The Sydney Cove, a sailing ship with…
February 1797 CE
The Sydney Cove, a sailing ship with a speculative cargo consisting of various provisions, spirits and goods, is wrecked in 1797 on Preservation Island off Tasmania while on her way from Calcutta to Port Jackson.
It is among the first ships wrecked on the east coast of Australia.
The ship’s master, Gavin (or Guy) Hamilton, chose to ground the leaking ship in a sheltered location, so everyone was able to get ashore safely and most of the cargo was saved as well.
Salvaged rum is stored safely out of the crew's reach, on nearby Rum Island.
A party of seventeen men set off on February 28, 1797, in the ship's longboat to reach help at Port Jackson, four hundred nautical miles (seven hundred and forty kilometers) away.
This is led by first mate Hugh Thompson, and includes William Clark the supercargo, three European seaman and twelve lascars.
Ill fortune strikes again and they are wrecked on the mainland at the northern end of Ninety Mile Beach.
Their only hope is to walk along the shore all the way to Sydney, a distance of over six hundred kilometers.