Ellwood W. Schwerin attempted to save about 62 persons from drowning, Bolinas, California, November 23, 1914. The ship Hanalei grounded on a reef in the Pacific Ocean 1,000 feet from shore. Huge waves washed the decks, sweeping away three of four life boats, and the ship pounded on the reef. The fourth life boat capsized close to the ship when its crew tried to take a line to shore, and two members of the crew at different times tried in vain to swim to shore with a line. A life-saving crew from shore gave up all efforts to aid after their boat was turned end over end near the ship. Schwerin, 21, second mate, a passenger, who twice had been refused permission to swim ashore with a line, put on a life preserver to which was attached a quarter-inch line 2,000 feet long and entered the water. He swam toward shore, diving through the breakers and also to avoid some light driftwood. At times he was forced to stop and pull in the line, which became taut. When Schwerin was about 300 feet from the ship, he narrowly escaped diving against a reef, and 100 feet nearer shore he got on a drifting timber and held to a spike projecting from it. Three times he was tossed end over end on the timber, the line wrapping around it each time. He unfastened the line from himself in order to free it from the timber, and a wave swept him 15 feet from the timber, but he regained it only after making many attempts and swimming for 15 minutes. It was then dark, and Schwerin discovered that the line had parted. He then continued to swim toward shore. When he was about 25 feet from shore, and while he was being battered by the breakers, he became too tired to swim farther, and men on the beach formed a chain and took him to shore. He had been 1.5 hours making the trip. He was exhausted. During the night the ship went to pieces, and 23 persons lost their lives. 14548-1394
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14548-1394