Caiplie: Isle Of May Harbour, Firth Of Forth
Motor Vessel (20th Century)
Site Name Caiplie: Isle Of May Harbour, Firth Of Forth
Classification Motor Vessel (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) The Pillow; May Island; 'east Side Of [the] North Ness'; Outer Forth Estuary; North Sea; Caiplie
Canmore ID 115547
Site Number NT69NE 8001
NGR NT 661 991
NGR Description NT c. 661 991
Datum Datum not recorded
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/115547
- Council Fife
- Parish Maritime - Fife
- Former Region Fife
- Former District Maritime
- Former County Not Applicable
NT69NE 8001 c. 661 991
N56 11 W2 32.8
NLO: Isle of May [name: NT 65 99]
The Pillow [name: NT 661 911]
North Ness [name: NO 650 002].
Possibly on map sheets or NO60SE.
Location formerly entered as NT 6610 9910 [N56 11 W2 32.77].
Motor Vessel CAIPLIE, 16 ton, of Kirkcaldy, master & owner John Buchan. Bound from Anstruther to Isle of May. Lost 17 Nov 1939, 9.30am. Harbour, May Island, 1/4 mile from Isle of May Lighthouse. Wind north west, heavy swell. 'Vessel when entering the harbour was struck by a wave & thrown on the rocks'. Crew 3 saved. Cargo bricks & timber about 4 tons. 'Vessel was carrying material from Anstruther to the island for the Naval authorities. Crew managed to get her off the rocks but she was leaking badly & sank rapidly giving the crew no time to jump ashore. Naval authorities have today blown the vessel up & the channel is now fairly clear. Value of vessel ?300.'
[Contemporary] source: Lightkeeper, Isle of May Lighthouse.
(Classified as wooden, motor ketch, with cargo of bricks and timber: date of loss cited as 17 November 1939). Caiplie: this vessel stranded on the E side of [the] North Ness, May Island.
Registration: Kirkcaldy. Built 1897. 16grt. Length: 13m. Beam: 4m.
(Location of loss cited as N56 11.55 W2 33.50).
I G Whittaker 1998.
The location assigned to this record is essentially tentative, being derived from that ('Harbour, May Island, 1/4 mile from Isle of May Lighthouse') cited in the primary account of the loss. The harbour on the Isle of May lies on the E side of the island, near the S end. The 1996 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map notes the locality as The Pillow. The (new) lighthouse on the Isle of May (NT69NE 8.00) is at NT 65500 99364.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 26 September 2001.
Loss (17 November 1939)
Motor Vessel CAIPLIE, 16 ton, of Kirkcaldy, master & owner John Buchan. Bound from Anstruther to Isle of May. Lost 17 Nov 1939, 9.30am. Harbour, May Island, 1/4 mile from Isle of May Lighthouse. Wind north west, heavy swell. 'Vessel when entering the harbour was struck by a wave & thrown on the rocks'. Crew 3 saved. Cargo bricks & timber about 4 tons. 'Vessel was carrying material from Anstruther to the island for the Naval authorities. Crew managed to get her off the rocks but she was leaking badly & sank rapidly giving the crew no time to jump ashore. Naval authorities have today blown the vessel up & the channel is now fairly clear. Value of vessel ?300.'
[Contemporary] source: Lightkeeper, Isle of May Lighthouse.
(Classified as wooden, motor ketch, with cargo of bricks and timber: date of loss cited as 17 November 1939). Caiplie: this vessel stranded on the E side of [the] North Ness, May Island.
Registration: Kirkcaldy. Built 1897. 16grt. Length: 13m. Beam: 4m.
(Location of loss cited as N56 11.55 W2 33.50).
I G Whittaker 1998.
Note (26 September 2001)
The location assigned to this record is essentially tentative, being derived from that ('Harbour, May Island, 1/4 mile from Isle of May Lighthouse') cited in the primary account of the loss. The harbour on the Isle of May lies on the E side of the island, near the S end. The 1996 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map notes the locality as The Pillow. The (new) lighthouse on the Isle of May (NT69NE 8.00) is at NT 65500 99364.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 26 September 2001.
Reference (2011)
Whittaker ID : 6713
Name : CAIPLIE
Latitude : 561133
Longitude : 23330
Date Built : 1897
Registration : KIRKCALDY
Type : MOTOR KETCH (WOOD)
Tonnage : 16
Tonnage Code : G
Length : 13
Beam : 4
Loss Day : 17
Loss Month : 11
Loss Year : 1939
Comment : Stranded E side North Ness, May Island
Cargo : BRICKS & TIMBER
