A Perilous Voyage (1874)

This particular account relates to a voyage by the Cullen smack, Invicta, in 1874. In this instance I’ll quote directly from the Aberdeen Weekly Journal of Wednesday 25^th March, 1874.

“On Thursday afternoon the smack, Invicta, of Cullen, Captain Findlay, was caught in the gale while passing north between Montrose and Aberdeen, and had all her sails spent. She was first seen by the coastguardsmen of the Cove district on Thursday afternoon riding off Findon. They went out in a boat to her assistance, and found all her sails spent, but being then in, comparative safety they recommended the captain to lie-to until they could send a tug from Aberdeen. On landing two of the coastgaurdmen went to Aberdeen in the evening, and called at the tug station, but it is reported that they could find no one there to take their orders. On getting the address of one of the tug captains they called, and received a promise from him that he would go out in search of the smack.

In the meantime Captain Findlay was lying 150 yards from the rocks exposed to the severe gale, and burning a light at the mast to guide any friendly hand to his assistance, but through the long weary night none came. Towards morning the gale moderated, and allowed the captain and crew to get their spare canvas erected into a sail, with which he best made his way to Stonehaven, crawling along the coast, arriving at Stonehaven about midday on Friday in a very crippled condition. Captain Findlay and his mates will never forget the fearful night they spent off the rocks at Findon, and the narrow escape they made”