The 45 people who perished on the Fishing Vessel Pelican 75 years ago were remembered in a ceremony at the Montauk Point Lighthouse on Sept. 5, including family members of those lost that day and the launch of a new special edition of Tom Clavin’s book recounting the tragedy.
The Pelican was a 42-foot fishing boat owned by the popular Captain Eddie Carroll, a Navy veteran and experienced mariner. On Sept. 1, 1951, Captain Carroll set off from the Fishangri-La dock on Fort Pond Bay with 62 passengers and one mate. But an unexpected storm blew up, and the boat lost an engine and was unable to fight the current and the pounding waves. It capsized about a mile off the Montauk Lighthouse and took the lives of 45 of the people aboard, 18 of whom were never found – including the captain.
“We’ve been holding annual commemorations since 2021, and over the years, real friendships have been forged among the families who share this tragic bond,” said Mia Certic, Executive Director of the Montauk Historical Society, in an announcement recapping the event.
The story of the Pelican was told in detail in the 2005 book “Dark Noon” by bestselling Sag Harbor author Tom Clavin, who recently reacquired the rights from its original publisher so that an updated special edition could be published, with all proceeds going to the Montauk Historical Society.
The 75th Anniversary Edition of “Dark Noon” is now available for purchase at the Lighthouse Gift Shop, with expanded distribution in the works.
“It’s hard to overestimate the impact that “Dark Noon” has had on our understanding of the Pelican tragedy,” said Ms. Certic. “Tom set out to present so much more than the series of events that led to the disaster – he deftly wove together the stories of the people who were lost that day, breathing life into them and painting a vivid picture of what they experienced. It’s a deeply affecting narrative, and it has helped immeasurably to keep the story alive.”
Photos courtesy Montauk Historical Society
The 75th anniversary commemoration included the prayer Eyl Moleh, sung with heart by Cantor Debra Stein of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons, and a prayer written by retired Montauk Community Church pastor Bill Hoffman, which was read by John Mark, a member of that church.
Joe Gaviola, president of the board of the Montauk Historical Society, eulogized local fishing legend Paul Forsberg, who died this past spring, and whose father had been involved in efforts to rescue survivors.
Montauk’s Faith Mullaly, a sophomore at East Hampton High School, lent her honeyed voice to the hymn, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save,” as a stream of mourners placed long-stemmed roses at the base of the memorial.
While storm clouds gathered menacingly overhead, the attendees made their way into the lighthouse’s Oceans Institute to meet the author and get his signature on their copies of “Dark Noon.” Then, after a brief downpour, a double rainbow appeared over Montauk Point.
Honored guests at the ceremony included Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni, Suffolk County Legislator Ann Welker, and East Hampton Town Board Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez.
Standing next to the etched-glass memorial to the Pelican erected by the Montauk Historical Society in 2024, Assemblyman Schiavoni expressed words of condolence while recognizing the one positive outcome of the devastating misfortune of the Pelican: the stringent Federal safety regulations that were brought into effect as a direct result of the disaster.
“Because of the regulations, a lot of people’s lives did not end in unfortunate accidents,” he said, recalling a fishing incident that might easily have proved fatal for his brothers if those rules had not been put in place.
— Montauk Historical Society
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