HMS Looe-- Part 2: Runs Aground

In 1743, Captain Ashby Utting took command.  It was lost in the early morning of 5 February 1744 after having captured a Spanish merchant ship just after midnight when it struck a reef, soon followed by the merchant ship.

The crew had to escape in three small boats and were worried about being captured by a Spanish warship.  The three boats were unable to save the entire crew.  Just as things were looking particularly bleak, they spotted a nearby Spanish sloop and captured it.

The two grounded ships were salvaged of provisions and then set afire.  .  the crew escaped in the small boats and sloop.  The sloop got to Port Royal, South Carolina and two of the boats made it to safety.  Utting was court-martailled, but acquitted.

The key was named after the Looe and the wreck is now part of the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary.

--DaCoot

HMS Looe-- Part 1: Fifth Rate Frigate

From Wikipedia.

44-gun fifth rate frigate grounded on Looe Key on 5 February 1744 during the War of Jenkins' Ear.  Ordered 22 December 1740 from Thomas Snelgrove to the design of the 1733 Establishment.  It was the fourth Royal Navy ship of that name, named for Looe, Cornwall, England.

Completed 3 April 1742 at Deptford Dockyard.  Commissioned January 1742.

124 feet long with 35.8 beam, 250 crew.  Armament:  Lower deck twenty 12-pdrs., Upped deck twenty 9 pdrs. and Quarterdeck six 6-pdrs.

Frist commander was Captain George Carnegie.

Along with HMS Deal Castle, went looking for privateers from Ponta Nova in 1742.

--CooterLooe