Venus (Lugger)

On 11 January 1887 a cyclone struck the northwest. One of the lost boats was a lugger called Venus, an eight ton lugger belonging to the fleet of Findlay and Baynes. She measured 12 metres x 3.2 metres x 1.2 metres. She was carvel-built with a single deck and two masts. Her official number was 89396.Reports showed Venus was a “total loss”

Venus was unusual in that she had a female shell opener. Shell opening to find the valuable pearls was a task reserved for only one trusted person aboard a boat. It was most often a Caucasian (European) male known to the master or boat owner. Not many females were found aboard luggers after the 1870s when female divers were prohibited, and even less in a position of responsibility such as a shell opener had.

The number of Malay and Japanese men aboard luggers had increased significantly following introduction of dive suits. Venus had a Malay crew of eight, which was typical of a lugger of her day.

On 11 January when the cyclone struck, the barometer fell lower than pearlers had seen it before. There was nine and a half inches of rain that fell, causing havoc in the creek beds as the water rushing to leave the creeks clashed with the huge tides.

Venus was a part of the fleet on the Port Hedland pearl grounds. Captain Ernest Fox had his fleet in that area, and he reported the loss of the Venus to authorities, along with the names of her missing crew members. He reported that three crew members were able to swim ashore.

Venus sank at her anchors during the cyclone with most of her crew. Neither the boat nor her crew were seen again.