Shipwrecked

Horseneck Point Lifesaving Station & South Coast Rescuers

For centuries, the treacherous waters off Massachusetts have been a graveyard for ships. Before the Cape Cod Canal, Buzzards Bay and Nantucket and Vineyard Sounds saw traffic rivalling the English Channel, making shipwrecks an inevitable and tragic fact of life. Even today, incidents like the Queen Elizabeth 2 striking a reef or the Bouchard B120 oil spill in Westport serve as stark reminders of the ocean's enduring power. In an age of inaccurate charts and unreliable navigation, early mariners faced certain death when their vessels succumbed to the sea.

A beacon of hope emerged in 1786 with the founding of the Massachusetts Humane Society. This groundbreaking organization, initially focused on preserving human life, began establishing rudimentary lifesaving stations along the coast, including a notable station built in Westport in 1888. These provided not only shelter but also pioneered methods of resuscitation and early lifeboat designs. Their efforts laid the groundwork for organized sea rescue, demonstrating a vital commitment to saving lives in the face of maritime disaster.

The concept of sea rescue gained national momentum in 1848 with the formation of the United States Life-Saving Service (USLSS), a precursor to the U.S. Coast Guard. Despite initial challenges with corruption, the USLSS was transformed under Sumner Kimball's leadership in 1871. He professionalized the service, ensuring paid crews, rigorous training, and meticulously maintained equipment. The unofficial motto, "You have to go out, but you don’t have to come back," perfectly encapsulated the heroic dedication of these lifesavers, who trained relentlessly and patrolled the coast day and night, regardless of the weather.

Both the Massachusetts Humane Society (including its Westport station) and the USLSS utilized innovative rescue techniques. Beyond lifeboats, they developed methods for shooting lines to distressed vessels, employing devices like the Cunningham rocket, Hunt gun, and the ultimately superior Lyle gun. This allowed for the deployment of a breeches buoy or Francis life-car, safely ferrying shipwrecked sailors to shore. While their missions occasionally overlapped, the volunteer crews of the Massachusetts Humane Society and the professional surfmen of the USLSS shared an unwavering dedication to human life. Their stories, filled with courage, sacrifice, and ingenious solutions, are a testament to the enduring human spirit in the face of the sea's relentless power.