The Peaked Hill Bars Station is another of the original nine stations
which were erected on Cape Cod in 1872. A more bleak or dangerous
stretch of coast can hardly be found in the United States than at this
station. The coast near the station rightly bears the name “Ocean
Graveyard.” Sunken rips stretch far out under the sea at this place,
ever ready to grasp the keels of the ships that sail down upon them,
and many appalling disasters have taken place there. There are two
lines of bars that lie submerged off the shore at Peaked Hill Bars
Station, the outer and inner bars they are called. They run parallel
with the coast line for a distance of about six miles. The outer bars
lie about fourteen hundred yards offshore, the inner bars about six
hundred. These bars are ever shifting, and the depth of water on them
varies in accordance. It is not often that vessels are wrecked on the
outer bars, although they often strike there and are driven over them
only to meet with destruction on the inner bars. The surfmen of this
station have a patrol of about two miles east and west, meeting and
exchanging checks on the westward patrol with the surfmen from Race
Point Station on the eastward with the surfmen of the High Head Station.
[Illustration: PEAKED HILL BARS STATION.]
When the station was erected there was a long stretch of low beach
between it and the shore, but now sand dunes made by the action of
the wind shut off all view of the ocean except from the lookout tower
on the station. It is at this station that the effect of the flying
sand upon the glass in the windows is plainly seen, the whirlwinds
of sand having made them as rough as if they had been dipped in
acid, and almost shutting out the light of day. This effect of the
sand in destroying the transparency of the window-panes is an object
of curiosity and never-failing wonder to visitors. On the bluff
overlooking the ocean the crew have erected a small building, where the
day watches keep a lookout and members of the crew spend some of their
leisure moments.
The station is located two and one-half miles east of Provincetown
village, and its approximate position as obtained from the latest
coast survey charts is latitude north 42° 04′ 40″, longitude 70° 09′
50″. From Provincetown the road to the station crosses the great sand
deserts for which that region is noted.
This station is supplied with two surf-boats, one four oared, the other
five, two sets of beach apparatus, breeches-buoys, guns, etc., and a
practice boat.
Captain Cook and his crew of the Peaked Hill Bars Station have
taken twenty-five persons ashore in their surf-boat, and one in the
breeches-buoy since Captain Cook assumed charge of the station. The
following vessels, which struck on the Peaked Hill Bars, became a total
loss: _Willie H. Higgins_, _Albert L. Butler_, _Cathie C. Berry_, _Kate
L. Robinson_, and _Jennie C. May_.
[Illustration: THE SAND DUNES ON THE WAY TO PEAKED HILL BARS STATION.]
Seven men and one woman were taken ashore from the _Higgins_. The
captain and one sailor were washed ashore from the schooner _Albert L.
Butler_, which was wrecked during the memorable November gale of ’98,
and one man was taken off by the breeches-buoy, while two others were
taken ashore after the tide went down.
The schooner _Cathie Berry_ stranded during a terrific gale. The life
savers launched their boat and went to her only to find her abandoned.
The schooner _Helen_ came ashore during a bad time; the life savers
went to her in their boat, but none of the crew came ashore.
The schooner _Kate L. Robinson_ carried a crew of seven men, and all
were rescued by Captain Cook and his crew in their surf-boat. The crew
of the _Theta_, seven in number, together with a woman passenger, were
also taken ashore in the surf-boat, as were two members of the crew of
the _Jennie C. May_.