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Malin Head: Ness Of Quoys, Pentland Firth
Steamship (20th Century)
Site Name Malin Head: Ness Of Quoys, Pentland Firth
Classification Steamship (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) A J Balfour; Gills Bay; Ness Buoys; Ness Of Huna; North Sea; Malin Head; Malin Head (Ex. A J Balfour)
Canmore ID 103015
Site Number ND37SW 8001
NGR ND 32938 72887
NGR Description ND c. 346 733
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/103015
- Council Highland
- Parish Maritime - Highland
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
ND37SW 8001 c. 346 733
N58 38.6 W3 7.6
NLO: Ness of Quoys [name: ND 346 733]
Huna House [name: 361 736]
Kirkstyle [name: ND 343 728]
Gills Bay [name centred ND 333 732]
Pentland Firth [name centred ND 35 81].
See also ND37SW 8013.
Formerly entered as ND37SW 8591 at cited location ND 3461 7336 [N58 38.6167 W3 7.6].
Quality of fix = PA
Horizontal Datum = OGB
Buoyage =
Circumstances of Loss Details
-----------------------------
The steamship MALIN HEAD was stranded at the Ness of Quoys whilst en route from Middlesborough to Montreal with 2500 tons of pig iron.
Source: Sea Breezes, June 1982.
Surveying Details
-----------------------------
20 July 1982. The vessel was stranded at the Ness of Quoys.
Source: Sea Breezes, June 1982.
Note: this gives an approximate position of 58 38 37N, 003 07 36W.
Hydrographic Office, 1995.
(Classified as steel steamship, with cargo of pig iron: former name cited as A J Balfour, and date of loss as 21 October 1910). Malin Head; this vessel stranded on an outlying reef at Quoy Ness [Ness of Quoys] or Huna Ness, then beached in Gills Bay.
Registration: Belfast. Built 1892. 3467grt. Length: 105m. Beam: 13m.
(Location of loss cited as N58 38.5 W3 9.0).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Huna is not noted as such on the 1999 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map, but the Ness of Huna is at ND 363 738.
Information friom RCAHMS (RJCM), 11 September 2002.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 2728
Name : MALIN HEAD (EX. A J BALFOUR)
Latitude : 583830
Longitude : 30900
Date Built : 1892
Registration : BELFAST
Type : SS (STEEL)
Tonnage : 3467
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 105
Beam : 13
Draught : 8m
Loss Day : 21
Loss Month : 10
Loss Year : 1910
Comment : Stranded on outlying reef at Quoy Ness or Huna Ness then beached in Gills Bay
Cargo : PIG IRON
Reference (19 April 2012)
UKHO Identifier : 001117
Feature Class : Wreck
State : LIVE
Classification : Unclassified
Position (Lat/long) : 58.63905,-3.15533
Horizontal Datum : ORDNANCE SURVEY OF GREAT BRITAIN (1936)
WGS84 Position (Lat/long) : 58.63866,-3.15690
WGS84 Origin : 3-D Cartesian Shift (BW)
Previous Position : 58.64362,-3.12667
Position Quality : Unreliable
Depth Quality : Depth unknown
Water Depth : 0
Vertical Datum : Lowest Astronomical Tide
Name : MALIN HEAD
Type : SS
Flag : BRITISH
Length : 105.3
Beam : 13.1
Draught : 8.2
Tonnage : 3467
Tonnage Type : Gross
Cargo : 2500 TONS PIG IRON
Date Sunk : 21/10/1910
Contact Description : Entire wreck
Original Sensor : Reported Sinking
Original Detection Year : 1910
Original Source : Other
Circumstances of Loss : **EX-A J BALFOUR. BUILT IN 1892 BY MCILWAINE & MCCOLL LTD, BELFAST. OWNED AT TIME OF LOSS BY ULSTER SS CO LTD. TWO BOILERS, TRIPLE EXPANSION ENGINE OF 335NHP, SINGLE SHAFT. PASSAGE DUBLINE & MIDDLESBROUGH FOR MONTREAL. STRANDED AT NESS OF QUOYS WHEN MASTER UNDERESTIMATED THE STRENGH OF THE TIDE BETWEEN STROMA AND CAITHNESS. BROKE HER BACK AND FLOODED. RFLOATED BY TUGS BUT WENT SHORE AGAIN IN GILLS BAY AND BECAMA TOTAL WRECK. (SIBI).
Surveying Details : **20.7.82 STRANDED AT NESS OF QUOYS. (SEA BREEZES, JUN'82). BECAME TOTAL WRECK IN GILLS BAY. (SIBI). FOR FILING ONLY.
Charting Comments : POSN FOR FILING ONLY
Date Last Amended : 31/01/2005
Date Position Last Amended : 31/01/2005