Shipwreck survivors were rare in the centuries before the Royal Navy changed its rules to make the ability to swim mandatory. Many thought that sailors refused to learn to swim because, “it was quicker to die from drowning than from hyperthermia”. Luckily, all hands on this ship were saved, despite no-one knowing how to swim.
On Wednesday morning, about 7 o’clock, a vessel appeared on shore at Withernsea, on the Holderness coast, in a most dreadful situation. The sea running high, and the wind blowing strong from the N.E. in about half an hour she fell on her side, and in a short time was entirely a wreck. The crew, eight in number, in the mean time presented a most awful spectacle, holding themselves upon the wreck by ropes ; every minute was expected to be their last, the waves constantly washing over them ; and the people collected on the shore in anxiety and grief, not knowing what to do to save the lives of these their fellow creatures.–At length two men, F. Cookman and B. Wilson, boldly ventured into the sea, with ropes tied around them, and happily succeeded, ultimately, in bringing them all safe to shore, and as well as could be expected. In this humane attempt, Mr. Cookman was twice washed off his feet, and thrown into the sea ; and both of them were several times completely overboard.–Great credit is due to these two men, and their exertions ought not to pass unrewarded. The vessel proves to be the Enterprize, Ingles, of Kirkaldy, coal-laden, for Rotterdam. Most of the stores will be saved.’
Stamford Mercury, 27th January, 1815.