Elleda Wilson: Narrow escape
Mar. 16—A tidbit in The Daily Morning Astorian on March 16, 1889, told of two Pacific County residents' harrowing experience on Shoalwater Bay in Washington Territory.
The sloop Uncle Ned was heading north from Nemah River, into Willapa Bay, to North Cove (now known as Washaway Beach) with a heavy load of 300 baskets of young plant oysters. When the pair were about 2 miles off Leadbetter Point, the wind faded, and they were stuck. The sea became choppy, and the overloaded sloop began to sink.
The men tossed part of the cargo overboard, but they were still sinking, so they jumped into the small boat that was being pulled behind the sloop. Before they could untie the rope, the sloop went down stern end first, tugging the little boat with it.
Half-drowned, the pair abandoned the dinghy and grabbed the sloop's mast. "They rose and fell with the half submerged craft till 8 o'clock.
"When the Tom Morris, on her way with mail from Bay Center, Washington, made them out about half a mile off her course, and headed for them, taking them on board, where they were quickly cared for."
