Constant Trader: Scrabster Beach, Thurso Bay, Pentland Firth

ND16NW 8040 c. 10 69

N58 36 W3 33

NLO: Scrabster [name: ND 102 702]

Thurso Bay [name centred ND 115 699]

Pentland Firth [name centred ND 35 81].

Possibly on map sheet ND17SW.

See also NC96NE 8010, ND16NW 8041 and ND16NW 8042.

Thurso, 27th April. 'During a tremendous gale last night, which lasted three hours, the following vessels were driven on shore about a mile to the Westward and totally wrecked. Crews saved: CONSTANT TRADER, Waite, from Berwick: PHOENIX, McInnes, from Brora, both for Liverpool, and HERO, Michie, from Newcastle to Dublin. There is a brig on shore at Sandside, particulars unknown.' [Record received incomplete].

NMRS, MS/829/71 (no. 7075).

(Classified as schooner, with cargo of wheat: date of loss cited as 26 April 1835). Constant Trader: this vessel was driven from anchor and wrecked on Scrabster beach. Capt. Waite.

Registration: Berwick. Built 1805. 75 tons burthern. Length: 17m. Beam: 5m.

(Location of loss cited as N58 36.5 W3 33.0).

I G Whittaker 1998.

Scrabster Beach is probably to be equated with the exposed sands that are indicated on the 1999 edition of the OS 1:50,000 map, around ND 101 698 and to the S of Scrabster Harbour (ND17SW 5).

The classification and cargo cited by I G Whittaker (1998) remain unverified, but are accepted.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 20 June 2005.