A bank of fog, which came on suddenly, caused the Norwegian steamer Ansgarius to run ashore on the Ness of Duncansby. She was bound for Oslo with a cargo of coal loaded in Glasgow.
On the Monday morning a message was received at Wick that a steamer had gone ashore at Groats on Sunday evening. A party responsible for such investigations including Alex Mowat, Norwegian consul, David Leith, Lloyd's agent and messrs Davidson and Bridger, HM Customs.
The Ansgarius, (Capt. Hackow J. Halvarsen), left Glasgow on the evening of the 9 December with a cargo of 780 tons of coal for Christiania. All went well until 9.30pm on Sunday when after passing Stroma and going at full speed the weather became extremely thick. The light of Pentland Skerries which had been seen off the port bow suddenly became obscured and at 9.50pm the vessel struck on the Ness of Duncansby, an outlying reef about a mile from John O' Groats. The first incication the crew had of their danger was the bumping of the steamer on the rocks and in less than half an hour the seas were breaking right over her.
There was a good deal of sea running at the time and the crew of twelve had great difficulty in leaving the vessel. They managed to do so with the aid of men from the shore who launched a boat and took off the last two members of the crew and they were all eventually landed in safety and lodged in the hotel for the night. The Huna lifeboat was launched but arrived too late to render assistance.
On Monday, nine of the crew arrived in Wick and left on Tuesday for Leith, from where they departed for Norway. They returned home just as they left the vessel, having lost all their belongings and as the vessel was lying practically submerged and became a total wreck, there was no hope of these being recovered.
The wreck was ultimately bought by local fishermen.
The Ansgarius was built in 1898 and was of wooden construction. Built in Bergen and registered in Stavanger, she had a draught of 16'6" forward and 16'9" aft. Classed A1 at lloyds and fully insured. Owner was E.Berentsen. She was 347 net, 578 gross tons.
On the Monday morning a message was received at Wick that a steamer had gone ashore at Groats on Sunday evening. A party responsible for such investigations including Alex Mowat, Norwegian consul, David Leith, Lloyd's agent and messrs Davidson and Bridger, HM Customs.
The Ansgarius, (Capt. Hackow J. Halvarsen), left Glasgow on the evening of the 9 December with a cargo of 780 tons of coal for Christiania. All went well until 9.30pm on Sunday when after passing Stroma and going at full speed the weather became extremely thick. The light of Pentland Skerries which had been seen off the port bow suddenly became obscured and at 9.50pm the vessel struck on the Ness of Duncansby, an outlying reef about a mile from John O' Groats. The first incication the crew had of their danger was the bumping of the steamer on the rocks and in less than half an hour the seas were breaking right over her.
There was a good deal of sea running at the time and the crew of twelve had great difficulty in leaving the vessel. They managed to do so with the aid of men from the shore who launched a boat and took off the last two members of the crew and they were all eventually landed in safety and lodged in the hotel for the night. The Huna lifeboat was launched but arrived too late to render assistance.
On Monday, nine of the crew arrived in Wick and left on Tuesday for Leith, from where they departed for Norway. They returned home just as they left the vessel, having lost all their belongings and as the vessel was lying practically submerged and became a total wreck, there was no hope of these being recovered.
The wreck was ultimately bought by local fishermen.
The Ansgarius was built in 1898 and was of wooden construction. Built in Bergen and registered in Stavanger, she had a draught of 16'6" forward and 16'9" aft. Classed A1 at lloyds and fully insured. Owner was E.Berentsen. She was 347 net, 578 gross tons.