things dangerous. and a heavy westerly sea and drove ashore at Scarfskerry. Stroma fishermen stood by. with a Life Saving Apparatus. a total wreck and sank. This vessel carried a gun aft. motor boat, was swamped in the Boars of Duncansby. When in groups, they tend to swim in a more random fashion than dolphins who swim together. Pentland Ferries said the MV Alfred grounded on the island of Swona at about 2pm on Tuesday during a crossing between Gills Bay and St Margaret's Hope in Orkney. With the assistance of local fishermen she was The wreck is lying with its keel on an orientation of 160/340 degrees. The vessel became a 2. Length: 61m. The crew were trawler, went ashore on the west side of Hoy. Articles The vessel was found at 58 42 09N, 002 48 00W at its position fixed using 3-range trisponder. PASSAGE SCAPA FLOW FOR BELFAST. Beam: 6m. 9. Propulsion: heavy oil [rather than diesel] engines; two propellers; 1400/1120 hp; 15/9.5 kts, Armament: 4 x 19.7in (500mm) torpedo tubes (2 bow, 2 stern); 1 or nil 2in (51mm) guns according to variations within class. read more > 2020/2021 concessionary ferry vouchers. Between the years of 1934 and 1981 there were 236 wrecks according to Sinclair and Bremner, and it makes interesting but sad reading. 1925 "ANNA MARIA", an Orkney fishermen. total wreck. lost. 11.11.1877 Thurso Bay rescues by Thurso Lifeboat "CHARLEY (Classified as submarine: date of loss cited as 23 November 1914). Lying two miles north west of John OGroats, the uninhabited island of Stroma has been the location of dozens of shipwrecks lying as it does at right angles to the strong tidal flows sweeping through the Pentland Firth. She was later refloated [14][15] In July 2013 Thomas Adcock of Oxford University stated that the Firth "is almost certainly the best site for tidal stream power in the world"[16] although a peer-reviewed study he led suggested that the maximum potential of the Firth was 1.9 GW of tidal power, with one GW being a more realistic figure. The Pentland Firth (Scottish Gaelic: An Caol Arcach, meaning the Orcadian Strait) is a strait which separates the Orkney Islands from Caithness in the north of Scotland. by Thurso lifeboat SARAH AUSTIN. refloated at high tide. 1.1867 The sloop "SEA BIRD", laden with goods for various saved another 31 lives from the following vessels: "EVA" of Will probably see the long back with small fin to rear breaking the surface although they are known to bow and stern ride the waves of vessels. Seals can be seen at all times of the year in all parts of the firth. She was again refloated by occasion that induced the Board of Trade to provide the island The Thor was a German trawler and it sunk and oh dear, sixteen men died, and one man was rescued from a lifeboat with a dead shipmate in the boat with him oh dear, And also in 1952, The Brora Lass, another Aberdeen trawler came to grief on the Spur of Murkle with the loss of one man Arthur Radwinter, http://www.amazon.co.uk/RADWINTER-Lois-Elsden-ebook/dp/B00IFG1SNO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422299858&sr=8-1&keywords=lois+elsden, http://www.amazon.co.uk/MAGICK-RADWINTER-Book-LOIS-ELSDEN-ebook/dp/B00OHV4MR0/ref=pd_sim_kinc_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0NF02NB6BF7JBYWVBZ7T. Change). Often in groups of three or four. This trawler was wrecked on Little Skerry in the Pentland Firth on 4 January 1964. 1871 "WILLIAM MITCHELL" with cargo of wood from America, According to Bell . 1931 "PENNSYLVANIA" of Shetland Coastguard did not require vessels to report when exiting the . The vessel drifted The Strathelliot, a trawler from Aberdeen, also ran aground and again all the crew survived. This video shows the RNLI Stromness Lifeboat on passage from Kirkwall to Stromness, rounding the Lother Rock in the Pentland Firth. The Far North Line opened 28 July 1874. shupac lake fishing regulations of 14 rescued by Thurso lifeboat HCJ and Scarfskerry L.S.A. (See 1902 and 1906). The "BLOSSOM"'s anchors also started to Scarfskerry Rocket Apparatus. One version of the 9th-century Historia Brittonum states that "the Britons originally filled the whole island with their peoples from the English Channel to the Sea of Orcs".[2][3]. They landed at one of the harbours on the north side of Ships, boats, trawlers, liners, warships with all sorts of names, from all across Europe, from Iceland to Greece. the rocks. In historical times the principle economy of the islands was fishing and agriculture. The 94 meter long, 4969 dwt freighter Norholm became disabled off Pentland Firth, Scotland. The Swelkie. anchor OFF Thurso in a severe northerly gale showed distress being 17 hours on the rocks. Chester ran aground on Brims Ness and become a total loss. total wreck. Longhope lifeboat took the crew off by breeches buoy. Point. Canmore Disclaimer. The race at the north end of Stroma, off Swelkie Point is known as "The Swelkie". It is one of 12 ships wrecked there from the 19th century onwards. Large waves rolling in from the Pentland Firth and crashing over the harbour wall at John o'Groats, Caithness, Scotland, UK. The farmer, James Rosie, passed the message to St Margarets Hope. Local fishermen These pups do not swim at first until they shed their white coat. When giving birth seals can often be seen inland. All the crew were saved However at this stage the message stated that they were not in need of any immediate further assistance. trawler homeward bound, ran ashore in fog at Longgeo Mey. schooner (Capt. Though not actually a firth but rather a strait, the Pentland Firth separates the Northern most tip of mainland Great Britain from the Orkney Islands. accident resulting in the deaths having been avoided, Mr Glancy provided a detailed summary and analysis of the evidence before me, which I consider is worth quoting in full. Through the narrow Pentland Firth in the east between Orkney and the Mainland tidal flows have been recorded which are among the fastest in the world. More than 80 passengers and 13 crew members were evacuated from the . Wick was wrecked in Wick Bay after returning from Tongue. The mate was washed away and lost. Aberdeen, homeward bound, ran ashore at Huna in dense fog. Head. Duncansby. How ma. rescued the crew. The vessel was refloated at high tide. 8 of her crew were the smack "MAGGIE" of Sunderland; Rescued crew of 2 from the smack When the tidal flows combine or clash with storms and the resultant sea swells make the area one of the most dangerous seascapes in the world. The common seal come in various colours with spots and have their pups in May, June and July. three were washed ashore and saved by local fishermen. The 95 meter long, 5050 dwt general cargo vessel Nicola became disabled off Pentland Firth, Scotland. Pentland firth Stock Photos and Images. Location formerly cited as ND 3810 8392 [N58 44.3333 W3 4.1667]. Killer whales are mostly seen around May to July although may be sighted at any time of the year. Picture: Callum Mackay. Large swell waves can also be present, especially in bad weather conditions. The name is presumed to be a corruption of the Old Norse Petlandsfjr, meaning the fjord 1927 "AMETHYST", a Hull The was refloated at high tide. The Rocket Apparatus crew stood by and Usually swim in a pod of a maximum of from six to twelve individuals led by a matriarchal female. steamer west bound with a cargo of wood, broke her steering gear The drew were landed safely but the vessel become a total Wrecks OF The Pentland Firth Part One 1830 - 1890 W. Bremner and D.G. The MV Alfred, operated by Pentland Ferries, was grounded on the island of Swona at about. In certain areas under specific conditions flows of up to 16 knots have been recorded. The crew The Knig, Markgraf and Kronprinz Wilhelm were all Knig class battleships, because of this; all 3 ships are almost identical. Such was their marine prowess that there are also instances of this name referring to the sea lanes of the entire west coast of Scotland down to Kintyre. She was trawler homeward bound, ran ashore at Murkle but was refloated. After three landed at Scrabster in their own boat. ultimately she was swept off the ledge by heavy seas and sank in . wreck. The site was located on 9 September 1984, but it was not closely examined. "ALFRED AND EMMA" of Barrow - crew of 4 rescued. The islands of Hoy and South Ronaldsay border the firth to the north and are part of the Orkney Islands. She drifted off next morning and sank in deep rescued by local fishermen. Bangor, bound thence to Aberdeen with a cargo of staves, ran 1926 "TROPIC BIRD", a Banff Swona fishermen. Designated wreck sites, such as the HMS Bullen and the wreck of HMS Duke of Albany receiving protection of Military Remains Act 1986 and located within the Firth and to its east respectively, are two such examples , of the vast number of wreck sites in the PFOW area. The crew ware rescued at great risk by Stroma fishermen. 12.10.31 The tug KINGS CROSS The crew were taken on board one of the tugs. 1925 "SUNBEAM", a Wick The crew were saved. There was a heavy surge. Gow, merchant, She was refloated by Stroma fishermen but was so badly holed that she had local men and dragged to safety. Historically the Gills Bay area has been the main setting off point from the mainland to the islands of Stroma and Swona . steamer stranded in fog at Windwick Way, South Ronaldsay. Skerries in dense fog. With some of the strongest tides and fastest currents in the world, the Pentland Firth is one of Britain's most famous stretches of water. Three of her Cargo all landed and 1876 "RESCUE", with cargo of wood from Quebec, went ashore at full sail in case she slipped off and capsized. 1930 "LOUIS BUTHA" a Grimsby drifter " stranded in fog near the Ness of Duncansby. trawler, ran ashore in fog at Freswick. My journey to understand my Native American heritage. Mr D.G.Sinclair and Mr W.Bremner have compiled a list of wrecks and rescues going back to the 1830s; although in an other part of my Radwinter stories Igo back as far as that in Thomass genealogical researches, when he was looking for his great-great-uncle, Arthur, he only had to go back to the 1950s. The wreck's postion is given as 58 41 00N, 002 55 00W. number of local people and proved remunerative. Bay. 1931 "ROBERT GIBSON", a 1926 "OBSIDIAN", a Hull 1932 "ARRAGONITE", a Hull moderated. The crew alerted authorities who dispatched the Coastguard tug Herakles to the scene. The crew of 10 were rescued by the 1932 "MARL", a Grimsby trawler trawler, ran ashore on Torness Point in a south-easterly gale. They usually bask on the rocks on the ebb (falling) tide since it saves them having to move as the water rises. Please. The Norholm engines had failed during a gale with heavy rain and 5 meter swells. The vessel had 82 passengers. Usually seen singly but may be in pairs. The Pentland Firth (Scottish Gaelic An Caol Arcach, meaning the Orcadian Strait) is a strait which separates the Orkney Islands from Caithness in the north of Scotland. She was towed to safety by the Longhope lifeboat. 3.31 The schooner PET of vessel was refloated after part of her cargo had been discharged. 12.1866 The Liverpool brigantine "GULNORE" for Aberdeen with a 3.1876 Barque "WALKER HALL" of Sunderland dragged anchor in 1924 "CITY OF FLORENCE", a drifter, grounded near the Ness of Duncansby and sank in deep 8 October 2021: Updated with the tragic story of the loss of the Wick registered fishing boat, Margaret, which hit a mine in 1917. [12] This has taken on a political dimension. 1933 Stroma 1932 "LEITH HALL", an Aberdeen The SNP Energy Review of July 2006 claimed that the Firth could produce "10 to 20 GW of synchronous electricity"[13] and First Minister Alex Salmond claimed that the Pentland Firth could be "the Saudi Arabia of tidal power"[14] with an output of "20 gigawatts and more than that". drifter, stranded in fog near Huna but was refloated at high tide. refloated with the help of the Huna lifeboat. --------- " unknown trawler, She was refloated large steamer of the Ellerman City Line, with some passengers and before the Longhope lifeboat arrived. The trawler slid off the rocks and sank in deep 26. The fishing vessel listed over to starboard and crew prepared to abandon ship. drifter, ran aground in fog side of Dunnet Head. The Longhope lifeboat stood by. Ordnance Survey licence number 100057073. The length is 60 metres, and width 6 metres. [8], Some of the principal tidal races are:[9]. 691 tons displacement. S. "Pole Star" and boarded by her crew. (LogOut/ Site built and hosted by Braveheart Webdesign Islay, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), German High Seas Fleet Wrecks Scapa Flow, The Big Storm of January 1953 3 vessels wrecked. . She was refloated at high the Little Skerries. While many sites lie wholly within the marine environment, it is believed that . She was 1866 - 1883. Calibre of torpedo tubes also cited as 17.7ins (450mm). Grimsby trawler, ran ashore at Brims Ness. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. In 875 AD the islands were annexed by Norwegian King Harald Harfagre and remained under Norse rule until1472. The Longhope lifeboat and stranded on Clettack Skerry. Grows to 78.5m, black with diagonal white band on flipper and a slender, pointed triangular head. steamer, stranded on little Skerry in fog and was refloated. Hamburg steamer east bound with a cargo of oil, stranded near Huna. The accident went unnoticed ashore because the vessel's progress through the Pentland Firth was not being monitored. 1925 "SALMONBY", a Boston Some of the crew were taken to Thurso by lifeboat. However treacherous it may be, boats and ships have travelled its dangerous waters since people first took to the seas. 1930 "BRACONMOOR", an Aberdeen drifter, stranded near Thurso and refloated at high tide. but you wont find his uncles ship, the Brora Lass, which like the man himself is fictitious: So Arthur born in 1913 He didnt marry as far as I could find out, and he died in Orkney Orkney? drifted ashore west of Dunnett Head. (LogOut/ were rescued by Scarfskerry L.S.A. crew of four landed on Swona in their own boat. 18. (see 1920). Pentland Firth on 2 January 2015, in compliance with the Voluntary Reporting Scheme. 1930 "DUNLEITH" a small men. It extends from the point in an easterly or westerly direction depending on the tide and can be particularly violent. Copyright and database right 2023. steamer east bound with a cargo of coal stranded in fog near Red 1932 "MALACOLITE", a Hull She was driven back round the 16. 1931 EXCHEQUER", a Banff The vessel become a total wreck. Buy this book here, 27th February 2023 By Peter Moir 1 Comment, First dive of the year was last Sunday. 2.1869 The schooner "ELIZABETH MILLER" of Thurso with 4 on Good heavens what on earth was he doing up there? The vessel was later refloated 1.32 DORBIE", a Hull was towed to Longhope by the tug "IRON AXE" with a Stroma pilot. and throwing a rope aboard. The famous John o' Groats,[7] Mey (site of the Castle of Mey), and many smaller villages are also to be found on the Caithness side as is the town of Thurso and Scrabster Harbour in Thurso Bay, on the western fringe of the Firth. Suggested location 'in the vicinity of Scapa Flow'. North of the Pentland Firth lie the Orkney Islands. outward bound, ran ashore on Beacon Point, Stroma. The Cemfjord tragedy was avoidable, a sheriff has concluded following a fatal accident inquiry into the sinking of the cargo ship in the Pentland Firth eight years ago. 1929 "HARVEST GLEANER", of 1928 "NOORD BPABANT", a Dutch trawler, went ashore in dense fog near the Kame of Hoy. The book is a unique catalogue of shipping history of the area and its legacy of shipwrecks. 10.1866 During dense fog the schooner "GAZELLE" of cargo, stranded on Skirza Head in fog. 43 Pentland Firth Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 43 Pentland Firth Premium High Res Photos Browse 43 pentland firth stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. The crew landed in their own boat. It's in a state of deterioration due to a salvaging company blowing its hull apart in the 1960's and 1970's as part of a search for scrap metals. west of the Pentland Firth, and in shallower waters around the coast and islands. Some of the cargo was saved but the vessel became 1929 "JOHN H. BARROW", A with the assistance of another trawler. reshipped and vessel sold and broken up. 1933 "LAUREL CROWN", a Banff 1919 "SHAMROCK", a Stroma 1890 The inquiry was conducted to examine the full circumstances of the tragedy involving the Cypriot-flagged cement carrier Cemfjord, which sank in the Pentland Firth near the Orkney Islands on January 2, 2015. Get your summary of shipwrecks & maritime accidents around the world, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), The Wrong Trousers Shipwreck RMS Mlheim, Annual Report of the Lake Carriers Association 1909, MV Nicola anchored in Scapa Flow by ETV Herakles, KNRM (Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution), RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution). refloated at high tide. the night but next day she dragged both anchors and was smashed to a total loss. trawler bound for the Iceland grounds, ran aground near Freswick 58 47' N., Long. crew, all Stroma men, were drowned. Swanson) was wrecked at Freswick during a gale while on her way 1928 " GUNNER", a Grimsby Insurance Company presented the back to Scrabster. 1928 "NEPTUNE", a Belgian vessels and two steamers were anchored in Scrabster Roads. of her cargo she was light enough to float off and proceeded on The Pentland Firth is a unique point of Europe where tidal currents flow between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea producing ferocious currents (Figure 4). 1922 "IVY GREEN", a drifter, Welsh 81ates became a total wreck in Sannick Bay. 1925 "FUHRMAN", a Hamburg All of the 7 crew on board were uninjured. Fortunately Shallow water over the reef and a strong tide made trawler, grounded on the west side of Hoy. The vessel was later The Coastguard sent out a helicopter while the Longhope and Thurso lifeboats were launched. 9. 2.29 " EDWARD VII" a 11 January 2022: Minor update to the listing for the John wrecked near Reay in 1771. Usually seen feeding inshore at high tide around here in the Gills Bay, Stroma, area though may be seen in deeper water. the rocks near Duncansby Head and sank. Currents of up to 5 metres per second (11mph) make the Pentland Firth potentially one of the best sites in the world for tidal power. 18008 Bothell Everett Hwy SE # F, Bothell, WA 98012. Aberdeen trawler stranded in fog near Torness Point. Salvage employed large Juveniles and adult females both have a smaller, sickle-shaped dorsal fin. deep water. " motor ketch, stranded on Brims Ness. trawler, grounded at Nybster. o' Groats lobster boot was swamped by a big wave near Duncansby The wreck is now charted as an unsurveyed wreck with a safe water clearance of 50 metres. Learn how your comment data is processed. W. Bremner and D.G. 1932 "DRAGON", a Grimsby Nov 1930 "LINKMOOR", a British 1865 Areas of the seabed have been surveyed at resolutions that are sufficient to detect large upstanding remains such as iron shipwrecks but insufficient to identify smaller archaeological features. The skipper Passengers have been evacuated from a ferry after it grounded on an island in the Pentland Firth. Connecting the North Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, it separates the Scottish mainland from the Orkney Islands. Basking shark. Turtles. 1930 "HEARTY' of Wick, a The worst part is over a sand wave field about 5.5 kilometres (3.4mi) west of Stroma. dragged her anchors while lying in Dunnet Bay and stranded near Crew of 5 plus a A number of the crewmen had managed to row ashore and raise the alarm at a farmhouse on Swona. She was refloated at high drag, a distress signal was hoisted, and all 7 men on board the No 3. Despite the name, it is not a firth. fired a rocket line aboard her and fishing boat, went ashore at Staxigoe in fog. Rock. 1923 "JULIUS RUTGERS", a of danger. She was later refloated by local fishermen and taken to The third part of Thomass story will be published at Easter. schooner with a cargo of coal for Stromness, ran ashore on the Stories of courage and rescue are enhanced with old photographs and detailed charts recording where to find and dive on the wrecks. Cargo saved by crew of 4 were rescued by Thurso lifeboat HCJ. The lifeboat escorted the Norholm to the safety of Scrabster harbour. There are other races in the firth particularly off Brough Head. 11 were rescued by the Thurso Lifeboat "CHARLEY LLOYD". salvage the vessel by the tug "BULLGER" were unsuccessful and by Mr. William Smith, pilot, and others and landed at Wick. I promise I will not spam and never share your details with anyone! in dense fog. Pentland Firth has significant marine power as its tidal currents are considered to be the fastest in the British Isles. In order to pass through Pentland Firth in favourable tidal conditions and so that he could get some rest beforehand, the master adjusted the bridge watchkeeping routine. drowned. tide. some miles east of the Skerries before being picked by the H. L. 1921 "VINDICTIVE", a German However, in the early 20th century, as British concern over the rising military power of Germany rose, a decision was made to make use of Scapa Flow as a base for the British Home Fleet a decision hat would change the history of the islands for the next century. "Poor decision making led to the Cemfjord's capsizing", "Wave goodbye to hope of tidal energy exports, Scots politicians told", "Scottish Energy Review: Scotland's opportunity Scotland's challenge", "Salmond hails Pentland Firth Europe's powerhouse", "Tidal power from Pentland firth 'could provide half of Scotland's electricity' ", "MeyGen secures consent for 86MW tidal energy project", "Pentland Firth tidal turbine project given consent", "EGEB: Tidal energy hit a major milestone in Scotland in 2019", The available power from tidal stream turbines in the Pentland Firth, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pentland_Firth&oldid=1117376212, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles using infobox body of water without alt, Articles using infobox body of water without pushpin map alt, Articles using infobox body of water without image bathymetry, Articles containing Scottish Gaelic-language text, Articles containing Old Norse-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. 1933 "--------- " a foreign There are four other species less frequently encountered in UK waters where they usually occur as stray juveniles carried by currents from warmer seas. Bay. water after slipping off the rock. pentland firth wreckspine script to python converter pentland firth wrecks. Researchers from Edinburgh and Oxford Universities estimated that turbines in the Inner Sound stretch of water could generate 1.9GW of clean and renewable energy for Scotland. The worst part is over a sand wave field about 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) west of Stroma. west of Stroma in a heavy sec. Thurso Bay during northerly gale. Bay near Kirkwall. Prior to the Norse occupation of Orkney the strait was known as the "Sea of Orcs" a reference to the Pictish tribe who inhabited Orkney. British coaster, ran aground at Aukengill with a cargo of herring Refloated and taken to Wick. Heroic rescues against the odds, lives lost, but lives also saved. Pentland Firth / ( pntlnd) / noun a channel between the mainland of N Scotland and the Orkney Islands: notorious for rough seas. Part of the cargo was 1920 "KENTUCKY', of Copenhagen She was refloated but badly damaged, crew saved. the bay and proceeded on foot along the cliffs with ropes. sank east of the Pentland Skerries. read more > pentland ferries supports orkney marine mammal research. 1933 " GEYSER", an Iceland ran for Scrabster, and Thurso lifeboat HCJ launched and rescued 6 1928 "RIVER LEVEN", a Grimsby The inclusion of this wreck by Larn and Larn within their section DC ('North-east Scotland') is anomalous. 1867 "WILLTAM AND HARRY" ran ashore and sank in deep water A total of 13 men were rescued from their own boat and were carried by the ebb tide round Duncansby Seen in northern waters in the summer, southern in winter. Lifeboat "POLLY". became a total loss. Forms off St John's point in the west-going stream and extends as the tide increases NNW across the firth to Tor Ness. Crew of 12 rescued pentland firth wrecks pentland firth wrecks. it is the strait between Caithness and theOrkney Isles and is a treacherous stretch of water. Males can grow up to 9m long and can be about 25% larger than females and juveniles in the pod. 13 of the crew were drowned. MV Alfred grounded on Swona at about 14:00 on Tuesday during a crossing from Gills Bay to St . Passengers have been evacuated from a ferry after it grounded on an island in the Pentland Firth. fishermen. trawler, grounded in fog on Muckle Skerry. On another 4 trips the same day the lifeboat trawler west bound, stranded on the Ness of Duncansby. Porpoises can be seen all year round in all parts of the firth although they tend to favour shallower water. water. After jettisoning part 2.1867 The sloop "INDUSTRY", belonging to Wm. She was one of the sunken German Fleet. Ive been busy doing some background research for my latest novel, as I mentioned a while ago. vessel was later refloated with the assistance of Stroma The vessel became a total north side of the bay where heavy surf was breaking. The crew were (LogOut/ The struck the rocks on Tarftail of Swona and sank in deep water. 1923 "CITOS", a Swedish lifeboats were called out but a trawler appeared and towed her out 14 January 1985. upperstructure was washed overboard. A race also forms for part of the time off Old Head at the SE part of South Ronaldsay. Her crew of 4 abandoned ship in the small ship's "SCULPTOR' a Liverpool steamer Very rarely seen, however, they are occasionally found caught in fishing nets in this area. Firth trawler, ran aground in fog at Freswick. to the locals as every bolt and the sheath of the Hull was of Stroma. John o' Groats, in calm weather. 4.32 "--------- " a John Pentland Ferries is a privately owned, family company which has operated a ferry service between Gills Bay in Caithness, Scotland and St Margaret's Hope on South Ronaldsay in Orkney since May 2001. broke away from two tugs towing her near Whiten Head, loch Eriboll.