The Pamet River Station is another of the original nine stations which
were erected on Cape Cod in 1872. It is located three and one-half
miles south of Cape Cod Highland Light, its approximate position as
obtained from the latest coast survey charts is latitude north 42° 00′
00″, longitude west 70° 01′ 15″.
The station stands on one of the high sand dunes which line the ocean
shore in Truro village about three miles from the Truro railroad
station. When the station was built it stood several hundred feet back
from high water mark, but the sea has made such great inroads into the
sand dunes at that point on the beach, that the high water mark is now
less than one hundred feet distant from the station, which will soon
have to be moved to insure its safety. Sand bars with but a small depth
of water over them fringe the shore at this station, extending seaward
for several hundred yards, and the history of the station records
many fearful disasters on them. It was on these dreaded bars that the
terrible ocean tragedy, the wreck of the ship _Jason_, occurred, and
also where the three crafts, the _Powwow_, _Miles Standish_, and the
_E. Pavey_, were wrecked at one time. The wreck of the _Jason_ was
one of the most appalling disasters that has ever taken place on the
shores of Cape Cod, twenty-six lives being lost. Of the whole crew,
Samuel Evans, the ship’s apprentice, was the only person that managed
to reach the shore. Of the whole number, thirty-four, aboard the ships
_Powwow_, _Miles Standish_, and _Pavey_, twelve were lost.
The surfmen from this station have a patrol that extends two and
one-half miles north and about an equal distance south, the surfmen
meeting and exchanging checks on the south patrol with the surfmen from
Cahoon’s Hollow on the north with the surfmen from the Highland Station.
The patrol is exceedingly hazardous and difficult. When the tide is
high the surfmen are driven to the tops of the sand dunes and obliged
to grope their way along the crest of the cliffs, which in many places
are a hundred feet above the sea-level.
[Illustration: PAMET RIVER STATION.]
When the station was manned, Capt. Jonathan Lee was appointed keeper.
He was succeeded by Capt. Nelson W. Weston, George W. Kelley, and Capt.
John H. Rich, the latter being succeeded by the present keeper, Capt.
George W. Bowley.
Captain Bowley has been in charge of this station but a little over one
year, during which time no wrecks have occurred within the territory
covered by the patrol from the station, and the crew has been called
upon but twice to assist disabled vessels. The first assistance
rendered by Captain Bowley after his appointment as keeper was to a big
tug boat which got caught on the bars off the shore and was in great
peril. The next call was to assist a steam yacht which became disabled
off the shore near the station.
This station is supplied with two surf-boats of the Monomoy model, two
beach carts with full sets of apparatus, and one life-car. “Johnny,” a
horse owned by Captain Bowley, is employed by the government during the
winter season to assist in hauling the apparatus to wrecks.