On the morning of Thursday, 1 December 1885, the barque Njord was driven into Wick Bay by a violent south-easterly gale, which had been raging for over twenty-four hours. At first, her Master headed towards the South Head and so a round was fired from the 64 pounder gun in the Naval Reserve Battery, to warn him of the danger. With superb seamanship, the barque was brought in, sometimes riding on the crest of the waves. But, it was only half-tide and eventually the vessel ran aground. Two very large waves then struck her with such force that one of her crew, who had been up in the mizzen-rigging, was knocked overboard and drowned.
The Rocket Apparatus was set up on the North Quay and quickly got a line aboard the stranded vessel. Meanwhile, the Wick Lifeboat had been launched and under the command of Alexander McKay, who had been appointed Coxswain only a few weeks before, the crew of twelve fought their way out to the barque and succeeded in getting under the lee of the vessel. The barque's crew of ten quickly scrambled down from the rigging where they had sought refuge and were taken aboard the lifeboat and landed at Baikie's Harbour, another of the small fish-company harbours situated round Wick Bay.
The wheelhouse was later removed from the wreck of the Njord and was situated at the bottom of the area in Wick known as Scalesburn. It served as accommodation for visiting herring workers and was then occupied by local cooper, Neil Donaldson, succeeded by Miss Elizabeth Donaldson who lived there until around 1943. The cabin was then bought by William Smith, (who came from Stroma), in 1946 and he and his family lived there until around 1953. It was later owned by Arthur Doull and locals Harry Gray, Ian Bruce, Cathel Ella and David Rosie rented it from Arthur Doull as a weight training gym for 5 shillings a week. Later when attemting to knock the cabin down it was found to be anchored with oak posts sunk 8 feet into the ground.
The Rocket Apparatus was set up on the North Quay and quickly got a line aboard the stranded vessel. Meanwhile, the Wick Lifeboat had been launched and under the command of Alexander McKay, who had been appointed Coxswain only a few weeks before, the crew of twelve fought their way out to the barque and succeeded in getting under the lee of the vessel. The barque's crew of ten quickly scrambled down from the rigging where they had sought refuge and were taken aboard the lifeboat and landed at Baikie's Harbour, another of the small fish-company harbours situated round Wick Bay.
The wheelhouse was later removed from the wreck of the Njord and was situated at the bottom of the area in Wick known as Scalesburn. It served as accommodation for visiting herring workers and was then occupied by local cooper, Neil Donaldson, succeeded by Miss Elizabeth Donaldson who lived there until around 1943. The cabin was then bought by William Smith, (who came from Stroma), in 1946 and he and his family lived there until around 1953. It was later owned by Arthur Doull and locals Harry Gray, Ian Bruce, Cathel Ella and David Rosie rented it from Arthur Doull as a weight training gym for 5 shillings a week. Later when attemting to knock the cabin down it was found to be anchored with oak posts sunk 8 feet into the ground.