FLEETWOOD TRAWLER AGROUND IN HEBRIDES Stornoway, Outer Hebrides. The honorary secretary received a message from the Stornoway coastguard at approximately 11.20 on the night of Thursday the 19th September, 1963, stating that a vessel had gone aground below the lookout, about half a mile north of Holm Head. In view of the exposed position and the falling tide the life-boat The James and Margaret Boyd slipped her moorings at 11.59. The tide had ebbed for two and a half hours. The weather was fine with good visibility and a moderate breeze from the south-southwest.

The casualty was discovered to be the Fleetwood trawler Hawfinch, with a crew of 17, which had sailed from Stornoway harbour at eleven o'clock.

The coxswain decided to stand by in case she took a dangerous list as the tide fell. It was low water at three o'clock.

When the tide flooded, the life-boat assisted in refleating the trawler at 8.40 on the morning of the 20th. She sailed into Stornoway at nine o'clock..