. It’s the only way.’
‘Square away fore and mainyards!’ came the order ’Up helm!’
We jumped to it with a curious feeling of relief. The tension and weary waiting was over and we were facing a straight issue. ‘Shake out the reef in the main upper topsail’ came the next order and we youngsters swarmed up to cast off the reef points. ‘Sea boots off and every man for himself!’
I was flung headlong over the side into the sea. In a few minutes I was caught up in a raging maelstrom of thundering seas. I could see the people on the beach quite clearly now, running down to help me out. I only remember dimly that I saw a man running towards me through that deadly surf with a rope around his waist. The next moment a great cheer from the beach as he grabbed me, and dozens of willing hands hauled us in.
Her designer must have realised that she would probably be the last sailing-ship he would build, and he had lavished all his love and skill on her, so that the new generation of steamship men could see what a thing of speed and beauty a sailing-ship could be. (Rasmussen, Sea Fever) (8)

Additional sources cited in United Kingdom Shipwreck Index: LR 1902-3 No 104 (P)

gross tonnage

<1> Larn, Richard, 1992, United Kingdom shipwreck index, Extracted 23 November 1992 (Index). SWX5030.

<2> Larn, R, and Larn, B, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 1 : Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset Section 6, Dorset (AJ) Vol 1 (Monograph). SWX4541.

<3> Farr, Grahame, 1971, Wreck and rescue on the Dorset coast, p45-46 (Monograph). SWX1056.

<4> Board of Trade, 1905, Parliamentary papers 1905, Board of Trade Casualty Returns 1903, p129 (Monograph). SWX5604.

<6> Dorset magazine : the county magazine 1976, Part 3 Vol 56 Page(s) 22 (Article in serial). SWX5609.

<7> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database, Shipwreck 883 (Digital archive). SWX8707.

<8> Le Pard, G F, 2005, Shipwrecks of the Dorset Coast (Monograph). SDO9637.

<9> Cumming, E, 2014, The Portland Shipwreck and Maritime Incident Directory (Monograph). SDO14012.

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 892036 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 2 2024 1:17PM