| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Antoinette |
| Commissioned: | 1874 |
| Struck: | January 29, 1889 |
| Reinstated: | August 10, 1889 |
| Fate: | Wrecked on Doom Bar January 2, 1895 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Barque |
| Tonnage: | 1118 (net) |
| Sail plan: | Square rig Ship |
The Antoinette was a 1,118 ton barque, built in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1874 and was used for the transportation of goods. She struck land on Tuckernuck in 1889, requiring the entire crew to be rescued. Although she was reinstated later that year, she was finally wrecked on the Doom Bar off Cornwall, the largest ship to be wrecked there. She mostly disappeared after being destroyed with gelignite, however in March 2010, some of the hull re-emerged from the Doom Bar, creating a hazard to local shipping.
Contents |
In 1874, JM Gardenor officially launched the Antoinette, from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. She was originally owned by J Bingay, but was subsequently sold to Dennis & Doane, W Law and finally R Elkin.[1]
The Antoinette struck the Nantucket Shoal near Tuckernuck Island on January 27, 1889.[2] Early on the following morning a lifeboat from United States Life-Saving Service, manned by four brothers, managed to rescue everyone aboard.[3] The New York Times explains that this feat was all the more impressive as two people rescued were women.[4] She was towed to port, and eventually reinstated on August 10, 1889.
On New Years Day 1895, the Antoinette set off from Newport laden with coal, destined for Brazil. She foundered near Lundy Island, losing parts of her masts.[5][6] She was towed towards a safe port, but broke free and drifted. Eventually, she broke up, with a large portion of her wreck lodging on the Doom Bar. The wreckage was causing a hazard to shipping, so a miner named Pope was called in. He filled the wreck with gelignite; and, after clearing the area, detonated it.[6] The resulting explosion was so violent that reports claim every window in the nearby harbour of Padstow was blown in and the smoke could be seen three miles (5 km) away.[5]
Of the 600 wrecks recorded on the Doom Bar, the Antoinette was the largest, but all fourteen crew and three stranded pilots were rescued.[6][7] Over 100 years later, a wreck re-surfaced on the Doom Bar. Although there is some debate as to which ship had appeared, owing to the sheer number of ships that have wrecked on the Doom Bar, the majority believe that the wreck is the remainder of the Antoinette.[7] The wreck is currently being dismantled, with the assistance of the Royal Navy Bomb Disposal Unit.