photo #1807934

The ‘WANDERER’. Photograph by Albert Cook Church (1880-1965)The WANDERER was leaving on what was supposed to be its final Whaling voyage out of New Bedford, Massachusetts, when on August 26, 1924 a hurricane caused her to crash on the rocks off Cuttyhunk Island... just a few miles away...and that was that. Whaling was the greatest money making industry during the 19th Century. By the time it reached its peak in 1842, there was a fleet of over 360 whaling ships that called New Bedford their home port. It went out with a whimper instead of a bang. New Bedford NEVER sent another ship out to sea on a whaling voyage again.On August 26 with 11 men on board, a northerly wind reached gale force throwing 35 foot seas over Sow and Pigs Reef. The WANDERER had two anchors out but continued to drag. When one of the anchor chains parted, the crew abandoned ship in two whale boats. One boat made it to Cuttyhunk Island, the other was rescued by the crew of the HANDKERCHIEF Lightship. The WANDERER’S bottom planking was split by the rocks on the western part of the island and the ship remained wedged there until a second storm on September 30,1924 totally destroyed it.