A port quarter view of the Norwegian three-masted barque Petrellen (1855) listing slightly to starboard, dried out on Long Rock Beach, Penzance. A very large crowd has gathered around the hull, a large number of whom are looking towards the camera. The sails have been removed from the yards and three people are on the ship - two at the stern and one the bowsprit. The ship is an 'onker', as the windmill structure that operated the bilge pumps can be seen between the main and mizzen masts. The photographer was standing on the beach looking back towards the ship with Penzance in the background.

The Petrellen had anchored about one mile off Penzance Pier on 22 January 1885 while east bound. On 31 January 1885 during a strong gale, the crew fired rockets for assistance. The RNLI lifeboat Dora went out and landed eight men at Penzance, leaving the captain and mate on board [Aberdeen Journal, 2 February 1885, 'Shipping Intelligence']. However, on 1 February in getting under weigh both anchor chain cables parted and they could not reach off, so drove ashore a mile to the east of Penzance. The life boat saved the captain and crew, leaving the vessel to become a total wreck in the westerly, strong and heavy seas [Morning Post, 3 February 1885, 'Shipping Intelligence'].