The Valencia Shipwreck on the West Coast TrailCharles Samuels Valencia Survivor

The Valencia Disaster

 Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail1. The Valencia Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail2. The Voyage Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail3. The Boats Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail4. The McCarthy Boat Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail5. The Bunker Party Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail6. On the Valencia Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail7. The Rafts Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail8. The Turret Raft Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail9. The Rescue Ships Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail10. The Aftermath Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail11. The Survivors Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail12. The Lost 

The West Coast Trail

Shipwreck on the West Coast TrailPrologue Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail1: The West Coast Trail Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail2: When to Hike & Fees Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail3: Trailheads Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail4: Getting There Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail5: Considerations Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail6: Campsites Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail7: Shipwrecks Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail8: Routes Shipwreck on the West Coast Trail9: Sights & Highlights

Charles Samuels Valencia Survivor

 

Charles Samuels was a first class passenger on the Valencia who survived with the Bunker Party.  He escaped on the No.3 lifeboat in the chaos that erupted during the first few minutes after the wreck.  The first four boats launched were complete disasters resulting in nearly all the passengers drowning.  The No.3 boat, the fifth boat launched, managed to get away from the Valencia for a short distance with fifteen people on board.  After one of the oars was lost, the boat veered towards the surf and flipped over, drowning eight.  Somehow seven men survived and ended up along the shore at the base of near vertical cliffs about 250 metres north of the Valencia.  The seven survivors were Charles Samuels, Frank Campbell, Tony Brown, George Billikos, Yosuki Hosoda, Michael Stone and Albert Willis.  Among the drowned were the wife and 16 year old stepdaughter of Frank Campbell.  These seven were joined by Frank Bunker and Frank Richley from the No.6 lifeboat that also flipped and killed all but two on board.  These nine men huddled together, soaking wet and freezing at the base of the cliff until daylight.  Later dubbed the Bunker Party after passenger Frank Bunker who took charge of the group.  They managed to climb the cliffs and followed a telegraph line to a telegraph hut where they were able to contact the outside world of the Valencia shipwreck.