The schooner Surprise, of Arbroath, whilst bound from Invergordon to Hartlepool with a cargo of timber, stranded near the mouth of the River Ugie on the 31st January. The) Coastguard re- ported it to the coxswain of the Life- boat George Pickard, who proceeded with- out delay to the assistance of the crew, in tow of a tug. On nearing the vessel the Life-boat met the crew of the schooner in their own boat making for the shore, and asked them to return to their vessel and try to get her off. As none of them except the captain would do so, he was taken into the Life-boat, and the rest of the men proceeded in their boat.

Four of the Life-boatmen and the captain were placed on board the schooner, and with their assistance and by means of the Life-boat a hawser was conveyed to the tug, and eventually the schooner was towed off and taken into Peterhead Harbour..