To the editor:
As a charter member of the Westport Fishermen’s Association, I have always been proud of our accomplishments. The latest is our wreck display. Project coordinator Tanja …
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To the editor:
As a charter member of the Westport Fishermen’s Association, I have always been proud of our accomplishments. The latest is our wreck display. Project coordinator Tanja Ryder did most of it. Tanja is super at building programs.
Seeing the picture of the Navy cruiser “Yankee” sitting on Chickens Reef off Westport made me think someone might like to know how she got there. The “Yankee” was a cargo ship when the Navy bought it and covered it with rapid fire guns and torpedo tubes. It did a great job during the Spanish-American war. It was retired a few times and then used as a torpedo training ship.
The day of the grounding, the Yankee had a torpedo explode in the tube while in Vineyard Sound. No one was hurt but if you look at the picture in this (June 22) newspaper, you will see the black color up forward on the port side. That’s the location of the explosion.
The Yankee came through Quick’s Hole Channel into Buzzards Bay and set course about northwest for Newport. The fog was very thick and when the captain heard the horn of a ship entering the bay, he called for full astern to stay clear of the approaching ship.
There was no radar or sounding machines, and when the entering ship had cleared the captain ordered the single screw vessel to go forward and the Yankee drove onto the Chickens Reef. It is possible that the captain did not know about what happens when a large propeller is put in reverse. It will turn counter-clockwise and, as if the bottom of the prop were on solid ground, will cause the stern to go to port. Instead of heading northwest, the course was now north and headed for the ledge.
Forty years ago, as a member of U.S.Power Squadrons, I taught boat handling and this subject was part of it. A salvage attempt for the Yankee is a story in itself at another time.
Carlton “Cukie” Macomber
Westport