Wreck of Norwegian brig or brigantine, 'Hasseloe', Maplin Sands (EHER 82524)

1881 wreck of Norwegian brig or brigantine, which stranded on the Maplin Sand in the gale of 18 January 1881 while bound from Riga for London with oats and a secondary cargo of dried fish. The hull was sold at auction, suggesting that she was thereafter broken up in situ. Constructed of wood in 1874, she was a sailing vessel. Status: Casualty

NRHE data transfer: Primary Sources: 'Before daybreak on Wednesday signals of distress were observed at Clacton-on-Sea from the Swin Middle Light. The lifeboat ALBERT EDWARD was launched, and when a few miles out sighted a vessel ashore on the Gunfleet Sand. On nearing her it was clearly seen that no living creature was aboard. AT this time the wind was blowing almost a gale from the eastward. The coxswain put the boat about and made for the Swan [sic] Middle and Maplin Lights, and on approaching the latter observed a vessel ashore on the Maplin Sand, the sea breaking furiously over her. She was found to be the Norwegian brigantine HASELO, S G Tillensen master, of 222 tons register, bound from Riga to London with a cargo of oats. The crew consisted of seven men and a boy, and were huddled together on part of the deck-house. They were with great difficulty got into he lifeboat, owing to their being in a very exhausted condition. They are a smart-looking lot of fellows, and the master, quite a young man, has only been married about a month. He reports that his vessel struck the Sand about 11 on Tuesday morning. A terrific gale was then raging, with a blinding snowstorm, which made it impossible to see any object at a greater distance than about twenty yards. For safety the crew, at great risk, cut away the masts and rigging, which proved to be a very wise step. As the tide rose the sea covered the deck, and for some time the poor fellows were more than knee deep in water. All the ship's provisions were lost. Soon after the vessel struck, a smack was sighted, making its way out of the river Colne, but owing to the heavy wind she had to put back. The captain states, as his firm belief, that all the crew would have perished from cold and exposure had not the lifeboat taken them off before another flood tide . . . 'Owing to the strong easterly wind and the flood tide, the lifeboat was several hours getting back to Clacton, where she did not arrive until ten hours after the shipwrecked crew were taken in. The boy was with difficulty kept alive, and it was only by constant rubbing of his feet and hands that life was sustained. The wretched men were landed at the pier at 3.40 on Friday morning, the plucky lifeboat crew giving hearty cheers as they brought them ashore. Even the lifeboatmen felt the cold considerably, some of their hands being much swollen, yet not a word of complaint was heard; their only thought seemed to be of those they had saved from a watery grave. They were out altogether twenty hours. The crew of the HASELO were taken to the Osborne Hotel, where fires were speedily lighted, and the poor fellows thoroughly well attended to. It was considered advisable to send for medical assistance. Dr. Maine was soon upon the spot, and found some of the men in a critical state, their legs and feet being much frozen and frost-bitten. The captain had to be assisted to bed, having been seized with cramp. One of the crew had his hand considerably bruised. They gave themselves as good a wash in hot water as their strength would permit, stripped themselves of their saturated clothing, and then they were got to bed, being well wrapped in blankets, hot bottles placed at their feet, and each partaking of a good basin of hot Liebig. The men are under the charge of Mr F J Nunn, the agent to the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society. The worthy President of the Local Branch of the Lifeboat Institution called at the Osborne during the day to learn how the men were doing, and requested the Hon. Secretary to see that they were provided with all necessaries. Too much cannot be said in praise of this gallant service by the ALBERT EDWARD's crew. . . 'We have received by telegram from Clacton-on-Sea the following narrative of the coxswain of the ALBERT EDWARD lifeboat, with reference to the above gallant service: - 'At six am, on Wednesday, we observed signals from the Swin Middle Lightship . . . .Seeing nothing on the Heaps or Burrow [sic] Sands, we again steered for the Swin Middle Lightship, which reported three vessels and a steamer on the Maplin Sands. We passed a brigantine, supposed to be the PORTIA, abandoned. Observing a signal from the Maplin Lighthouse, we steered SW and sighted a ship, dismasted. On nearing her we saw a group on her deckhouse, signalling. We made for her port lee-bow, which was clear of raffle, and threw a loaded cane. This her crew seized and hauled our cable aboard, the sea at the time making a clean breach; but after some difficulty the crew (eight in number) were transferred to the life-boat. The vessel proved to be the brigantine HASELO, of Haugesund, Captain Tillensen, from Riga to London, with oats. The crew had been on the deckhouse from noon on Tuesday, and without food for 33 hours . . . The cold was now intense, and the crew of the brigantine, whom we had rescued, were nearly exhausted, so that we were afraid they would live through the night. It was only with great difficulty we could keep life in them, they required constant rubbing, and we could not therefore respond to the signals from the Mouse Lightship. We arrived at Clacton at 4am on Thursday, and handed the crew we had rescued into the charge of the Coastguard Officer, by whom their wants were provided for.' <1> 'For the Benefit of all Concerned. ON MONDAY NEXT. 'BRIGHTLINGSEA, Port of Colchester. About 2,200 Bushels of White Russian Oats, Ex. Brig "HASSELO", wrecked on the Maplin Sand; 77 casks of herring, 600 dried cod and ling fish, a Quantity of Deals and Battens, twenty-five Spars, Water Casks, Life-Boat, 20ft Long; two ship's boats, Quantity of Deck Plank, Cut Rigging, Firewood, and Several Pieces of Wreck. 'To be sold by auction, by Mr. Edward Smith, At the Cinque Port and Board of Trade Warehouse, Brightlingsea, on Monday next, February 14th, 1881, by direction of T M Johnstone, Esq., Receiver of Wreck for this District. 'Sale to commence at Eleven for Twelve o'clock. 'Catalogues may be obtained at the Custom House, Colchester; of Mr. Collis, Deputy-Receiver, Brightlingsea; or at the Auctioneer's Offices, Colchester.' <2> 'Thursday next. BRIGHTLINGSEA, Port of Colchester. 'Important Sale of Wrecked Cargo, Stores, Rigging, etc., ex ROSETTA, INGERID, HASSELO, CLYTIE, etc . . . Also, at the same time, the HULL of the Norwegian Vessel HASSELO, a wreck on the Maplin Sand. 'Sale to commence at Eleven for Twelve o'clock.' <3> Secondary Sources: Vessel stranded and lost in wind conditions ESE force 10.<4> 'In reply to her distress signals, the ALBERT EDWARD lifeboat, from Clacton-on-Sea, went out and after an absence of 24 hours returned this morning with eight crew, who were all but dead from the cold.' <4> Built: 1874. <4> Master: T Tellefsen <4>; S G Tillensen <1> Crew: 8. <1> <4> Owner: H Steensnas, Haugesund. <4> Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss Additional sources cited in Shipwreck Index of the British Isles: BOT.Wk.Rtn.1881 Appendix Parts I-IV, p121(391); LL.21.01.1881 No.20823 p11 col.35. <4> Note: The mapped location is a generic location used by the NRHE.