Victims of the Coast

Victims of the Coast. . No one knows how many cries for help went unanswered along this isolated coast. If shipwreck victims were not overcome by pounding surf, they would perish in a cold sea. But once the Life-Saving Station was established in 1889, victims of the coast were offered a new hope of survival. While Point Reyes is now a place for visitors to create pleasant memories, there was once a time when it was the source of nightmares for wreck victims. The wrecks below are but a few of the many vessels that have met their end on this hazardous point. , Shipwrecks, left to right: , Munleon - 1931, 28 lives saved, none lost , Passengers and Crew: 28 , Cause of Wreck: Navigational error in heavy fog and wind , Location: Point Reyes Headlands, ran aground at full speed , Rescue method: 36-foot motor lifeboat , Outcome: All hands saved , Hartwood - 1929, 27 lives saved, none lost , Cargo: Lumber , Passengers and Crew: 27 , Cause of Wreck: Navigational error in heavy fog and wind , Location: Point Reyes Headlands near Chimney Rock , Rescue method: 36-foot motor lifeboat and breeches buoy , Outcome: All hands saved , United Airlines DC-3 - 1938, 2 lives saved, 5 lost , Cargo: 30 bags of US Mail , Passengers and Crew: 7 , Cause of Wreck: Lack of fuel, after losing bearings in a storm , Location: 1 1/4 miles west of lifeboat station lookout , Rescue method: Hoisting victims up a 400 foot cliff via rope , Outcome: 2 lives saved, 5 lost