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The following account was transcribed from The Argus, 26th October 1859 :
“WRECK AT BELLAMBI. - We regret to be compelled to chronicle another disastrous wreck at the port of Bellambi. Yesterday morning, at about half-past 3 o’clock, the barque Excelsior, 273 tons, Captain John Lewis, struck the inner reef of Bellambi, as she was leaving that harbour for Sydney, laden with 400 tons of coal. We visited the scene of the wreck in the afternoon. The vessel is lying with her head towards the shore, from which she is situated about 200 yards. She is lying almost upright, with a slight list to the seaward or larboard side, and when we first saw her, all her masts were standing, and the topsail and foresail were set, and filled backwards. Shortly after, however, her crew were engaged in sending down the sails, preparatory to lowering the topmasts and dismantling her. At that time the tide was ebbing; but, nevertheless, the waves had considerable power over her, lifting her completely upright at times, and then she would sink back on to her side with a jerk, which seemed to make her shiver from stem to stern, and from keel to cap. Her back, according to the captain’s statement is completely broken, her pumps will not work, and she is full of water. Some of the cargo had been taken out, but a quantity of sails and stores had been removed to the shore. From the captain’s statement, it appears that when he lifted his anchor and made sail to clear out of the harbour, the wind was W.S.W, than which there could not possibly be a more favourable wind for his purpose. No sooner, however, had he got clear from his anchorage, which was about 40 fathoms outside the moorings, than the wind suddenly chopped round to N.N.E., and then as suddenly died away. This threw all the sails aback, and she was, by the lull, left all astray, in which state she struck with her stem on a rock, about four vessels’ length from where she now is, slewed completely round, and then went on to the reef in her present position, the water at once making a clear entry into her. No effort, we believe, has been made to get her off. We ar informed that the Excelsior is insured in the Topsham Club for L1,200. There is likely to be an inquiry into the circumstances of the wreck. - Illawarra Mercury, October 20.”
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