LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Spurs, of Grimsby

JANUARY 20TH and 21ST. - ABERDEEN, ABERDEEN NORTH PIER LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS, AND ABERDEEN TORRY LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS. At 7.30 in the evening the steam trawler Spurs, of Grimsby, on her way to the fishing grounds, but trying to get into Aberdeen to land a sick man, was seen to go aground on the north bank of the navigation channel, at the eastern end of the north pier, and the No. 1 motor life-boat Emma Constance was launched at 8.23. The south-easterly wind was moderate, but there was a heavy swell. The north pier life-saving apparatus was assembled and the tug St. Machar put out. Several attempts were made to tow the Spurs into the tidal basin, but five ropes were carried away and she grounded again, east of the south jetty. There a pilot went on board her and a wire was taken to the north pier by the life-boat and made fast by the L.S.A. In the meantime the tug St. Machar had grounded off the south jetty. The life-boat tried to refloat her, but got a rope round her starboard propeller. She returned, bringing with her part of the tug’s crew, and another tug brought in the St. Machar.

Meanwhile the trawler had refloated again, but was unable to manoeuvre, owing to a damaged propeller, and eventually ran on the beach on the south bank, west of the old south breakwater. It was now one o’clock in the morning of the 21st. The Torry lifesaving apparatus was at once called out and fired a line to the trawler, but it was thought safer for her crew to wait for the life-boat. It was then three o’clock. As her fouled propeller could not be cleared, the lifeboat went out again on one engine. The trawler’s crew put their gear aboard the lifeboat, but preferred not to jump and decided to wait for low water, so the life-boat returned at seven o’clock. About ten o’clock the Torry L.S.A. landed eleven of the crew, and the pilot, by breeches buoy, and a few minutes later three others waded ashore. At 4.30 in the afternoon another four of the crew were taken off by the Torry L.S.A. This left on board the master, and he was taken off by a salvage vessel on the following day, the 22nd.

- Rewards : life-boat, £15 10s. 6d. ; North Pier L.S.A., £11 10s. 6d. ; Torry L.S.A., £35.