❖ REVENUE CUTTER WRECKED ON LOPEZ ISLAND ❖

Revenue Cutter GUARD

Richardson, Lopez Island, WA. January 1912.
From the archives of the S. P. H. S.

"The Revenue launch GUARD met with a serious mishap when she struck a rock in the narrow channel between Woody and Lopez Islands, close by Richardson. The impact stove a big hole in the bow, the tide was nearly full at the time; as it receded, the vessel was left high upon the rocks, listed over on one side. The small boat was quickly lowered and everything movable was taken off and sent ashore on the fishing boat BILL II, which was on its way to this port. The engineer, deckman, cook, came here also. Mr. Woolford, the officer in command, and the fireman, remaining with the wreck. A message was sent from Richardson to Capt. Dunwoody, at Port Townsend, head of the revenue cutter service on the Sound notifying him of the wreck and asking for assistance. The members of the crew here thought it quite likely that the vessel might be taken from the rocks by the use of two scows and a light draft tug, if the weather continues to be comparatively calm for a day or two.
      The place where the accident occurred is one of the narrowest and most dangerous among the islands. Mr. Woolford is considered a careful and capable navigator and has piloted the GUARD through the channel scores of times. It is supposed that the strong tide set him slightly out of his course. Had he been five feet further off shore he would have passed the reef safely."
    Above words from The San Juan Islander newspaper, 12 January 1912.

February 1912:

"Shier & Johnson, of Bellingham, were the successful bidders for the revenue launch GUARD near Richardson, 10 January, their bid being $603. 
Other bids were as follows: E. A. Sims, Pt. Townsend, $150; John Douglas, Friday Hbr, $500.50; King and Winge, Seattle, $301; H. W. Crosby, Seattle, $450; H. M. McCarthy, Seattle, $575.20; H. P. Hodgson, Richardson, $510.
      It is believed that the government intends to purchase a serviceable boat to replace the GUARD. Capt. Dunwoody, head of the revenue cutter service on the sound is said to have been in Seattle this week looking for a suitable vessel. A steam vessel only, is wanted––one burning either coal or crude oil.
      The GUARD was floated this week and beached near Richardson. She was temporarily patched and towed to Reed's shipyard [Decatur Island] for government repairs."
The San Juan Islander, 2 February 1912.

There is another post on this site about the Revenue Cutter GUARD in her days of chasing rum runners. Rum Runners captured

❖ BOOZE RUNNER ON THE ROCKS ❖

The U. S. S. GUARD Makes Large Liquor Seizure

Six Thousand Dollars Work of Canadian Liquor and Opium 

 in Hands of Federal Authorities.

The US Revenue Cutter GUARD

Jane Barfoot Hodde noted "the GUARD 

was slow and couldn't catch many rumrunners".

While cruising about Smith Island Tuesday afternoon, Captain Greene of the U.S.S. GUARD, picked up a booze runner, whose craft, the speed boat K 247, had been driven ashore on Miner's Ledge of Smith Island, during the southwest blow Sunday.

      The boat's cargo consisting of 49 cases of choice Canadian booze valued at $5,000, besides several thousand dollars worth of opium according to the owner, was being taken to Seattle for the Christmas trade. The owner of the contraband goods and boat gave his name as Giles Martin of Seattle. He was accompanied by an assistant whose name was not learned. The speed boat is a total wreck.

      The men were completely worn out by their shipwreck experience and made no effort to destroy the convicting evidence when approached by Capt. Greene. They, with the contraband were brought to Friday Harbor; late Tuesday afternoon they were taken to Seattle where the booze runners will be turned over to the federal authorities for prosecution.

       This is one of the largest and the first booze seizure by the Coast Guard since last February, and Capt. Greene is to be congratulated upon his good fortune."

Text only from: The Friday Harbor Journal
Front Page, 30 November 1922

      A few years previous to this incident, Gus Viking of Friday Harbor, served as a crew member on the cutter GUARD, as noted in the FHJ of Feb. 1916.