55-482: Stromness Lifeboat Station is located in the harbour town of Stromness , the second largest town of Mainland, Orkney , in the isles of Orkney , Scotland . A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1867. Since 1998, the station has operated a Severn-class All-weather lifeboat, 17-16 Violet, Dorothy and Kathleen (ON 1236). On 1 January 1866,
110-540: A uranium mine in the area. The title refers to yellowcake , the powder produced in an early stage of the processing of uranium ore . The Revue was first performed by the composer at the Stromness Hotel on 21 June 1980, as part of the St Magnus Festival ; plans for the uranium mine were cancelled later that year. Stromness is also the title of a 2009 novel by Herbert Wetterauer . Stromness plays host to
165-418: A "tide lump" ( Shetland dialect : a rapid escalation of tidal activity) fell into the 20-foot (6.1 m) rowing boat which Smiling Morn had in tow, and it sank. Smiling Morn ' s skipper, John Jamieson, was adamant in attempting a rescue despite the danger to his own crew, and due to this a fight nearly broke out upon the ship, leading the rest of the crew to tie him up to keep him from doing so. Despite
220-493: A 33-foot 10-oared self-righting lifeboat at £280 was placed with Forrestt of Limehouse , London, and a launch-carriage cost a further £98-10s-0d. Transported to Stromness free of charge by the 'Aberdeen Steam Navigation company', and 'Edinburgh, Leith and Clyde Shipping company'. The boat arrived in Stromness in the summer of 1867. The lifeboat was provided out of a gift from Bradford manufacturer and philanthropist Titus Salt , and
275-561: A good outcome. On 28 March 1930, in gale conditions, the Aberdeen trawler Ben Doran was wrecked on Ve Skerries , near Papa Stour , on the west side of Shetland . Despite recent moves to locate a lifeboat in Lerwick , there were no lifeboats based in Shetland. After all other rescue attempts failed, the Stromness lifeboat, being the nearest, was launched at 4:30pm on 30 March. In very poor conditions,
330-524: A similar boat for Stromsay , she covered the 768 in 15 days, arriving in Stromness on 30 April. On 15 June 1916, during the First World War , the HMS Hampshire struck a mine off Marwick Head, just 12 north of Stromness, and sank with the loss of 737 lives, including that of Field Marshal Earl Kitchener . There were only 12 survivors. There is speculation whether it would have made any difference given
385-508: A situation far beyond that normally expected of a helicopter on rescue service." Late on 3 August 2019, the UK-registered, Spanish-owned fishing vessel Coelleira was returning to Scrabster from about 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi) north of Yell Sound 's entrance with a catch of approximately 15 tonnes of fish. Apart from the low light, the conditions were ideal - there was clear visibility, smooth seas and light winds. With
440-502: A volunteer crew was assembled, including Captain George Bain as the chief pilot, and Major Alasdair Campbell as a winchman . They reached the scene within about an hour and, with the aid of another helicopter and an RAF Nimrod trying to provide light in the dark conditions, they proceeded with the rescue attempt in horrendous weather. The light coming from dropped flares from the Nimrod
495-617: Is bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean , on the south and southeast by Hoy Sound, and on the northeast by the Loch of Stenness . Antiquities include Breckness House , erected in 1633 by George Graham , Bishop of Orkney, at the west entrance of Hoy Sound. The Stromness branch of the Orkney Library and Archive is housed in a building given to the library service in 1905 by Marjory Skea Corrigall. Writer George Mackay Brown (1921–1996)
550-608: Is the second-most populous town in Orkney , Scotland . It is in the southwestern part of Mainland, Orkney . It is a burgh with a parish around the outside with the town of Stromness as its capital. The name "Stromness" comes from the Old Norse Straumnes . Straumr refers to the strong tides that rip past the Point of Ness through Hoy Sound to the south of the town. Nes means "headland". Stromness thus means "headland protruding into
605-611: The Albion was wrecked on Graemsay , one of the Orkney Islands. Fortunately 90 people survived, but 10 people died. Following this event, a request was made to the RNLI to open a lifeboat station in the area, and after a visit by their Inspector of Lifeboats, this was agreed. At the time, Stromness would be the most northerly of all the RNLI stations. A boathouse was constructed at The Ness by Robertson & Smith, costing £144-19s-6d, An order for
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#1732875954911660-552: The Pier Arts Centre , a collection of twentieth-century British art given to the people of Orkney by artists such as Margaret Gardiner . Stromness presents to the Atlantic a range of cliffs between 100 and 500 feet (30 and 150 metres) high, and to Hoy Sound a band of fertile lowlands. The rocks possess great geological interest, and were made well known by the publication of the evangelical geologist Hugh Miller , The Footprints of
715-598: The RNLI 's Lerwick branch, George Theodore Kay, who was aware of the geography of the Ve Skerries, thought that a ship the size of Arora would struggle to come close enough to Ben Doran to effect a rescue attempt. He learned that a smaller motor boat named Smiling Morn was berthed in Voe, Delting , and suggested that this vessel accompanied by a four-oared rowing boat would have a better chance at success. He, with John Falconer, master of
770-471: The chartplotter , and while he did see a lighthouse light towards the port bow, he assumed it was a lighthouse on the mainland. At an unspecified time, the skipper left the wheelhouse , and (according to a Marine Accident Investigation Branch report) while the skipper was returning to his post at 01:24, Coelleira ran aground on the Clubb travelling at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). The crew awoke with
825-460: The Creator or The Asterolepsis of Stromness (1849). Ve Skerries The Ve Skerries or Vee Skerries ( Old Norse : Vestan sker , West Skerries) are a group of low skerries (rocky islands) three miles (4.8 km) north west of Papa Stour , on the west coast of Shetland , Scotland. They define the southwest perimeter of St Magnus Bay . The skerries are: This modern lighthouse on
880-594: The Norwegian Consul to Leith aboard SS Queen on Thursday 13 May . On 29 March 1930, the Aberdeen steam trawler Ben Doran ran aground on the north end of Heligoblo in bad weather and rough sea conditions, due in part to poor coverage in nautical charts of the area, and lack of knowledge of the tides around the shallow reef surrounding the Ve Skerries which were considered unpredictable even to experienced Shetland fishermen. Another passing trawler brought news of
935-603: The Stromness area, served as traders, explorers and seamen for both. Captain Cook 's ships, Discovery and Resolution , called at the town in 1780 on their return voyage from the Hawaiian Islands , where Captain Cook had been killed. Stromness Museum reflects these aspects of the town's history (displaying for example important collections of whaling relics, and Inuit artefacts brought back as souvenirs by local men from Greenland and Arctic Canada ). Stromness harbour
990-503: The accident to Lerwick by 5pm, after which the Stromness Lifeboat Station in Orkney was notified, and Board of Trade's life-saving apparatus - a rocket propelled rope to shoot to another vessel, to allow for it to be towed to safety - was arranged and taken by lorry to Ronas Voe . The apparatus was taken aboard the steam trawler Arora and it departed towards the Ve Skerries at 2am on 30 March. Honorary Secretary of
1045-505: The assistance of John Henderson, and headed towards the Ve Skerries. Smiling Morn arrived before 5am at the Ve Skerries, which Arora had reached first. Heavy seas and high winds continued and proved to make a very difficult rescue attempt. Five of Ben Doran' s crew were seen clinging to the ship's rigging while sea spray hit them. Arora made an approach, however they only reached in far enough that their crew thought that they would not be able to return to safety, and still Ben Doran
1100-697: The cabin table still going." They were able to retrieve more of the ship's papers still aboard the vessel, which were passed on to the Receiver of Wreck in Scalloway . The following day Pole Star learned the crew had arrived in Olnafirth while delivering supplies to Muckle Roe. Some of the Illeri crew (including the captain) visited the wreck again on Monday 10 May, however the ship was by then "a total wreck". The crew were forwarded on to Lerwick on 11 May, and were then sent by
1155-437: The conditions, but the lifeboat was never called out. Melville, Dundas and Whitsun, of Glasgow started construction of a replacement boathouse and roller-slipway in 1925, on the site of the previous boathouse. Costing £10,660, it was completed in 1926. However, when a new lifeboat was due for Stromness two years later, it was proposed that they receive a 60-foot Barnett-class lifeboat, which would need to be kept afloat due to
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#17328759549111210-458: The early 1900s, using modified Pulling and Sailing lifeboats (lifeboats with oars and sails). In 1907, the RNLI placed an order with Thames Ironworks for four new purpose-built motor-powered lifeboats. The first of these was the £2,995 42-foot self-righting John A. Hay (ON 591), with a 30 hp petrol engine, providing 6.5 knots, funded from the legacy of Mr John Alexander Hay of Cheltenham. Setting out from London Docks on 15 April 1909, along with
1265-471: The effort put in by the crew of each of the would-be rescue vessels, they resolved that nothing more could be done and so they abandoned the rescue. The Stromness Lifeboat Station was alerted to the unsuccessful attempt by 4pm 30 March. By 4:45pm the Stromness Lifeboat departed, reaching Scalloway by 7:30am on 31 March. By the time the lifeboat arrived at the Ve Skerries, only the gallows for supporting
1320-501: The hunter feared he would not be able to hold on to the seal skin of Gioga all the way back, and pleaded to be allowed to cut holes in her skin to which he could hold, to which Gioga complied. The hunter was successfully transported to Akers Geo, Papa Stour, after which he dutifully retrieved Ollavitinus' skin from a skeo (Shetland dialect: a hut of loosely constructed stone for wind-drying meat or fish) in Hamnavoe, allowing him to return to
1375-432: The intention of returning as quickly as possible (due to unexpected delays in their fishing operations), the ship's mate set the vessel on a heading of 184° and proceeded at a speed of 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) to keep close to the coast in order to save time. At 21:42 the heading was set to 204°. At 22:30 the skipper (a 56-year-old Spanish national) took over watch from the mate, who went to bed. The skipper over
1430-592: The largest type of the RNLI fleet, fitted with twin Caterpillar 3412 1200 bhp marine diesel engines, providing a top speed of 25 knots, and cost £1,580,000. Funded from the estate of the late Miss Violet Matton of Seaford, East Sussex , and the wills of her two sisters, Dorothy and Kathleen, she was named 17-16 Violet, Dorothy and Kathleen (ON 1236). The following are awards made at Stromness Stromness Stromness ( locally / ˈ s t r ʌ m n ɪ s / , Old Norse : Straumnes ; Norn : Stromnes )
1485-522: The lifeboat first sailed to Scalloway as a staging point for food and a refuel, arriving at 7:30 am on the 31 March, before heading around Shetland with a local Pilot, to Ve Skerries. All that was found was the wreck, and no survivors. The lifeboat headed back to Scalloway, before commencing the 16½ hour journey back to Stromness, arriving at 11:00pm on 1 April. J.J.K.S.W. (ON 702) had been away for 55 hours, and travelled 320 miles. In 1998, Stromness received their latest lifeboat. A Severn-class lifeboat,
1540-489: The lighthouse's construction was the first example of the technique's use in Scotland. In 2020 the lighthouse was nominated to become a Category B listed building . The lighthouse is not open to the public; its exposed location makes landings by sea difficult. Due to the low depth of water in the vicinity, and unpredictable currents, the Ve Skerries are notorious for their danger to passing ships. Many ships have wrecked on
1595-414: The loss of their only way to return home (each selkie only possessing a single skin). In particular, one selkie named Ollavitinus would not be able to return to his wives and would be imprisoned on land. When the stranded hunter was spotted, Ollavitinus' mother Gioga offered to transport him back to Papa Stour as long as he would return her son's skin, which the hunter agreed to. With the weather worsening,
1650-446: The next 2 hours made five adjustments to the ships' heading in order to follow the coast. The skipper during this time worked on fish landing records and other managerial work. It is not known how often the vessel's position was checked. At 00:23 on 4 August, vessel was set to heading of 206° with the aim of keeping around 3.5 nautical miles (6.5 km; 4.0 mi) away from any navigational risk. The skipper did not see any hazards on
1705-514: The north coast of mainland Scotland . First recorded as the site of an inn in the sixteenth century, Stromness became important during the late seventeenth century, when Great Britain was at war with France and shipping was forced to avoid the English Channel . Ships of the Hudson's Bay Company were regular visitors, as were whaling fleets. Large numbers of Orkneymen , many of whom came from
Stromness Lifeboat Station - Misplaced Pages Continue
1760-438: The rest of the group to assemble in their boat, but left him stranded. Despite trying to rescue him, he had to be abandoned due to the worsening weather. Several selkies (in the form of seals) then landed on the Ve Skerries, took off their skins and proceeded to rescue those of their kind who had been clubbed, stunned and skinned by the hunters. Those who had been skinned began to regain consciousness, and expressed their sorrow over
1815-515: The rocks. While travelling between the Faroe Islands and Leith in ballast under the command of Captain Samuelson, Illeri went aground on the northeast end of the Ve Skerries early in the morning of Sunday 9 May 1909 due to poor visibility in thick fog. The conditions were calm enough to allow the crew to consider abandoning ship in a smaller boat kept aboard. When the ship started breaking up,
1870-450: The set up of the bridge's controls may have made it more difficult to observe risks to the ship. Following his tour of Shetland, Samuel Hibbert reported that the Ve Skerries were recounted by Shetlanders as being a retreat of the " Haaf-fish " (more commonly known as selkies) - creatures that would take the appearance of seal, but could take off their skins and would appear human, allowing them to fraternise on land. Because seal clubbing
1925-519: The ship was deemed unsalvageable. In the following days the ship broke up and sank. In its report on the incident, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch concluded that the planning of the passage between the fishing grounds and Scrabster was inadequate, the ship's position was not kept track of, and bridge was empty when the ship went aground. They posed that the skipper's decision making may have been impacted by fatigue, while
1980-550: The ship's anchor could be seen. All of the nine crew members believed to have been on board were killed. The wrecking of Ben Doran and the deaths of the crew validated the need for a lifeboat to be stationed in Shetland. In 1933 the Aith Lifeboat Station was opened. The wreck of the Ben Doran is used as a dive site for sport divers and underwater photographers. On 9 December 1977 Elinor Viking , an Aberdeen trawler
2035-592: The ship's papers were gathered and it was abandoned. The boat was directed to Muckle Roe , where they were redirected to Olnafirth where the Norwegian Olna Whaling Station was based, to which they safely arrived. On the same morning, a report from Sandness reached Divisional Officer Mr Rogers at Fort Charlotte , Lerwick that the ship had wrecked. He summoned the Northern Lighthouse Commissioners' steamship Pole Star (which
2090-426: The size. Honorary Secretary at Stromness, Mr George Thompson, travelled to London to meet RNLI 'Naval Architect' James Rennie Barnett , and the result was the 51-foot Barnett (Stromness-class) lifeboat, suitable for slipway launches from a boathouse. As it turned out, the new Stromness lifeboat, J.J.K.S.W. (ON 702), would be the only one housed. Stromness Lifeboat performed an exceptional service in 1930, but without
2145-408: The skerry below. It was built to tolerate forces from the sea of up to 2 long tons per square foot (22 t/m ) at the base, and 0.5 long tons per square foot (5.5 t/m ) at the peak. Despite its remote location, construction only took four months with the aid of helicopters , whereas using conventional techniques might have made construction take a matter of years. The use of post-tensioning in
2200-566: The sound of the collision, whereupon they assembled in the wheelhouse and donned survival suits and life jackets . Two lifeboats were launched off the starboard side. At 01:29 the Shetland Coastguard were notified of the accident, and in response the Aith lifeboat and a rescue helicopter were sent to the scene. All 15 crew were winched aboard the helicopter, and were returned to Lerwick uninjured. Attempts were subsequently made to refloat
2255-418: The tidal stream". In Viking times the anchorage where Stromness now stands was called Hamnavoe. A long-established seaport, Stromness has a population of approximately 2,500 residents. The old town is clustered along the characterful and winding main street, flanked by houses and shops built from local stone, with narrow lanes and alleys branching off it. There is a ferry link from Stromness to Scrabster on
Stromness Lifeboat Station - Misplaced Pages Continue
2310-482: The trawler Boscobell , and W. H. Dougall from The Missions to Seamen proceeded to Voe and enrolled the assistance of Smiling Morn . They headed for Housa Voe, Papa Stour to procure the expertise of someone there with experience of the seabed around the Ve Skerries. By entering Housa Voe in rough conditions and during the night, they themselves nearly collided with a sunken rock. Upon landfall in Housa Voe they enlisted
2365-481: The vessel. The ship was surveyed with assistance from the Sullom Voe Terminal tug Tystie , however during the inspection the vessel rolled 5-10° to port, at which point the men aboard were evacuated. The emergency towing vessel Ievoli Black attempted to pull Coelleira off the Clubb on 7 August, however during the attempt the ship tilted over 55° to port, and with a forecast of poor sea conditions and weather
2420-463: The west side of Ormal was erected following the loss of Elinor Viking . It replaced a lighted buoy itself put in place after the loss of Ben Doran. It was also put in place to serve the increase in shipping brought about by the construction of Sullom Voe oil terminal . Built by engineer R. J. MacKay, the lighthouse was first lit on 27 September 1979. The tower is anchored with 18 steel bars, which are secured between 10–16 feet (3.0–4.9 m) into
2475-424: The winch operator nearly took the decision to sever the cable to Campbell, however he was able to be retrieved back into the helicopter and immediately offered to be lowered again. Using a rock which was repeatedly out of view with the swell as the best reference, Bain was able to keep the aircraft steady to continue the rescue. Through the following hour and twenty minutes, lowering approximately twelve times, Campbell
2530-420: Was (in the past) practised, and because seals would tend to lie on the Ve Skerries, the islanders of Papa Stour would go there to hunt the seals for the purpose of retrieving their skins, and according to these tales, would sometimes end up hunting the selkies. One such tale attested that a seal hunter in a party of several, after killing and skinning several seals, was caught out by a sudden swell which caused
2585-521: Was able to hoist up the crew. The last to leave the ship was the skipper, who (either through hypothermia or shock) could not let go of the ships railing, requiring Campbell to hit him to continue the rescue. Despite the crew of the helicopter not being trained for rescue work, all 8 of Elinor Viking's crew were successfully winched to safety. Both Bain and Campbell received Queen's Gallantry Medals for "outstanding bravery, skill and determination in conditions of extreme weather and darkness operating in
2640-439: Was born and lived most of his life in the town, and is buried in the town's cemetery overlooking Hoy Sound. His poem " Hamnavoe " is set in the town, and is in part a memorial to his father John, a local postman. Stromness is also named in the title of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies 's popular piano piece "Farewell to Stromness", a piano interlude from The Yellow Cake Revue , which was written in 1980 to protest against plans to open
2695-404: Was deemed impossible to time correctly with the winch lowering, such that their only effective source of light was the helicopter's landing lights. Elinor Viking had developed considerable list as it began to sink. Campbell, upon his first attempt being lowered down to the ship, was unexpectedly swayed and his cable became caught in the mast of the ship. The risk of losing the helicopter meant that
2750-494: Was duly named Saltaire after his model village near Shipley in Yorkshire . An RNLI inspection in 1890 proved that The Ness was a difficult location to launch the boat. At a practice launch into a gale, it took over an hour to get the boat afloat. Whilst conditions were still not perfect at Stromness, it was recommended that the boat be relocated to Stromness harbour and remain afloat. A new 42-foot 12-oared Self-righting lifeboat
2805-400: Was leaving port) by semaphore to return and conveyed the report to the chief officer. Pole Star then proceeded to the Ve Skerries, where they found the ship waterlogged and abandoned. The ships' state indicated it had been quickly abandoned - The Orkney Herald reported that "they found the sails merely clued up, but not stowed, the side lights burning, and a 24 hour alarm timepiece lying on
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#17328759549112860-548: Was ordered from McAlister of Dumbarton , funded by the Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds (Ashton Order) Friendly Society , and named Good Shepherd at a ceremony in Greenock on 16 May 1891. The boat arrived in Stromness on 15 June 1891. Work began in 1900 on the construction of a new boathouse with roller slipway at Stromness harbour. Costing £1250, the boathouse was completed in 1902. RNLI trials of motor-powered lifeboats began in
2915-445: Was out of reach. Retreating, they relayed that an additional two crewmembers were spotted in the rigging. Ben Doran 's position in the middle of the skerries (being 600 yards (550 m) west from the nearest skerry) meant there was no plausible means of rescue, owing to the shallow reef surrounding it. Kay, who examined the area 2 months later, commented that it was "abundantly clear that rescue would have been hopeless." At one point
2970-513: Was rebuilt to the designs of John Barron in 1893. At Stromness Pierhead is a statue by North Ronaldsay sculptor Ian Scott, depicting John Rae standing erect with an inscription describing him as "the discoverer of the final link in the first navigable Northwest Passage", which was unveiled in 2013. The parish of Stromness includes the islands of Hoy and Graemsay in addition to a tract of land about 5 by 3 + 3 ⁄ 4 miles (8.0 by 6.0 kilometres) on Mainland, Orkney . The Mainland part
3025-461: Was wrecked on the east side of Reaverack due to extreme weather conditions. The Aith Lifeboat was sent to the scene, however due to the wreck's position it was not able to get close enough to the vessel to transfer to the crew to safety. Both of the ship's liferafts had been swept away by the sea, and the ship had been breached and lay half-filled with water. An appeal was made to Sumburgh Airport where British Airways had helicopters stationed, and
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