The seas around St Ives can be very unforgiving when it is stormy weather, and it is no surprise there are lots of shipwrecks around here. Throughout the town there are lots of plaques and memorials to commemorate those lost at sea here.
SS Cintra
The 18th November 1893 is known as the Night of the Cintra Gale when 4 steamers were wrecked in St Ives Bay.
Accounts wrote about it being "the hardest and longest gale that the oldest ever remembered" and the gale was felt across Devon and Cornwall, doing an immense amount of damage both at sea and on land.
SS Cintra was wrecked on Carbis Bay Beach with the loss of 7 of her 12 crew. The anchor of the Cintra was recovered from the seabed in May 1959 and is now on Smeaton's Pier in St Ives.
Vulture was beached near the Cintra on Carbis Bay Beach but all 12 of her crew were rescued.
Bessie was also wrecked on Carbis Bay Beach but all of her 8 crew survived.
Rosedale was wrecked on Porthminster Beach with all 16 crew saved.
At low tide on Carbis Bay beach you can still see parts of the wreckage.
SS Alba
On the night of the 31st January 1938, the SS Alba was on a journey carrying coal from Italy to Barry in Wales. It struck rocks off the island side of Porthmeor Beach in St Ives.
The lifeboat "Caroline Parsons" was launched and the lifeboat managed to get 23 of the crew off the ship. Unfortunately the lifeboat capsized and 5 of the rescued crew were drowned.
Plaque Overlooking Porthmeor Beach
Low Tide On Porthmeor Beach
The Alba was smashed to pieces but the boiler remains partially buried in the sand on Porthmeor Beach. It can be clearly seen at low tide and is now the name of a surf spot.
Barnoon Cemetery
Those who perished were laid to rest on the hill overlooking the beach in Barnoon Cemetery.
