INCIDENT – Perilous Voyage of Pleasure Boat POLLY

Accreditation The Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 05/09/1879

A PERILOUS VOYAGE

          Three young men who came over to Redcar from West Hartlepool on Saturday afternoon, in the pleasure boat “Polly,” had an exceedingly narrow escape of their lives on Sunday, when off Redcar. When they set off from West Hartlepool two of them at any rate intended to return the same night, but rain coming on, and the moon being obscured, they decided to stay at Redcar all night, and endeavour to return the next morning? The boat was moored to Redcar pier, and when they went down to go on board at ten o’clock on Sunday morning, Mr. Clarke, the pier master, tried to dissuade them from attempting to cross over the West Hartlepool that day, as the wind had freshened during the night, and there was a strong northerly sea running. They refused however, to take his advice, and set off. For a little over two hours they could be sighted from Redcar, apparently alright, but by this time they had got to far out to permit of their making West Hartlepool without assistance, and to add to their danger they took in the sail, when of course the boat immediately began to drive before the wind, The coble “Rose of England,” belonging to the Brothers Picknett, was launched from Redcar about half past one o’clock, and started in pursuit of the boat, which was by this time almost out of sight, and after an exciting chase they succeeded in reaching and taking in tow the boat, two of the occupants of which were quite helpless and exhausted. They were landed at Marske during the afternoon, the sea being too rough to permit of their being put ashore at Redcar.