Shipwreck at Point Nepean, 1853

While there are several deaths by drowning each year, the most tragic are those in which a person has perished while attempting to save another. William Owen lost his life on June 1, 1853, when he tried to rescue the crew of the ship Sea, which had struck a reef near Point Nepean during a storm. The Sea, a wooden ship-rigged vessel, had arrived at Hobsons Bay on May 15, 1853, after a voyage of 90 days from Liverpool. She brought 380 immigrants, all reported to be in good health. Five babies had been born during the passage and there had been seven deaths.

Departing from Melbourne on Thursday, May 26, the Sea anchored off Shortland’s Bluff until the following Tuesday evening. Though Captain Taylor, of the pilot vessel Boomerang, advised Captain McKay not to put to sea, he weighed anchor and attempted to sail out through the Heads. After dark, Captain Taylor, who thought the Sea might be in trouble, set off in his whaleboat with six men and found her stranded on rocks. He was unable to bring his boat near the wreck but after beaching it he reached a point on the shore close to it about midnight.

At daylight, a very high sea was running with waves breaking right over the wreck. Some hours later, Owen volunteered to swim to the wreck with a line tied around him. As he neared the stranded vessel, one of her crew jumped into the surf and Owen tried to save him. Unable to reach the man and probably near exhaustion, Owen untied the rope and attempted to swim to the shore but was overwhelmed by the surf and carried out by the retreating waves.

Seven of the crew of the Sea had lowered a boat before midnight but were unable to persuade others to join them. These arrived safely near Shortland’s Bluff about 1am. Other than two men who reached the beach in an exhausted condition, and one later rescued from a floating spar, all 17 men remaining aboard were drowned when the Sea broke up soon after 2pm.

MAURIE HUTCHINSON – President, Peninsula Ship Society

The Peninsula Ship Society meets at Hastings Yacht Club at 10am on the fourth Tuesday of each month (except November and December). Visitors are welcome.