Halcyon (1844/08/05)

Toby Inlet, Geographe Bay

Halcyon was built as a brig in the state of Maine. In 1842, after a sale to a consortium of ten New London businessmen, it was converted to barque rig. At that time it had two decks, a square stern and a billet head. In 1844 the barque was partly owned by the firm of Havens & Smith of New London. It had sailed from New London on 2 August 1843 for a whaling voyage under the command of Captain William G. Bailey with a crew of 26. After successfully whaling along the south coast of Western Australia the vessel sailed to Geographe Bay, and just prior to 5 August 1844 was anchored at Toby Inlet. On board were some visitors from Bunbury.
THE LOSS
At 11.30 a.m. on Monday 5 August 1844 a storm caused the Halcyon to part its port anchor cable together with the spring on the starboard cable. This spring had only been replaced a matter of minutes when the starboard cable itself also parted, leaving the vessel without anchors. As it drifted towards the shore the captain feared that the seas, described by the press as ‘awfully high’ (Inquirer, 21 August 1844: 2c), would wash the crew from the deck. He therefore ordered the foretopmast staysail set. This payed the barque’s bow towards the shore where it struck a reef, unshipping the rudder. The vessel swung broadside to the wind, and the seas then broke over the deck. The foremast was cut down, causing the Halcyon’s head to veer off the shore and the barque came to rest in the shallows a little over 3 km west of Toby Inlet.
The storm continued unabated until the Thursday following the wrecking, at which time crew and visitors could at last get off the Halcyon. An attempt to launch a boat on the Wednesday evening had resulted in it being capsized in the seas, fortunately without loss of life. Those trapped on board must have had a difficult few days: ‘Mr Penny [Charles Penny] and some gentlemen from Bunbury, who were on board felt very uneasy, and expressed great anxiety to join their friends at home’ (Inquirer, 21 August 1844: 2c).
INITIAL SALVAGE
An advertisement appeared in The Inquirer (28 August 1844: 4a) for the sale by auction on 11 September of the Halcyon.
To Be Sold By Auction—On Wednesday, the 11th of September, at 11 o’clock, as she now lies near the beach about 2 miles distant from Toby’s Inlet, at Port Vasse.
The hull of the American barque Halcyon, three whale-boats, masts, sails and rigging, her try works and whaling gear, casks to the capacity of 1,200 barrels, 400 of which are in shooks; and, if not previously disposed of by private sale, about 1,000 lbs of whalebone, and 600 barrels of oil.
The vessel is most advantageously placed for the establishment of a fishery, having about nine feet water alongside, and lying within a cable’s length of the shore.
Terms—cash.
Applications for purchase of bone and oil may be addressed to Captain Jeffrey, Post Office, Vasse.
John Molloy and Alfred Bussell jointly bought the hull for £60 in order to use some of the timber to build a schooner, which they named the Conservative. While the Conservative was still under construction Bussell pulled out, selling his shares to Molloy who continued construction. But when the vessel was almost ready for launching a gale washed the props from under the hull and the schooner fell on to its side (see entry). Molloy then dismantled the Conservative, using some of the timber which had originally come from the Halcyon to build his house ‘Fairlawn’ near Busselton.
The Halcyon’s whale-boats were bought by Thomas Habgood for use in his proposed bay whaling venture at the Vasse. Joseph Morris bought the rigging for use on the brig River Chief which was then being built for him on the Murray River.