Just before daybreak on December 22, 1888, the south patrolman of the Oregon Inlet station discovered a stranded schooner about a mile and a half southeast of the station. He signaled to the vessel that help was on the way and hurried back towards the station to sound the alarm. In the meantime, the station lookout [...]
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 [...]
Near midnight on November 30, 1885, a patrolman from the Caffey’s Inlet station discovered a vessel stranded about a quarter of a mile northeast of the station. The night was so dark and stormy that her lights were barely visible, and the fog made it difficult to discern what type of vessel was in distress. Keeper [...]
In the wee hours of October 3, 1883, a patrolman for the Kitty Hawk station discovered the schooner Luola Murchison stranded close to the station. Keeper James R. Hobbs decided to launch the surfboat and about an hour after initial notification, the crew arrived and boarded the vessel. They immediately assisted the Murchison crew in running [...]
On September 21, 1883, the crew from the Kitty Hawk Life-Saving Station discovered a schooner about six miles southeast of the station dismasted and flying colors of distress. The surf-boat was launched but due to rough weather, it took about 2 ½ hours for the crew to reach the vessel’s side. Only two sailors were found [...]
In the morning of March 3, 1883, a small shad-boat named the Allie capsized due to strong winds about five miles north of the Oregon Inlet Life-Saving Station throwing two men into the rough waters. Nearby, two surfmen had begun their own journey to Manteo for station provisions but had turned back due to the weather [...]
About 1:00 in the morning of January 9, 1883, the schooner, Thomas J. Martin, stranded about half a mile north of the Caffey’s Inlet station. The station patrolman found her on his return to the station. He lit his Coston light to notify the vessel that help was on the way and took off at a [...]
On February 5, 1882, the schooner Mary L. Vankirk found herself in storm and ended up losing her sails and sprung a leak. Quickly, she became water-logged and unmanageable. The initial plan by the five-man crew was to seek refuge in Hatteras Inlet but with fears rising that she would capsize at any moment, Captain Ballance [...]
On October 5, 1881, a second schooner was driven to the shore by the weather near the Little Kinnakeet station. The lifesaving crew had seen her heading to land while they assisted the crew of the Charles so they were already in the vicinity and was able to get to her as quickly as the weather [...]
On October 5, 1881, the same storm that caused the Thomas J. Lancaster to wreck near the Chicamacomico station, forced a small schooner named the Charles to scud down the coastline. When she neared the Little Kinnakeet station, she appeared to haul in towards land as if the captain of the vessel intended to purposefully beach [...]
