There are 2 stories I’d like to share with you, both true, one
current (our meeting with Margaret) and the
other historic, the wreck of the Loch Ard.
THE WRECK OF THE LOCH ARD
The other story, The Wreck of the Loch Ard, took place on
a wild and wonderful part of The Great Ocean Road. We followed the
story unfold on a gray, windy and overcast day. The crashing surf and
spray made a most realistic backdrop to events that happened on that
terrible night in 1878. After three months at sea the 54 people aboard
the boat had just celebrated the successful voyage, anticipating their
imminent arrival at Apollo Bay. Because of heavy fog and unreliable
instruments when the haze lifted on the morning of June 1 the watchman
cried, ”Breakers ahead.” Desperate measures to anchor and turn
course were unsuccessful and the iron-hulled three-masted ship crashed
onto the rocks just offshore. People and goods were swept into the icy
sea as the ship broke up against the rocks. We looked down into the
blowhole, fed by a 100 meter tunnel, to where 11 bodies were swept but
couldn’t be recovered because of the crashing surf.
Tom Pearce, a crewmember, clinging to an
upturned lifeboat, was washed the following morning into what is now
called Loch Ard Gorge. Although totally exhausted, when he heard the
cries of someone in the water he went back into the cold and stormy sea
and battled for over an hour to bring Eva Carmichael, who couldn’t
swim, safely to the shore. He gave her some brandy that had been washed
ashore and then had to climb out of the gorge and went to seek help.
When Eitan and I walked down the steep wooden steps to the beach we
couldn’t imagine how anybody, even in a fit state could have found a
way up those sheer cliffs. Tom did bring help and Eva was saved. They
were the only two to survive the wreck.
Tom was honored for his act of bravery and eventually became a
ship’s captain. When Eva recovered she returned to Ireland and married.
They never saw each other again. No Hollywood movie would be made from
this sad story.
The other story, The Wreck of the Loch Ard, took place on
a wild and wonderful part of The Great Ocean Road. We followed the
story unfold on a gray, windy and overcast day. The crashing surf and
spray made a most realistic backdrop to events that happened on that
terrible night in 1878. After three months at sea the 54 people aboard
the boat had just celebrated the successful voyage, anticipating their
imminent arrival at Apollo Bay. Because of heavy fog and unreliable
instruments when the haze lifted on the morning of June 1 the watchman
cried, ”Breakers ahead.” Desperate measures to anchor and turn
course were unsuccessful and the iron-hulled three-masted ship crashed
onto the rocks just offshore. People and goods were swept into the icy
sea as the ship broke up against the rocks. We looked down into the
blowhole, fed by a 100 meter tunnel, to where 11 bodies were swept but
couldn’t be recovered because of the crashing surf. 
Tom Pearce, a crewmember, clinging to an
upturned lifeboat, was washed the following morning into what is now
called Loch Ard Gorge. Although totally exhausted, when he heard the
cries of someone in the water he went back into the cold and stormy sea
and battled for over an hour to bring Eva Carmichael, who couldn’t
swim, safely to the shore. He gave her some brandy that had been washed
ashore and then had to climb out of the gorge and went to seek help.
When Eitan and I walked down the steep wooden steps to the beach we
couldn’t imagine how anybody, even in a fit state could have found a
way up those sheer cliffs. Tom did bring help and Eva was saved. They
were the only two to survive the wreck. 
