The Bosun's Watch

S.T. Chindwin H34

Technical Official Number 92123 Yard Number 21 Launched December 03 1887 Registered December 31 1887 Gross Tonnage 127 Length 100 ft Breadth 20.1 ft 45 hp engine C D Holmes Speed 10 knots Built by Cook, Welton & Gemmell, beverley, 1887 Owner George Webster & Co History 1887 Built for George Beeching & Thomas Kelsall. December 07 1895 Wrecked at Port Patrick. Notes On Wednesday, February the 6th, the trawler CHINDWIN was returning from the fishing grounds off Colonsay when she was hit by gale force winds and heavy, driving snow in the North Channel. This reduced visibility to such an extent that she became lost and eventually stranded in Pan Bay, 6 miles to the south of Corsewall Point and 300 yards from the wreck of the steamer STRATHSPEY. Despite going full astern, the vessel was stuck fast and refused to budge as huge waves pounded her. The nine crew fired off distress rockets and then climbed into the rigging to escape the seas. They stayed there until daybreak despite the freezing temperatures then decided that their only chance was to abandon her. Tying a lump of timber to a rope they floated it ashore until it became snagged between 2 large rocks. The lightest member of the crew scrambled across the gap and secured the rope more securely so the rest of the crew could drag themselves ashore. Once they got ashore, however, it wasn't over. They then had to scale sheer cliffs covered in snow and ice to each the open expanse of Galdenoch Moor. By this time they were suffering from cold and frostbite but they staggered and crawled for 5 hours through deep snow as they tried to find shelter. Around 04:00 they came across a manure heap and managed to light a fire with the stalks of straw. The second engineer was so cold and his feet numbed by frostbite that he didn't realise that his right foot was in the fire and 2 toes completely charred. The survivors were discovered at daybreak by a local shepherd and taken to Miekle Galdenoch Farm where they were cared for. CHINDWIN was owned by George Webster and Co of Glasgow and was sold to Mr. Garscadden, also of Glasgow, who carried out extensive salvage work during the summer months of 1896.