ALBATROSS (Barquentine)

Position ... Haisborough Sands (Position unknown)

Builder ... T. Mallery, St John, NB

Built ... 1882

Construction ... Wood

Dimensions ... 139.2 x 30.3 x 13.0 feet

Tonnage ... 340 net

Flag ... British

Port of registry ... Lowestoft

Lost ... 21st December 1909

Cause ... Struck a submerged object

Owner at time of loss ... J.S. Sterry & Co Ltd

Crew ... 9

Master ... Captain Parry

Casualties ... 1

Definition of a Barquentine

A sailing ship with three or more masts rigged square on the foremast and fore-and-aft on the others:

Loss of the Albatross and rescue of the crew

Whilst en route from Hartlepool to Lowestoft with a cargo of coal the Albatross struck the submerged wreck of the Iron barque Alf that had stranded on Haisborough Sands the previous month. The collision put a hole in the wooden hull of the Albatross and brought down her mizzen mast. The ships boat was launched and one of the crew, Frank Gale jumped into it, sadly the boat was carried away by the rough sea along with Frank in it. Sadly neither were seen again. The Cromer lifeboat Louisa Heartwell had been launched at 3.30am and arrived at the Albatross some two hours later. By the time the lifeboat arrived the sea was breaking over the deck of the stricken vessel. The crew were in a bad state having been exposed to the extreme cold and repeated drenching as the waves broke over the Albatross. The remaining crew of eight were taken off safely and taken on to Yarmouth. The weather at the time is said to have been very cold with a sharp frost with a heavy sea state breaking over the sands.

The Albatross today (2023)

Not located