By Jen Carlson
One of the most tragic events during the United States LifeSaving Service time was the wreck of the Italian bark, the Nuova Ottavia. On March 1, 1876, the bark stranded itself near the Jones Hill station in bad weather and initially did not indicate that assistance was needed. However, the next evening the bark was tossed on its side and swamped by the ocean. Even though the station had closed for the season three days prior, the crew of Jones Hill Station headed out to assist those on board.
Within minutes, the rescue became a tragedy. A single scream cut through the night and soon, four wooden oars and the surfboat drifted upside down near the wreckage. A body of one of the surfmen floated into the surf and the following day, the other four bodies of the Jones Hill crew and five from the Nuova Ottavia crew were recovered within a fourteen-mile stretch of the beach.
Caffey’s Inlet’s StationKeeper Captain Willis Partridge and two of his crew, along with members of the Currituck Beach lighthouse crew, cared for the bodies of the men. The Jones Hill crew members were returned to their families for burial while the five from the Nuova Ottavia crew were buried just north of the station. A day later, four injured members of the Nuova Ottavia crew came ashore, floating on pieces of the wreckage. They were cared for by members of the light-house crew who had lost one of their own when George W. Wilson had volunteered to go out with the crew in place of surfman John G. Chappel who was away gathering provisions. These men were able to shed a bit of light to explain some events that occurred that fearful night.