By 4 August the Nelson papers were expressing an element of concern about the late arrival of the Queen Bee stating "At this season of the year it is a very difficult job to make a landlocked port".

At midnight Farewell Spit was bearing north-west and showing red when the Queen Bee struck about 6 to 8 miles from the lighthouse.

[7] The problem with the ship's compasses was also raised by the Captain and Chief Officer at the subsequent wreck enquiry.

The crew then fired guns, launched rockets, and burnt blue lights to attract attention from the shore.

After calling in at Bark Bay, where they were helped by Messrs Huffam and Hadfield, the boat proceeded to Motueka.

[8] At 8am on 7 August, in heavy seas, all the remaining passengers and crew commenced abandoning the Queen Bee in the lifeboat, cutter, and captain's gig.

In the captain's gig, and on a raft the crew had constructed, were Captain J. S. Davies, Mr Baillie (chief officer) Mr W. H. Mason (third officer), the boatswain, carpenter, three stewards, two cooks, the butcher, one able body seaman, and Messrs Hilliard and Beckett, passengers.

At 7:48 pm on Tuesday, 7 August the Second Mate, John E Going, sent a telegram from Motueka to the Nelson Harbour Master, Captain James S Cross advising the ship had struck Farewell Spit.

Captain Cross, went on board Queen Bee and found it abandoned except for four dogs and a cat.

After the arrival of the Lyttleton Captains Cross, Walker, and Scott, and Mr Ross, the engineer of the Lady Barkly, surveyed the Queen Bee and condemned it as a total wreck.

While the Lady Barkly was at the Queen Bee, the lifeboat reached Awaroa, where the occupants were assisted by the Hadfield brothers.

Stopping at Motueka, the Lady Barkly picked up the sailors who had raised the alarm and then sailed back to Nelson, arriving on 8 August.

Once ashore Mr Hilliard, a passenger, attempted to climb the hill surrounding the cove, but fell badly injuring his feet.

A fire was lit on the morning of the 9th using driftwood, wet matches provided by the steward and the mates burning glass.

After two hours in port, on 8 August, the Lady Barkly left Nelson to resume the search, intending to head for the Croixelles and then across Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere.

The Nelson Collector of Customs sought Wellington steamers, including the Manawatu, to be sent into Cook Strait and Stephens Island to join the search.

Taylor and the rescued sailors from the Queen Bee set sail to search d'Urville's Island and then the bays, and the Nelson Naval Brigade's boat Aurora under Lieutenants Gully and Simpson also left with the Lady Barkly to search around d'Urville's Island.

Simpson from the Aurora telegraphed from Cable Bay that the cutter and all on board had been located safe and well at French Pass.

When those on the cutter left the Queen Bee on the 7th they found that they only had three oars, which were almost useless, no sails or mast, a bottle of water and three tins of preserved meat.

Some of the crew went in search of help and came across the Maori settlement of Rene Hoihoi on Rangitoto Island where they were treated with great hospitality.

The Lyttelton and HMS Sappho, under Captain Digby, in the meantime had landed 25 of their crews on D'urville Island to try to find the missing third mate, Mr Mason.

An enquiry into the wreck was commenced on 16 August under Resident Magistrate Lowther Broad Esq and Captain R Johnston, Nautical Assessor.

[14] A relief fund was set up for the survivors, with 100 pounds being sent to the widow of the ship's carpenter, the only person to lose their life.