The paddle steamer was run into by the schoonerFairy (United Kingdom) and was beached in the Humber. She was later refloated.[3]
3 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 3 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Alexandria
United States
The ship was wrecked whilst on a voyage from New York to Jamaica. Her crew were rescued.[4]
Salt Rock
United Kingdom
The brig ran aground on the Ridge Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of Kent. She was later refloated.[5][6]
Zaanstrom
Belgium
The ship foundered off the Cape of Good Hope. Her crew were rescued.[7]
4 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 4 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Durham
United Kingdom
The ship was driven ashore at Weymouth, Dorset.[3] She was later refloated and taken into Weymouth.[8]
5 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 5 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Horace
United States
The barque was wrecked on rocks off Kennebunkport, Maine and then came ashore. She was on a voyage from New Orleans, Louisiana to Liverpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom.[9]
6 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 6 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Constant
Belgium
The ship ran aground in the Scheldt. She was on a voyage from Antwerp to Liverpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom.[10]
The brig was driven ashore at Sunderland, County Durham, United Kingdom. She was on a voyage from Stettin to Sunderland. Wilhelmine was refloated the next day.[6]
7 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 7 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Maria
Bremen
The ship was driven ashore on the Sandwich Flats. She was on a voyage from Bremen to San Sebastián, Spain. Mariawas refloated on 8 May and resumed her voyage.[11]
Mary
United Kingdom
The ship struck the Sizewell Bank, in the North Sea off the coast of Suffolk and was consequently beached at Orford, Suffolk. She was on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland to Ipswich, Suffolk.[12]
Rebecca
United Kingdom
The ship was wrecked on the Millevache Shoal, off the coast of Labrador, British North America. She was on a voyage from Quebec City, Lower Canada to the Clyde. Rebecca was refloated in late July and taken into Quebec City.[13][14][15]
9 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 9 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Brother
United Kingdom
The ship was driven ashore at Montrose, Forfarshire She was refloated and put back to Montrose.[16]
Minerva
United Kingdom
The ship was driven ashore and damaged at Montrose. She was later refloated and put back to Montrose.[16]
The ship ran aground on the Vogel Sand, in the North Sea. She was on a voyage from Hamburg to a Baltic port.[16]
Thomas and Elizabeth
United Kingdom
The ship ran aground on the Platters Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of Essex. She was on a voyage from London to Althorpe, Lincolnshire. Thomas and Elizabeth was refloated and put into Harwich, Essex.[17]
11 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 11 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Elizabeth
United Kingdom
The ship foundered in Carnarvon Bay north of Aberdovey, Merionethshire with the loss of all hands.[18][19]
Felix
France
The ship was driven ashore near Calais. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham, United Kingdom to Rouen, Seine-Inférieure.[18][19]
The brig was driven into the New Cut Bridge, King's Lynn, Norfolk and sank.[21]
Symmetry
United Kingdom
The schooner ran aground on the East Barrows Sand, in the North Sea off the coast of Essex. She was on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland to Bridport, Dorset. Symmetry was refloated the next day and put into Wivenhoe, Essex.[16][17][8]
12 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 12 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Commerce
United Kingdom
The ship was driven ashore and wrecked 10 nautical miles (19 km) south of Bridlington, Yorkshire.[8]
Magnet
United Kingdom
The ship was sunk by ice off Riga, Russia. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Dundee, Forfarshire to Riga.[22]
Mary Ann
United Kingdom
The schooner was wrecked on the Haisborough Sands, in the North Sea off the coast of Norfolk. She was on a voyage from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham to Exmouth, Devon.[8]
Monmouth
United Kingdom
The ship collided with Pomona and foundered off the Calf of Man, Isle of Man. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Whitehaven, Cumberland to Dublin.[23]
The ship was wrecked on the Millevaches Shoal. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Greenock, Renfrewshire to Quebec City, Lower Canada, British North America.[25][26]
15 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 15 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Diana
United Kingdom
The ship was wrecked on the Horn Reef, off Ringkøbing, Denmark. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands to Riga, Russia.[27][28]
19 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 19 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Agnes
Guernsey
The ship was driven ashore at Sidmouth, Devon. She was refloated on 22 May at towed into Starcross.[29]
The ship foundered in the North Sea 20 nautical miles (37 km) off Whitby, Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Antwerp, Belgium to Bergen.[28]
Hope
United Kingdom
The ship was driven ashore and wrecked near the Orfordness Lighthouse, Suffolk. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from London to Bridlington, Yorkshire.[30]
John Cook
United Kingdom
The schooner capsized off Ryhope, County Durham. She subsequently drove ashore and was wrecked. Her crew were rescued.[31]
Sybil
United Kingdom
The ship was abandoned off Poorhead, County Cork. Her crew were rescued.[32]
20 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 20 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
X. Y. Z.
United Kingdom
The ship was driven ashore at South Shields, County Durham. Her crew were rescued. She was refloated on 26 May and taken into South Shields.[32][33][34]
23 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 23 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Harriet
United Kingdom
The ship was driven ashore at Crygill, Anglesey. She was on a voyage from Antwerp, Belgium to Liverpool, Lancashire.[22]Harriet was refloated the next day and resumed her voyage.[28]
24 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 24 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Edlina Henriette
Hamburg
The ship foundered 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) off Stavanger, Norway. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Hamburg to Bergen, Norway.[35]
27 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 27 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Amelia
United Kingdom
The ship was wrecked on rocks in the Black Sea off "Foultcha" or "Trultcha". Her crew were rescued.[36][37]
The ship was driven ashore at Seaton Sluice, Northumberland. She was on a voyage from Aberdeen to Sunderland, County Durham. John was later refloated and taken into Seaton Sluice.[34]
28 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 28 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Isabella
United Kingdom
The ship struck the Sheringham Shoal, in the North Sea off the coast of Norfolk and foundered. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Hartlepool, County Durham to London.[41]
29 May[]
List of shipwrecks: 29 May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Flèche
Belgium
The ship foundered in the Mediterranean Sea off Almería, Spain. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Ostend, West Flanders to Algiers, Algeria.[15]
The brig was driven ashore at Tuapse with the loss of two of her 149 crew.[43]
Frembengeren
Hamburg
The ship ran aground on the Oster Till with the loss of two of her crew. She was on a voyage from Livorno, Grand Duchy of Tuscany to Hamburg. Frembengeren was later refloated.[41]
The steamship ran aground on a reef and consequently sank. Her crew survived. She was on a voyage from Saint John, New Brunswick to Windsor, Upper Canada.[44]
Langeron
Imperial Russian Navy
The transport ship was driven ashore at Tuapse. Her crew survived.[43]
Luch
Imperial Russian Navy
The tender was driven ashore at Tuapse with the loss of three of her 48 crew.[43]
Oderin
United Kingdom
The schooner was wrecked 12 nautical miles (22 km) north of Figueira da Foz, Portugal. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Newfoundland to Figueira da Foz.[45]
Yazon
Imperial Russian Navy
The steamship was driven ashore at Tuapse with the loss of 41 of her 61 crew.[43]
The ship departed from Morant Bay, Jamaica for Liverpool, Lancashire. No further trace, presumed foundered in the Atlantic Ocean with the loss of all hands.[46]
Messemvriya
Imperial Russian Navy
The corvette was abandoned 2 versts (1.15 nautical miles (2.13 km) off Sochi with the loss of seven of her crew and six reported missing. She came ashore and was wrecked.[43]
Nicholas I
Russia
The steamship caught fire and was beached at Gross Klütz, Prussia, where she was destroyed. Of her 33 crew and 132 passengers, three crew and two passengers were killed. Nicholas I was on a voyage from Saint Petersburgh, Russia to Travemünde, Lübeck.[47]
Imperial Russian Navy
The frigate was driven ashore and wrecked at Sochi with the loss of seventeen of her 334 crew.[43]
Six unnamed vessels
Russia
The ships were driven ashore at Sochi. Their crews survived.[43]
Unknown date[]
List of shipwrecks: Unknown date in May 1838
Ship
Country
Description
Ambassador
United Kingdom
The ship ran aground on the Cat Key. She was on a voyage from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States to Liverpool, Lancashire. Ambassador was later refloated and taken into Nassau, Bahamas.[17]
Amedée
France
The ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean. Her crew were rescued by Trois Monts Bouges Magnique (France). Amedée was on a voyage from Laguna to Havre de Grâce, Seine-Inférieure.[48]
The barque was wrecked at Bic, Lower Canada, British North America before 26 May. She was on a voyage from London to Quebec City.[49]
Caroline
United Kingdom
The barque sprang a leak and was abandoned in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, United States before 8 May. All on board were rescued by Heroine (United Kingdom).[25][26]
Cora
United Kingdom
The ship was abandoned in the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.[50]
Frau Catharina
Denmark
The ship was wrecked near Ebeltoft. Her crew were rescued. She was on a voyage from Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, United Kingdom to Horsens.[12]
The full-rigged ship was driven ashore at Cape Ray, Newfoundland before 8 May.[25][26] She was later refloated and taken into Quebec City for repairs.[15]
The ship was abandoned in the North Sea. She was subsequently taken into Mundesley, Norfolk, United Kingdom.[27]
Lord Sidmouth
United Kingdom
The ship was driven ashore between Carrabas Point and Trinity Cove before 14 May.[25]
Lord Wellington
United Kingdom
The brig was wrecked on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, British North America. There were at least eleven survivors.[25][26]
Mangerton
United Kingdom
The schooner ran aground on the Kentish Knock before 7 May. She was on a voyage from London to Archangelsk, Russia. Mangerton was later refloated and resumed her voyage.[53]
Margaret and Graham
United Kingdom
The ship was driven ashore and damaged near Margate, Kent. She was later refloated and repaired.[8]
Marquis Wellington
United Kingdom
The ship was sunk by ice. Her crew were rescued by Arabian.[14]
Michael
United Kingdom
The ship was holed by ice and foundered before 14 May. She was on a voyage from Dundee, Forfarshire to Riga, Russia.[31]
^"Shipping Intelligence". Liverpool Mercury etc. No. 1411. Liverpool. 25 May 1838.
^"Lynn, May 14". The Bury & Norwich Post, & East Anglian: Or, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex, Cambridge, and Ely Intelligencer. No. 2916. Bury St. Edmunds. 16 May 1838.