Ancien abri du canot de sauvetage

Descriptif

The Pertuis d'Antioche, located between the islands of Oléron and Ré, has an unfortunate reputation. The Antioche rock, off the coast of Chassiron, is a formidable hazard. On a route frequented by many ships, they cause shipwrecks in this area.



The opening of a deep-water port at La Pallice (La Rochelle) in 1885 led to increased activity off Chassiron. Many ships needed to be rescued. A lifesaving station is set up in the port of Saint-Denis. Oléron was to have 4 such stations, scattered around the island to ensure coastal safety. The St Denis area includes Antioche and Chassiron.



Built in 1898 by the Ponts et Chaussées, the "maison-abri" is located at the end of the harbor. But even in fine weather, launching is not easy. The canoe has to follow a double bend in a narrow, awkward passage. What's more, the ramps are only effective at high tide. At low tide, the silt prevents the cart from moving forward. Not to mention the recurrent silting up of the harbor.



Another problem in Saint-Denis is the lack of sailors! This is not a fishing village, and the crew will have to be recruited from the farmers in the north of the island. The settlement was scattered, and it would take time to assemble the crews. For all these reasons, the station is authorized to carry out 4 2-day training outings per year.



In 1891, the "Louise et Amélie" canoe was installed in the Saint-Denis shelter. It is a 10m-long wooden rowing boat. During its 40 years of service, it carried out 38 rescues, and its crews saved more than 70 people. Among the vessels rescued was the "Port Caledonia", a Finnish four-master that ran aground in Antioch on December 2, 1924. Unfortunately, there were no survivors due to rough seas and breakers.



In 1931, the station was closed due to difficulties in launching and crew recruitment.



Today, the site has been converted into a showroom where many local artists display their work.