Auguste

The Auguste, a 1298-ton three-masted iron barque bound for London with a load of jarrah wood for street paving, came aground in a southerly storm and heavy rain not far from where the S.S. Eider had sunk in 1892.

The Catherine Swift was launched to try to rescue and set sail at 5:30 p.m., but the strong seas and wind prevented it from making any progress so Rufus Cotton tried everything, but had no choice but to turn back for the safety of shore.

The Brighstone boat Joe Jarman was alsodispatched, but because to their location, they were too far to leeward to be of much help.

Coast guardsmen attempted to launch a line using the rocket device, but the strong wind made that attempt futile as well. Once again the Catherine Swift set sail again when the wind and waves calmed shortly after midnight. This time they made it, bringing the crew ashore between 3 and 4 in the morning.

The Auguste split apart and vanished, although most of the equipment and parts of the cargo were rescued.

Since her commissioning on December 29th, 1892, the Catherine Swift has saved a total of 152 people’s lives.

• http://backofthewight.co.uk/auguste.htm
• http://backofthewight.co.uk/wrecksgallery.htm

•     Back of the Wight – Fred Mew
•     Shipwrecks of the Wight – J.C.Medland
•     Shipwrecks of The Isle of Wight – Ken Phillips 
•     The Lifeboats of Brighstone Bay – Christopher J. Willis and Edward H. Roberts
•     Carisbrooke Castle Museum