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The Mayflower

 

August 29, 1927

Capt. Alvaro P. Quadros Swept From Deck of Sch. Mayflower
Craft Arriving from Off Shore Show Marks of Recent Gale

Stories of death and disaster reaped by the tropical gale that swept the Atlantic coast last Wednesday and Thursday continue to filter in.  Sch. Mayflower docked at the Boston fish pier with her flag at half-mast yesterday afternoon, and reported the loss of her skipper, Capt. Alvaro P. Quadros of this city, who was swept to his death last Wednesday night on western bank when a giant comber smothered the vessel and carried her gallant leader into the sea while all hands were struggling to keep their craft from capsizing.

The Mayflower was on Western Bank late Wednesday afternoon when the gale burst upon the craft, swirling an angry ocean into mountains.   The craft was not far from Sable Island.  At 8 o'clock, there began an all night fight to save the vessel from going down.  Seas swept her from stem to stern.   Water poured into the forecastle and cabin and the situation became desperate.   At times, it looked as if the crew might have to take a chance with their dories.

How Capt. Quadros was lost , no one in the crew could tell.  It was not discovered until morning came that the skipper was missing.   He was last seen aft and it is believed that one of the huge waves carried him over the quarter.  The news of the loss of this intrepid skipper was received with genuine sorrow and cast a gloom along the waterfront and among the fishermen.  He was a fine fellow, a good fisherman, thrifty and typical of the leaders of the Gloucester fishing fleet.   Capt. Quadros had been in command of the vessel about a year.  He was about 44 years of age and is survived by a widow and two children.

The captain had many thrilling experiences, the most hazardous being in the wreck of sch. Ralph Brown on the morning of February 10, 1926, on the rocks at Brier Neck with the loss of three members of the crew.  A thick northeast snow storm broke while the Brown was off the Highland.  Capt. Quadros started to run for port and during the darkness and height of the storm the vessel bid up on the rocks at Brier Neck.   A falling spar fell across the cliff and made a bridge by which 18 of the men made their way to land.  Three other poor fellows were washed away.

[In 1922, Capt. Quadros' brother, John P. Quadros, was lost from the Ralph Brown.  It is assumed that he washed overboard, but what happened was never known, as no one saw or heard anything.]

 

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