Much of the coastline at the western end of the Bristol Channel faces west towards the Atlantic Ocean meaning that a combination of an off-shore (east) wind and a generous Atlantic swell produces excellent surf along the beaches. The heritage coasts of the Vale of Glamorgan, Bideford Bay and Gower are, along with the Atlantic coasts of Pembrokeshire and Cornwall, the key areas for surfing in the whole of Britain. Although slightly overshadowed by the Atlantic coasts of North Cornwall and West Pembrokeshire, both Gower and Bideford Bay nevertheless have several superb breaks—notably Croyde in Bideford Bay and Langland Bay on Gower—and surfing in Gower and Bideford Bay is enhanced by the golden beaches, clean blue waters, excellent water quality and good facilities close by to the main surf breaks. October 10th. A brig was sighted in a sinking condition off Burry Holms. The vessel sank before any assistance could reach her. She was later identified by one of her boats that came ashore at Rhosilli as the “Juno” of St. Ives. The crew of two perished and their bodies were buried in Llangennith churchyard.

The Glenart Castle, built by Harland and Wolff in 1900, had originally been named Galicia. The steamship was converted to a hospital ship after the outbreak of the First World War, and was clearly marked on its sides with the sign of the Red Cross, and was illuminated brightly at night.On 10th February the French ketch, “ Notre Dame de Paris” was reported in distress off Oxwich Point, Gower, and the Mumbles Lifeboat, Charlie Medland, went to her aid. She was found to have shipped a lot of water and her sails had been blown away. Her crew were exhausted and her master asked for men to board her and try to save her. After three quarters of an hour four lifeboat men got aboard and managed to free her anchors which had been fouled by an underwater obstruction, and a tug was able to tow her to Swansea. The Bristol Channel ( Welsh: Môr Hafren, literal translation: "Severn Sea") is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales (from Pembrokeshire to the Vale of Glamorgan) and South West England (from Devon, Somerset to North Somerset). It extends from the smaller Severn Estuary of the River Severn ( Welsh: Afon Hafren) to the North Atlantic Ocean. It takes its name from the English city and port of Bristol. In January the Russian barque “ Heinrich Sorensen”, bound from Bordeaux to Cardiff in ballast, was caught in a great storm and driven ashore on Breaksea Point, near Barry. The ship's boat had been lost and the crew of twelve decided to try to swim or wade ashore. William John of Limpert Farm and three other local men went into the dangerous seas and managed to assist all of the crew to safety. This was not the first time that William John had helped to save life and he was awarded the RNLI silver medal for his bravery. In September the yacht “ Dancingway”, with five men and two women aboard got a rope foul of her propeller and drifted close to the Gore Sands in Bridgwater Bay. The crew were saved by the Barry lifeboat.

Collins, M.B., 1987. Sediment transport in the Bristol Channel: a review. Proceedings of the Geological Association 98, 367-383. November 12th. The Mumbles lifeboat was returning to from an unsuccessful call to a vessel ashore at Ogmore in near hurricane force winds. The coastguard signalled the lifeboat to proceed to another casualty at Overton and after battling against mountainous seas for another hour they were told the crew had been rescued from ashore by the local constable and coastguard. The vessel was the Dutch salvage tug “Wittezee”, Falmouth to Lamlash on naval duties. The Master was rescued from the surf and the remaining crew members were told to remain aboard until the ebb. The tug was a total loss and later sold for scrap. The tugs Master presented the tug’s wheel to the landlord of the Ship Inn who had fed and clothed them after the rescue.

How First World War hospital ship Glenart Castle was sunk by a U-boat after leaving Newport, killing 162

March 23rd. the “Electric Flash” of Hayle, carrying a hundred tons of coal from Porthcawl was driven ashore at Porteynon and became a total loss. The crew were saved by a boat from the shore. On 10th February HMS Weazle, a sloop of war, (Commander the Hon. Henry Grey) was at Appledore, Devon, waiting to go out anti-privateering along the Cornish coast. Leaving port that evening she cleared Bideford Bar only to hit severe weather conditions in the Bristol Channel. The commander decided to shelter under Baggy Point near Braunton, Devon. The weather worsened and the sloop was driven aground just short of the Point with the loss of all 106 officers and crew. A memorial service was held at Northam Church, Devon. Peregrine, Chris (25 July 2016). "Swansea doctor becomes first woman to complete 24 mile swim from Ilfracombe to Swansea". South Wales Evening Post. Archived from the original on 30 January 2022 . Retrieved 19 November 2016.

February. The Prussian brig “Fortuna”, with a cargo of cotton and sugar from Venezuela for Liverpool, became dismasted during a storm. She was driven up the channel and run ashore in Broughton Bay. The crew were saved as was much of the cargo. The vessel was a total loss. On 25th January the Dutch motor vessel “Carmen”, of Groningen, stranded on Sully Island but was refloated the following day and towed to Cardiff by the tug Emphatic, escorted by the Barry lifeboat. On 10th December the large four master “Drumblair”, left Barry for Mauritius with a cargo of coke and railway materials, but because of a severe gale, waited in Barry Roads. The severity of the gale, however, caused her to drag her anchors and landed up stranded on Sully Island. A steam tug tried to connect with her but was unsuccessful and eventually towed the Penarth lifeboat (Joseph Denman II) to Sully. Some of the ship's crew had been able to get off in the ship's boat but the remaining 15 and the captain were taken off by the lifeboat. The ship did survive, however, and was salved. There’s no conclusive evidence. My own view is that [the claims] were part of the reaction to the horrific torpedoing of an unarmed ship, and the killing of the nurses.”January 30th. The Montrose brig “Hero”, Chile for Swansea with copper ore and Nicaragua timber, ran aground at Port Eynon in poor visibility. The crew got ashore safely but the vessel broke up with the incoming tide.