The barque sailed from Bluff on January 31, 1864, bound for Melbourne, and two months later was reported missing. On the night of January 31-February1 the weather changed, and by 9 a.m, on the latter date it was blowing a hurricane through Foveaux Strait. The barque Electric, lying at anchor at Bluff, dragged her anchors and was carried out to sea. Her crew saved their lives and the ship by cutting away her masts. Several spars floated past the Electric, and these were pronounced as belonging to the Jack Frost, which passed under the Electric’s stern when leaving Bluff.The Jack Frost was in company with the brig Dover for some time, riding out the hurricane off Stewart Island. The weather then became very thick for nearly an hour, and when it cleared not a vestige of the barque could be seen by the crew of the Dover. Later, the figurehead of a ship and other wreckage was found at Chalky Inlet, by a party exploring the West Coast of Otago, and were believed to have come from the missing barque.
The Jack Frost, was an American vessel, commanded by Captain Emery, and was engaged in the sheep carrying trade between Melbourne and Bluff. The loss of the barque was stated by competent judges to be due to the vessel being too lightly ballasted.
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