Nika (motor Vessel)

The wooden motor vessel Nika, operated by the Everett Packing Co., burned off the Umatilla lightship on February 15, the Coast Guard cutter Snohomish being notified by wireless and picking up the 32 men who had been on board. This was the beginning of an epic rescue feat by the cutter, commanded by Lt. H. G. Hemingway, for within 50 hours she not only removed the crew of the Nika, but steamed to the British freighter Tuscan Prince, ashore on VUlage Island reefs, removed the 43-man crew, and then proceeded to the Santa Rita, ashore near Carmanah Light rescuing 32 more men. In this unprecedented series of rescues the Snohomish thus saved 108 lives. Gordon Newell, Maritime Events of 1923, H.W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest p. 344.

Citation: Tacoma Public Library