The Cahoon’s Hollow Station is located on the “back side” of Cape Cod,
two and one-half miles east of Wellfleet. The present station replaced
the one which was destroyed by fire in February, 1893. The original
station was one of the nine that were built on the shores of Cape Cod
in 1872. The station’s approximate position as obtained from the latest
coast survey charts is latitude north 41° 56′ 40″, and its longitude
west 69° 55′ 05″.
[Illustration: CAHOON’S HOLLOW STATION.]
The surfmen from this station on the north patrol cover a distance of
about two and one-half miles, meeting and exchanging checks with the
surfmen from the Pamet River Station. On the south patrol the surfmen
have a walk of about four miles, meeting and exchanging checks with the
surfmen from the Nauset Station.
The coast at this station is exceedingly dangerous; sunken rips stretch
out under the sea and extend along the shore for miles. Owing to the
great sand dunes which have been built by the winds, the surfmen are
unable to obtain a good observation seaward from the lookout on the
station, and the day watches are stationed in a small house on the
bluff overlooking the sea.
There are three surf-boats, one dory, two beach carts, breeches-buoys,
etc., and one life-car at this station. Two surf-boats and the dory
are used for the work of rescue and one for practice. The life-car has
never been used save for practice.
At the Cahoon’s Hollow Station since Captain Cole has been keeper,
sixteen vessels of different types have become stranded on the
beach there. On these vessels there was a total of one hundred and
twenty-four persons, and of this number but one person was lost. Those
saved by Captain Cole and his crew were taken ashore in all kinds of
ways, some by the surf-boat, others by the breeches-buoy, and many were
dragged through the surf with lines. Charles H. Ashley, of Haverhill,
was the only person lost within the patrol of the Cahoon’s Hollow
Station. He was a member of the crew of the barge _Blackbird_, and was
drowned attempting to reach the shore in a small boat. Of the sixteen
vessels that were cast ashore on the beach ten were a total loss.