The Sirens of Seaside
(Not for sale - rough cut - not for commercial distribution - only private use, in-house for Rio's Wrens and friends - we wouldn't dare sell it - please don't either - don't copy it, buy it or sell it)
Just relax and watch the wrens dance in the sand.
"Womb to tomb/rust to dust."
- The Wrens
It appears from the evidence given before the Court that the ship sailed from Salina Cruz, Mexico, on or about the 26th of September, 1906, with 1,000 tons of ballast, and a crew of 27 hands all told, including two stowaways. No incident worthy of mention happened until the look-out sighted the light on Tillamook Rock at 3.20 a.m. on the 25th of October, 1906.
The ship’s course was altered to E.N.E. until the vessel was five miles off the light. The course was then altered to sight the Columbia River lightship. This was sighted and recognized, it bearing N.E. In this position, finding the wind was veering to westward, and having lost sight of the light in a thick mist, it was decided to wear ship to avoid the influence of the current setting to the north, and the tide running into the Columbia River. (bummer)
The wind had now hauled to north of west in heavy squalls with rain. Just before striking, while in the act of wearing, an exceedingly heavy west north-west squall struck the vessel, throwing her head off, she taking the ground, and shortly afterwards losing her upper spars. She then drove ashore, with a high south-west sea running, and a fresh westerly gale.
Till his death the captain claimed that the the "dancing maidens, like tiny wrens" guided him in his harrying final drive to grounding The Iredale in her sandy grave. Such a comfort the wrens of yore must have given to the unfortunate lads.
All aboard survived.
