The Sudero left Grimsby on the 28 of April 1903, bound for the fishing grounds of Iceland, under the command of Mr. Charles Bull, with a crew of fourteen hands all told.
The weather when off Rattray Head was, according to the skipper, fine and clear, with a light wind from the eastward, the sea being smooth. The skipper then proceeded on a course N. by W. northerly, with a view of making Pentland Skerries. The engines had, until this time, been going full speed, which the chief engineer stated was about 8 knots an hour. The vessel had, however, if the times given and courses made were accurate, been making about 8 1/2 knots. The skipper stated that at 6.30 he told the chief engineer to reduce the pressure so that the vessel should only proceed at three-quarters' speed, in order to suit the state of the tide at the Pentland Firth. The chief engineer admitted receiving the order, and said that he executed it, but also stated that it was given because the weather was then foggy, and not because of the tide at the Pentland Firth.
At 7 p.m. the skipper went below, leaving two Able Bodies in the wheelhouse with instructions to call him when the log registered 60 miles (that is to say 50 miles from Rattray Head), if it came in thick, or if they saw a shore light. There were, in the front of the wheelhouse, three windows, and when the skipper went below two of these, one on the starboard side, one on port were open. At about 10 p.m. the second hand and an Able Body. came on watch, and the night then appears to have become misty, but even according to the Able Body., who gave the worst account of it, masthead lights were visible a mile and a half distant.
At 00.35 a.m. of the 30th April the second hand left the wheelhouse and looked at the patent log and found that there was "just on" 60 on it. He informed the skipper of this and at 12.40 a.m. The skipper came into the wheelhouse. The skipper stated that at this time the weather was fine and clear, that lights should have been visible at nearly their full range, that not seeing any he thought the log was wrong. The second hand said that it was hazy in the direction of the land, and the Able Body. that it was a Scotch mist. The wind continued a light breeze from the east, and the sea was calm. Noss Head light should have been visible by this time, but the skipper was not put upon inquiry by its non-appearance, and the vessel continued her course until about 1 a.m., when, according to all three witnesses, she steamed into a thick fog. In this emergency, all that the skipper did was to whistle to the chief engineer to let his steam go back as it was coming on thicker, but the telegraph, although the speed was already supposed to have been reduced to three quarters, still indicated full speed ahead. The vessel continued her course until about 1.20 a.m., when the skipper saw something close at hand, which subsequently proved to be breakers ahead, and ordered the engines full speed astern and the helm hard-a-port. The vessel came round about half a point, and then struck a submerged rock, which broke off the propeller and rudder post. She came off the rock with her way on her still, struck the shore with. her port bow, slewed round and struck again with her stern. She continued with her port side touching the land for five minutes, when her head slewed easterly and fixed itself on another rock and her stern lay on a ledge of the mainland. Her boat was got ready and flares were shewn, but it was found possible to jump ashore from the vessel's stern, and the crew accordingly did so, remaining for the rest of the night close to the ship.
As the day dawned the fog lifted, and the skipper ascertained at a house in the vicinity that the Sudero had stranded at Sarclet, on a very precipitous and rocky part of the coast of Caithness, about five miles south of Wick. Later in the morning the crew were able to save the fishing gear, part of the cables, stores, life buoys, etc., and their personal effects. The water then was no higher in the vessel than the cabin floor. Two drifters left Wick with the intention of trying to get her off, but were unable to approach her on account of the surf. The skipper, second hand and two engineers remained in the vicinity for a week until Thursday, May 5th when her stern broke off and she sank in deep water. They then returned by rail to Grimsby, the remainder of the crew having come back on the 30th of April.
On Thursday 18 June 2015, a team of four divers from Caithness Diving Club; David Carter, Paul Steven, Billy Gray and Simon Miller, acting on information from the Hellsmouth Diving and Shipwreck Company successfully discovered the wreck of the Sudero lying in a general depth of around 16m. The wreck is completely broken up and lies scattered over a wide area. Not all parts of the wreck have yet been located but certainly a condenser, crankshaft, anchor, a number of valves and hull plates have been identified. Further investigation at the site is planned when it is hoped to uncover more of the remains of the Sudero.
The Sudero, official number 96202, was a steam line fishing vessel, built of iron at Hull in 1889 by Earle's Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Limited, and her respective dimensions were, length 116 ft., breadth 20.6 ft., depth of hold 11.4 ft., her tonnage being 103.4 tons net register. She was fitted with triple expansion engines of 53 h.p. nominal, and was owned by the White Star Company, Mr. Henry Smethurst, of Grimsby, being her registered manager.
The full Board of Trade wreck report for the Sudero can be found here.
An underwater video of what remains of the wreck of the Sudero can be viewed on our You-Tube channel.
The weather when off Rattray Head was, according to the skipper, fine and clear, with a light wind from the eastward, the sea being smooth. The skipper then proceeded on a course N. by W. northerly, with a view of making Pentland Skerries. The engines had, until this time, been going full speed, which the chief engineer stated was about 8 knots an hour. The vessel had, however, if the times given and courses made were accurate, been making about 8 1/2 knots. The skipper stated that at 6.30 he told the chief engineer to reduce the pressure so that the vessel should only proceed at three-quarters' speed, in order to suit the state of the tide at the Pentland Firth. The chief engineer admitted receiving the order, and said that he executed it, but also stated that it was given because the weather was then foggy, and not because of the tide at the Pentland Firth.
At 7 p.m. the skipper went below, leaving two Able Bodies in the wheelhouse with instructions to call him when the log registered 60 miles (that is to say 50 miles from Rattray Head), if it came in thick, or if they saw a shore light. There were, in the front of the wheelhouse, three windows, and when the skipper went below two of these, one on the starboard side, one on port were open. At about 10 p.m. the second hand and an Able Body. came on watch, and the night then appears to have become misty, but even according to the Able Body., who gave the worst account of it, masthead lights were visible a mile and a half distant.
At 00.35 a.m. of the 30th April the second hand left the wheelhouse and looked at the patent log and found that there was "just on" 60 on it. He informed the skipper of this and at 12.40 a.m. The skipper came into the wheelhouse. The skipper stated that at this time the weather was fine and clear, that lights should have been visible at nearly their full range, that not seeing any he thought the log was wrong. The second hand said that it was hazy in the direction of the land, and the Able Body. that it was a Scotch mist. The wind continued a light breeze from the east, and the sea was calm. Noss Head light should have been visible by this time, but the skipper was not put upon inquiry by its non-appearance, and the vessel continued her course until about 1 a.m., when, according to all three witnesses, she steamed into a thick fog. In this emergency, all that the skipper did was to whistle to the chief engineer to let his steam go back as it was coming on thicker, but the telegraph, although the speed was already supposed to have been reduced to three quarters, still indicated full speed ahead. The vessel continued her course until about 1.20 a.m., when the skipper saw something close at hand, which subsequently proved to be breakers ahead, and ordered the engines full speed astern and the helm hard-a-port. The vessel came round about half a point, and then struck a submerged rock, which broke off the propeller and rudder post. She came off the rock with her way on her still, struck the shore with. her port bow, slewed round and struck again with her stern. She continued with her port side touching the land for five minutes, when her head slewed easterly and fixed itself on another rock and her stern lay on a ledge of the mainland. Her boat was got ready and flares were shewn, but it was found possible to jump ashore from the vessel's stern, and the crew accordingly did so, remaining for the rest of the night close to the ship.
As the day dawned the fog lifted, and the skipper ascertained at a house in the vicinity that the Sudero had stranded at Sarclet, on a very precipitous and rocky part of the coast of Caithness, about five miles south of Wick. Later in the morning the crew were able to save the fishing gear, part of the cables, stores, life buoys, etc., and their personal effects. The water then was no higher in the vessel than the cabin floor. Two drifters left Wick with the intention of trying to get her off, but were unable to approach her on account of the surf. The skipper, second hand and two engineers remained in the vicinity for a week until Thursday, May 5th when her stern broke off and she sank in deep water. They then returned by rail to Grimsby, the remainder of the crew having come back on the 30th of April.
On Thursday 18 June 2015, a team of four divers from Caithness Diving Club; David Carter, Paul Steven, Billy Gray and Simon Miller, acting on information from the Hellsmouth Diving and Shipwreck Company successfully discovered the wreck of the Sudero lying in a general depth of around 16m. The wreck is completely broken up and lies scattered over a wide area. Not all parts of the wreck have yet been located but certainly a condenser, crankshaft, anchor, a number of valves and hull plates have been identified. Further investigation at the site is planned when it is hoped to uncover more of the remains of the Sudero.
The Sudero, official number 96202, was a steam line fishing vessel, built of iron at Hull in 1889 by Earle's Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Limited, and her respective dimensions were, length 116 ft., breadth 20.6 ft., depth of hold 11.4 ft., her tonnage being 103.4 tons net register. She was fitted with triple expansion engines of 53 h.p. nominal, and was owned by the White Star Company, Mr. Henry Smethurst, of Grimsby, being her registered manager.
The full Board of Trade wreck report for the Sudero can be found here.
An underwater video of what remains of the wreck of the Sudero can be viewed on our You-Tube channel.