The Wick seine-net boat Fisher Boy broke her moorings at Scrabster in a gale on the Sunday night and was driven ashore on Thurso Beach, where heavy seas broke her up on the Monday morning. There was no one on board.
The wrecked vessel, along with several other Wick and Thurso fishing boats, had been tied up for the week-end at Scrabster, but on the Sunday afternoon the crews were warned by telephone that their boats were getting out of control. At about 5 p.m. fishermen boarded the Fisher Boy attempting to maker her fast again but when the last remaining rope snapped they had to leap to the quay for safety. As the 50 ft. boat lurched past the trawler Buchans, anchored in the harbour, the trawler men tried to secure her with ropes but the heavy swell frustrated their efforts and the Fisher Boy drifted out to sea. She was carried across the bay to the breakwater at Thurso Harbour and was then driven ashore below Marine Terrace at about 7.30 p.m.
Shortly after 9 a.m. on the Monday morning, she broke in two and by 10 o’clock the pounding seas reduced the boat to matchwood. The Esplanade was strewn with pieces of wreckage hurled high in the air by the huge waves breaking over the promenade.
The Fisher Boy had been in the charge of Skipper J. Bremner for sixteen years. Very little was salvaged. During the afternoon there was an almost continuous stream of persons, young and old, carrying away battens of wood, lengths of rope and other articles of fishing gear.
Several other fishing boats broke loose, among them the Girl Margaret and the Covesea. The latter was drifting towards the harbour mouth when fishermen “roped” her and held her against the quay until the crew were able to jump aboard, start the engine, and bring her to a safer berth.
The wrecked vessel, along with several other Wick and Thurso fishing boats, had been tied up for the week-end at Scrabster, but on the Sunday afternoon the crews were warned by telephone that their boats were getting out of control. At about 5 p.m. fishermen boarded the Fisher Boy attempting to maker her fast again but when the last remaining rope snapped they had to leap to the quay for safety. As the 50 ft. boat lurched past the trawler Buchans, anchored in the harbour, the trawler men tried to secure her with ropes but the heavy swell frustrated their efforts and the Fisher Boy drifted out to sea. She was carried across the bay to the breakwater at Thurso Harbour and was then driven ashore below Marine Terrace at about 7.30 p.m.
Shortly after 9 a.m. on the Monday morning, she broke in two and by 10 o’clock the pounding seas reduced the boat to matchwood. The Esplanade was strewn with pieces of wreckage hurled high in the air by the huge waves breaking over the promenade.
The Fisher Boy had been in the charge of Skipper J. Bremner for sixteen years. Very little was salvaged. During the afternoon there was an almost continuous stream of persons, young and old, carrying away battens of wood, lengths of rope and other articles of fishing gear.
Several other fishing boats broke loose, among them the Girl Margaret and the Covesea. The latter was drifting towards the harbour mouth when fishermen “roped” her and held her against the quay until the crew were able to jump aboard, start the engine, and bring her to a safer berth.