On the morning of February 26, 1888, the south patrolman for the Whales Head Station (originally known as Jones Hill) observed a longboat full of people about a mile past the breakers near the station. After learning of the situation, Keeper Andrew Scarborough instructed the surfboat be launched to go to their assistance. They turned out to be the nine-man crew of the barkentine Samuel Welsh which had been transporting railroad iron from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Brunswick, Georgia. Their vessel had sprung a leak during bad weather and had sunk the previous evening about twenty miles southeast of the station. Due to exhaustion and rough seas, the sailors abandoned the longboat and were carefully transferred to the surfboat to be taken ashore. The crowded surfboat had issues due to the heavy surf but made it safely to shore without mishap. For two days, the Welsh crew remained at the station until they were able to proceed to Norfolk, Virginia.
All in a Day’s Work
Sometimes it’s just being diligent: On January 16, 1886, three crewmen from the Caffey’s Inlet Station worked for three hours to release a boat from ice. It belonged to a man with the last name of Outlaw and had become encased about four miles from the station when the bay froze over. Once the boat was freed, it was recovered and taken to a place of safety.