Volume Eight - Pre-Victorian to the present day - more aspects - Storms and their effects . . .

The Island of Lundy in the Bristol Channel, part of a map by George Parkyas of 1804. [142]

The report from the rescuers perspective also makes interesting reading:-

'Tunisie' - 'George Thomas was the first to discover the wreck, and climbing down the rough slope to the edge of the cliffs, managed to rig up an impromptu rocket stand, and sent a line over to the shivering sailors. He was joined by others, and all day they worked till the whole crew had been landed and hauled up the cliff. So great was the fury of the wind that the rescuers were often unable to keep their feet, but had to throw themselves upon their faces, while at times the intense cold rendered their fingers so numb that they could not feel the ropes . . . the owners of the steamer showed no recognition whatever.' - 19th February 1892 - Some Additions to the Lundy Wrecks List - Shipwreck Index of the British Isles - 1995 by Myrtle Ternstrom - [389]

So how did the 'Tunisie' end up on the beach at Penarth?

• March 1892 - The Wreck of the Tunisie - 'Satisfactory progress is being made with the work of raising the French steamer 'Tunisie' which, it will be remembered, went down a few weeks ago on Lundy Island. The vessel is lying in such a position that she is safe from the effects of westerly gales, but is in an exposed place should there be a succession of easterly gales. She is nearly covered at high tide, but work can be carried on successfully at low water. A large number of shipwrights from the Mountstuart Dry Dock Company, Cardiff, are engaged in the work of floating the steamer, and it is expected that by Saturday next she will have been got up and towed round to Cardiff, where she will undergo the extensive repairs that will be necessary.' - South Wales Daily News - [325] [361] 16th March 1892.