The 233 gross ton Aberdeen steam trawler Carency (A129) was built in 1916 by Cook, Welton & Gemmell Ltd. of Beverley for Grimsby owners and launched on 20 April 1916. She was taken over by the navy soon after and served as a minesweeper until 1919. She was again taken over by the Navy in 1940 for use as an anti-submarine and examination vessel. On her release in June 1946 she was purchased by William and John Wood of Aberdeen and passed into ownership of William Wood & Sons in 1949.
Under skipper David Wood, (35), 72 Louisville Avenue, one of the owners, the Carency left Aberdeen on the Friday bound for the West coast fishing grounds in fair weather. On the Saturday morning at about 12.30am she ran ashore in thick fog at Greenigoe, one mile North of Wick. It was high tide at the time. Standing bow into the land she was within 100yds of the beach and Skipper Wood sent out a distress message which indicated that he was ashore north of Noss Head. Wick lifeboat City of Edinburgh under coxswain Neil Stewart was launched at 1.00am. The Wick Life-Saving Apparatus Crew also proceeded to the shore, under the charge of Commander H.L. Gilbert, district inspector. Visibility was almost nil and on reaching Noss Head the Coastguards realised that the trawler must be at some other point on the coast.
Mr James Bain, hairdresser, Wick who had heard the signal for the lifeboat went out in the direction of Papigoe and arrived right on the spot where the trawler was ashore. He heard members of the crew shouting and immediately went to the nearest telephone and told the coastguards of the Carency's position. Wick lifeboat, under coxswain Neil Stewart were soon on the scene and realised that there was no immediate danger and the crew of the Carency remained on board. Shortly after their arrival, the life-saving apparatus crew put a line to the trawler as a precautionary measure. The fog cleared later that morning and Skipper Wood was confident that his ship could be salvaged and retained his twelve-man crew on board until the arrival at 11.00am of the trawler Gilmar, (A300), Skippered by Bert Johnstone and also owned by William Wood & Sons. Wick lifeboat, which had been standing by for fourteen hours, took off the crew and transferred Skipper Wood to the Gilmar. Arrangements were made to try to tow off the stranded vessel at 1.00pm - high tide. The Gilmar succeeded in moving the stranded Carency about twenty feet before she stuck fast again. Free at the bows the trawler was stuck at the stern. It was decided to make another attempt to salvage the Carency at the next high tide, 1am on Sunday. In view of this the lifeboat landed the crew at Wick, the lifeboat returning to base at 3.00pm. The crew had been taken to the Deep Sea Mission where they were attended to by Mr David McMillan, superintendent and staff. They intended to return aboard the trawler in the evening to help with the salvage effort.
About 4.30pm in the afternoon however, when the tide was ebbing the Carency slipped off the reef, heeled over to starboard and sank. Skipper Wood saw his ship go down from the deck of the Gilmar. He was taken to Wick in a small motor boat.
Mr. David Sandison, local representative of the Shipwrecked Mariners Society, made arrangements for the crew to travel to Aberdeen by bus that night. They left about 11.00pm.
Skipper Wood remained at Wick to await the arrival of two surveyors who left Aberdeen by car. On Sunday all three went out to inspect the Carency's position. After examining the situation from the land they went out in a small boat in the evening.
Today the Carency lies badly broken up in approx 6 to 10m of water. She makes an excellent dive however as still remaining, amongst other items, are her boiler, part of her expansion engine and her cast iron propeller which stands in the upright position.
A short underwater video of the Carency as she appears on the seabed can be viewed on our You-Tube channel.
Click here for the link to the official Board of Trade Wreck Report on the sinking of the Carency.
Under skipper David Wood, (35), 72 Louisville Avenue, one of the owners, the Carency left Aberdeen on the Friday bound for the West coast fishing grounds in fair weather. On the Saturday morning at about 12.30am she ran ashore in thick fog at Greenigoe, one mile North of Wick. It was high tide at the time. Standing bow into the land she was within 100yds of the beach and Skipper Wood sent out a distress message which indicated that he was ashore north of Noss Head. Wick lifeboat City of Edinburgh under coxswain Neil Stewart was launched at 1.00am. The Wick Life-Saving Apparatus Crew also proceeded to the shore, under the charge of Commander H.L. Gilbert, district inspector. Visibility was almost nil and on reaching Noss Head the Coastguards realised that the trawler must be at some other point on the coast.
Mr James Bain, hairdresser, Wick who had heard the signal for the lifeboat went out in the direction of Papigoe and arrived right on the spot where the trawler was ashore. He heard members of the crew shouting and immediately went to the nearest telephone and told the coastguards of the Carency's position. Wick lifeboat, under coxswain Neil Stewart were soon on the scene and realised that there was no immediate danger and the crew of the Carency remained on board. Shortly after their arrival, the life-saving apparatus crew put a line to the trawler as a precautionary measure. The fog cleared later that morning and Skipper Wood was confident that his ship could be salvaged and retained his twelve-man crew on board until the arrival at 11.00am of the trawler Gilmar, (A300), Skippered by Bert Johnstone and also owned by William Wood & Sons. Wick lifeboat, which had been standing by for fourteen hours, took off the crew and transferred Skipper Wood to the Gilmar. Arrangements were made to try to tow off the stranded vessel at 1.00pm - high tide. The Gilmar succeeded in moving the stranded Carency about twenty feet before she stuck fast again. Free at the bows the trawler was stuck at the stern. It was decided to make another attempt to salvage the Carency at the next high tide, 1am on Sunday. In view of this the lifeboat landed the crew at Wick, the lifeboat returning to base at 3.00pm. The crew had been taken to the Deep Sea Mission where they were attended to by Mr David McMillan, superintendent and staff. They intended to return aboard the trawler in the evening to help with the salvage effort.
About 4.30pm in the afternoon however, when the tide was ebbing the Carency slipped off the reef, heeled over to starboard and sank. Skipper Wood saw his ship go down from the deck of the Gilmar. He was taken to Wick in a small motor boat.
Mr. David Sandison, local representative of the Shipwrecked Mariners Society, made arrangements for the crew to travel to Aberdeen by bus that night. They left about 11.00pm.
Skipper Wood remained at Wick to await the arrival of two surveyors who left Aberdeen by car. On Sunday all three went out to inspect the Carency's position. After examining the situation from the land they went out in a small boat in the evening.
Today the Carency lies badly broken up in approx 6 to 10m of water. She makes an excellent dive however as still remaining, amongst other items, are her boiler, part of her expansion engine and her cast iron propeller which stands in the upright position.
A short underwater video of the Carency as she appears on the seabed can be viewed on our You-Tube channel.
Click here for the link to the official Board of Trade Wreck Report on the sinking of the Carency.