On the morning of the 5th October the steam trawler Ocean Prince, of Aber- deen, outward bound from Aberdeen, was making for Stromness Harbour with damaged boiler, when she ran aground on the Point of Ness, near Stromness. The vessel and crew were in no immediate danger, for the weather was fine and the beach comparatively flat. Attempts were made to refloat the vessel, but to no purpose. The men resolved to stay on board. In the evening a gale sprang up from the S.W., and the crew became alarmed.

They burned flares and made other signals of distress. The sea was very rough and the night very dark, with heavy showers of rain. The motor Life-boat John A. Hay set out and soon reached the scene. With considerable difficulty the crew of the trawler, nine men in all, were taken aboard, the sea washing over the Life-boat. The crew were landed safely at Stromness. At 8.30 P.M. and later in the evening a request was made for the Life-boat to stand by the vessel, as it was feared that she would drive off at high water and become a total wreck. At midnight the weather had improved a little, and the Life-boat was again despatched to the vessel with her crew. The men were put on board, and the Life-boat stood by until 3.30 A.M. At that time the vessel had not floated, the men were therefore taken into the Life-boat, which again conveyed them to Stromness.

The motor fitted in the Life-boat was of great assistance on both occasions, and great difficulty would have been experi- enced in reaching the vessel had the boat been without it..