Havoc At Pitcairn
p. 30 · Read in the full issue
NEWS of the effect of the North Paci fic tidal wave of April 1, on Pitcairn Island, was brought to Sydney at the end of the month by Mr. Floyd McCoy, descendant of the original McCoy, of the “Bounty’s” crew.
Mr. McCoy says that at 10 o’clock on the night of April 1, Pitcairners in their houses 200 feet up the cliffs heard the thunderous beating of waves against the coast. It was subsequently found that half of the island’s 24 fishing canoes had been swept away from the landing place in Bounty Bay, and that one of the four 38 ft. surf-boats which are used to go out to ships anchored off-shore had disappeared altogether. The other three had been engulfed, but were held in position by the strong frames of the pan damus shelter-huts in which they were housed.
Prom marks on the cliffs, residents esti mated that the tidal waves were 60 feet above normal. The whole island trembled while it was being battered by the enor mous masses of water.