At 8.30am the 362 ton Norwegian barque Minerva of Langesund (Captain Gundersen), went ashore on the Pentland Skerries. She had left Garston Dock, Liverpool, just over a week before with a cargo of salt for Viburg in Finland. All had gone well until Dunnet Head was reached, but there the steering way was lost due to the direction of the wind, and the vessel was swept by the tide through the Firth and on to the Skerries. When the Minerva struck, Huna lifeboat was launched and together with several Stroma boats was quickly on the scene. By that time, however, the damaged leaking vessel had been dislodged from the rocks by the waves and tide, and sank in a short time on the south side of the main island. The crew of nine were able to launch the ship's lifeboat and with the assistance of the lighthouse keepers, land on the rocks. Huna lifeboat under her coxswains Messrs Calder and Dunnett, recovered the crew and their immediate belongings from the Skerries and landed them on the mainland.