Cap Palos

24/25th October 1919

Refloated 1st October 1920

Built by William Lyell and Co in Vancouver, Canada as part of a fleet of six the 1,500ton schooner "Cap Palos" was on her maiden voyage. At 235 foot long, 46 foot beam and 20 foot draught with a 114hp oil burning auxiliary engine driving two bronze propellers the "Cap Palos" must have been an impressive sight. With her full sail area of 21,483 square feet flying the schooner could make about ten knots. She arived at Immingham on 23rd August 1919 requiring repairs to her failed auxiliary engine, but due to a strike by workers there, a tow to Hartlepool was arranged by Capt. Allison Tennant.......

"Early on Friday morning the Cap Palos a five masted auxiliary sailing ship being towed from Immingham to Harlepool broke away from it's tug and cast anchor in the Bay. She was being towed by the tugs "Cable" and "Symbol" and near Ness Point the tugs went ashore. A coble manned by the five Storms (four brothers) and T. Moorsom, R. Bedlington, & W. Smith went to their assistance and got them off. The tugs left for Whitby leaving the Cap Palos at anchor.

With a gale blowing and dense fog the Lifeboat "Mary Ann Lockwood" went out at 10:00am on Friday morning in answer to distress signals. The Lifeboat crew were Cox'n W. Storm, Tom Storm, Reuben Storm, Oliver Storm, W.Smith, H.Duke, Thomas Moorsom, Thomas Taylor, W.Beedle, R.Beddlington, S.Cooper, G.Levith & O.Olsen. The Lifeboat took off some of the crew, but was not able to return to the Way Foot and so put them ashore at Mill Beck. The Lifeboat was beached and remained all night with the rocket crew.

On Saturday morning the ship was still riding at anchor and at 8:00am tried to sail away but drifted on to the shore at White Cliff nearly opposite Stoupe Beck. The rocket crew under Chief Officer Thompson (below) fired four times without success as the vessel was out of range.

The lifeboat with four alterations in the crew J.W.Knaggs, John Knaggs, G.Duke and W.Screeton was brought from Mill Beck and took off the chief mate for medical attention. At 2:30pm on Sunday the Lifeboat took the crew back and stood by expecting the tugss at 3:00pm. One was observerd about two miles away at anchor near Ness, but it steamed back to Whitby. The Lifeboat took five men back to the Way Foot. The remaining nine used the ships boat, but this capsized on the Flat Scaur, although all reached the shore safely. The Secretary of the Shipwrecked Mariners Association, Capt. H.Streeting looked after the crew who were housed in the Bay Hotel by Mr.Hirst. "

There now seemed little hope for the Cap Palos in this exposed position, and it was reported that quantities of timber were washing ashore from her keel. However this was not the end, she survived the winter, demonstrating the durability of wooden hulls. A channel was blasted in the scuars and she was refloated on 1st October 1920 and towed to Whitby for repairs. (The channel can still be seen on Flat Scars, picture below.)

A large Rats were seen leaving before the vessle sailed

On 19th November 1920 she was towed out of Whitby bound for Blyth but worsening weather near Staithes forced the two tugs and their charge to return to Whitby. While standing off, waiting for the high tide, the tow ropes parted as the westerly wind increased and the helpless schooner drifted out to sea with Captain Tennant and her salvage crew of fifteen still aboard. Whitby's new motor Lifeboat the Margeret Harker-Smith was launched. The Cap Palos was found eighteen miles out to sea, badly damaged and unmanagable. Despite sustaining considerable damage the Lifeboat was able to rescue all on board, including the ships cat, and return to Whitby leaving the schooner the sink or break up.

A few days later the hull of the Cap Palos was found waterlogged but floating off Robin Hood's Bay, it was taken in tow by a steam trawler. Near Scarborough the wreck broke in two, the larger bow section was lost, but the stern was towed to Cornelian Bay, near Scarborough, and beached where in was subsequently broken up.

Auxiliary Engined Five masted Schooners built by The William Lyall Shipbuilding Co., North Vancouver in 1918

141191 Cap Nord, 1468 tons, later became the Andromeda.

141196 Cap Palos, 1468 tons

141210 Cap Horn, 1469 tons

141212 Cap Finisterre, 1471 tons

141220 Cap Vert, 1472 tons

141300 Cap Vincent, 1471 tons