| The DAKOTA's life was
short. On her final voyage she was bound for New York and in the
charge of Mr. Hugh Jones, a licensed Pilot, but her relinquished
control to Captain Price once the ship had passed the Bar Lightship.
At 10.00 o'clock on the fog-filled night of May 9th, 1877, she was
steaming at fourteen knots along the northern coast of Anglesey.
The Officer of the Watch, Second
Officer David Cruickshanks, who was standing on the open bridge,
realised that the vessel was too close to land and ordered the
helmsman to turn to starboard, thus taking her further out to sea.
Imagine his horror when the vessel turned not to starboard, but to
port, thus heading directly towards the shore. He was forced to repeat
his order for port helm, but in the meantime the Captain, who was on
the deck and had realised that something was amiss, raced to the
bridge where he ordered the engines to be run full astern. But he was
too late and the bow reared up as the ship struck the rocks of Trwyn
Costog, some 700 yards to the west of Amlwch Port. |
