The
vessel came to a grinding halt after rounding Holborn Head and
mistakenly headed for Thurso Harbour instead of the Port of
Scrabster.
After crossing a stretch of water known as the Kirk Ebbs, the
vessel grounded in darkness at half tide. The vessel had started
to list to port but gradually righted, as the lifeboat crew
stood by.
By 9am the lifeboat had put a line on board and within half
an hour the vessel was pulled clear and able to make her own way
into Scrabster. There was no indication of damage.
The crew and three young family members – two girls, aged
15 and 14, and a ten-year-old boy – who were taken off by
lifeboat were cared for by Mr. George Shaw, superintendent of
the local Fisherman’s Mission.
The skipper of the vessel said it was the first time he had
been in the area and he radioed the harbour office at Scrabster
as he approached the port. "It was all a misunderstanding
between me and the harbour office." He said. "We had
slowed down and I was told to head for a green light, which I
did.
"I knew something was wrong when the echo sounder
started to show we were in very low water and then there was a
series of bumps. We were going very slowly when we ran
aground."
Mr. Ellingsgaard said the similar green lights at the
entrances of Scrabster and Thurso are confusing.
A spokesperson for Aberdeen Coastguard said, "The
lifeboat crew has not reported any pollution in the water, or
any smell. However we have taken the precaution of alerting the
Agency's Counter Pollution Branch. Fortunately the weather
conditions are good this morning with light winds, and good
visibility with a slight sea."
