They embarked on October 23 at Skagway, and the four-year-old Scottish steamer left at 10:00 that night. A day later, as the ship was passing through Lynn Canal en route to Juneau, she encountered a strong gale and heavy snow. "Princess Sophia" went off course and ran aground on Vanderbilt Reef, the flat, rocky tip of an underwater mountain. Initially the sea was calm, but another gale came in. The ship asked by radio for help, but neither ships nor small boats could get close enough to rescue the people aboard because of the dangerous conditions. After about 40 hours, "Princess Sophia" broke apart and sank on October 25, killing all 268 passengers and 75 crew, a total of 343 persons lost. After the Harpers' bodies were recovered, the couple was buried side by side in Juneau.