On 2 November at the height of a gale, " Earl St Vincent ", which was moored to the south of St Nicholas'Island ( now Drake's Island ), parted both anchors and scudded through the sound under bare poles to the entrance of the Cattewater.
32.
Darwin noted in his journal in April 1833 that " It blew half a gale of wind; but it was fair & we scudded before it . Our decks fully deserved their nickname of a " half tide rock "; so constantly did the water flow over them ", but John Lort Stokes who was on all three survey expeditions praised the " Beagle " : " The reader will be surprised to learn that she belongs to that much-abused class, the'10-gun brigs' " coffins ", as they are not infrequently designated in the service; notwithstanding which, she has proved herself, under every possible variety of trial, in all kinds of weather, an excellent sea boat.
