March 2nd 2024.
In a turn of events, the jagged fragments of a steam collier named Bessie have resurfaced from their sandy burial ground. Along with another ship, Vulture, these Victorian iron steamships have been concealed beneath the sand for over 130 years. It's a familiar sight at Carbis Bay in Cornwall, but the recent winter storm has revealed the remains of these vessels, which were wrecked during a violent storm back in 1893.
On Monday, the stormy weather stripped away the sand from the beach, exposing the skeletal remains of the ships during low tide. The third steam ship, Cintra, was also wrecked during the same storm and all three ships were left stranded on the shores of Carbis Bay, near St Ives. The crew members had sought shelter in the bay, but unfortunately, they ran aground.
Thankfully, the coastguard was able to rescue all eight crew members from Bessie, which had wrecked close to the cliffs. Using the rope of a breeches buoy, they were able to bring each crew member to safety, one by one. However, it was a different story for the crew of Cintra. Five of them were saved by a breeches buoy fired from the shore, but tragically, seven others lost their lives in the violent waves.
The storm, later named the Cintra Gale after the ship, didn't just claim the lives of those on the ships. It also sank another vessel, a 1,593 tonne ship off the coast of Gwithian in Cornwall, the following day. The 22 crew members managed to get into lifeboats, but sadly, only one survived.
The photos of Bessie and Vulture were taken on Thursday, when parts of the ships were still submerged under the low water line. However, the recent storm has uncovered them, providing a rare opportunity to see these historic shipwrecks. If the ships remain free of sand for another week, the upcoming spring low tides will make them even more visible.
Interestingly, this is not the first time these shipwrecks have been exposed. In January 2023, they were also uncovered after winter storms. And last year, another shipwreck, believed to be centuries old, resurfaced in Cape Ray, Newfoundland after being dredged up by a tropical storm named Fiona. It's incredible to see these pieces of history resurface and remind us of the powerful forces of nature.
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