Only Tommy the dog survived: The story of Alaska’s most deadly maritime disaster, the 1918 sinking of the Princess Sophia. The latest Histories of Alaska column by David Reamer (ANC_Historian)
on Alaska history by local historian David Reamer. Have a question about Anchorage or Alaska history or an idea for a future article? Go to the form at the bottom of this story.
The Princess Sophia was a 245-foot-long, 44-foot-wide steamship ordered by the Canadian Pacific Railway Coastal Service in 1911. It was the newest addition to their princess fleet, a collection of smaller ocean liners, all with “princess” in their names. Other notable ships in the fleet included the Princess Louisa, Princess Adelaide and Princess May. The Princess Sophia was built in Scotland and launched in 1911, with its maiden voyage a year later after outfitting.
Some people, by their choices and behavior, leave outsized footprints upon the historical record. Others do not. Capt. Locke was the latter. There are no grand, colorful anecdotes about him. He was described as “fastidious and punctilious,” which are common and possibly even admirable traits in a ship’s captain. Some crew members considered him vain, pointing out that he wore a toupee to hide his baldness.
The Princess Sophia grounded on Vanderbilt Reef, on Oct. 24, 1918 at 11 a.m. This view is looking northeast towards the coast of Alaska, which can be dimly seen on the right. The warning buoy at Vanderbilt Reef is clearly shown. The storm continued, and the day rolled over into the next. That afternoon, the combination of wind and tides briefly lifted the stern. The ship spun and fell against the rocks, which gouged and ripped apart the hull. After nearly 40 hours perched upon the reef, the steamer began to take on water.
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