“The Wreck of the Dictator”

6:00 & 7:00 p.m. in the Duck Amphitheater. One March 3, 1891, a Norwegian sailing ship grounded itself during a nor’ easter off the Virginia Beach coast. The harrowing events of that day etched themselves in the memory of Hampton Roads and precipitated the erection of the Statue of the Norwegian lady at the 25th Street. The men of the Seatack Lifesaving Service tried desperately to save the passengers aboard the ship, including the Captain’s wife and 3 year old son. “The Wreck of the Dictator” tells the breathtaking story of the rescue mission of a ship that was slowly being beaten to pieces less than 300 yards from the shore while a crown of shocked bystanders looked on.