A little after midnight a strange sound came from over the sea. High above in the air a faint, hollow sound began which sounded like faraway thunder. Then, without warning, the tempest broke with unbelieveable speed. Even now, afterwards, it is impossible to realize how quickly the whole of nature seemed to go wild.

The waves rose in growing fury, and each one was higher than the one before. In a very few minutes the smooth sea was like a roaring and hungry monster. White-topped waves beat madly on the beach sands and rushed up the side of the cliff. Other waves broke over the piers, and the spume blew over the lanterns of the lighthouses which stand at the end of the piers of Whitby Harbour.

The wind roared like thunder, and blew with such force that even strong men had difficulty staying on their feet. Some men had to hold tightly on to the pier's iron pillars. It was necessary to clear everybody from the pier, or many more people would have died that night.