Aberdeenshire Shipwrecks in the Sand

Looking for those shipwrecks…

The search for Aberdeenshire shipwrecks begins by walking barefoot along the sands between St Combs and Scotstown. There are many wrecks to be seen here.

Aye, aye, me hearties! Prepare yersels for the photos…

Aberdeenshire Shipwrecks

Aberdeenshire shipwrecks: shifting sands uncover a ship

I don’t know the name or date of this first wreck. It’s wooden and relatively small and sometimes entirely covered by the shifting sands that it, no doubt, fell victim to. It’s well bedecked with seaweed.

Aberdeenshire shipwrecks: part of a ship - Ailish Sinclair, author

Close by is a large metallic boat. It’s usually more submerged than this. I *think* it’s the HMS Erne. She ran aground in 1915 and broke her back.

Aberdeenshire shipwrecks: another victim of the shifting sands

We get to go right up to it.

Barnacles

barnacles on a shipwreck - Ailish Sinclair, author

And touch the barnacles.

Aberdeenshire shipwrecks

And wonder if that’s a treasure chest…

The Excelsior of Laurwig

A bit further on, between Rattray Head and Scotstown, lies a much more well documented ship: the Excelsior of Laurwig, a Norwegian barque that was wrecked in 1881. It’s one of the most impressive Aberdeenshire shipwrecks.

Aberdeenshire shipwrecks: The Excelsior of Laurwig, a Norwegian barque wrecked in 1881 - Ailish Sinclair, author
Aberdeenshire shipwrecks
Aberdeenshire shipwrecks: Excelsior of Laurwig, wrecked in 1881 - Ailish Sinclair, writer

Not a Shipwreck

There is another, somewhat different, wreck on this bit of coastline, sometimes to be seen wedged into the sand:

some wrecks that get stuck in the sand are not boats!

Cruden Bay

Now, let’s head to Cruden Bay and see if we can find any more shipwrecks.

bridge to Aberdeenshire shipwrecks?

Trip, trap, trip. trap, across the bridge. To find…

shipwrecks?

Is it a wreck? I’m not sure. It may be part of a defense from WW2. It’s not very boat-shaped…

But it’s a great beach on which to finish our walk.

rocks

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43 Replies to “Aberdeenshire Shipwrecks in the Sand”

  1. Sorry to be so late getting to this, but I do have a question, since you mention so many wrecks. Is there a history or tradition of “wreckers” on that part of the Scottish coast, people who would go out at night and use lights to trick ships into coming too close to shore so they would be wrecked, and the locals going aboard to loot the ships? There were such people in Cornwall and the barrier islands in North Carolina.

  2. I live quite a distance from the sea so I am very jealous you get to wander down to look at different ship wrecks. It must be fascinating!

  3. Excellent photography. Beautiful very old boat. It’s wooden boat. Beautiful all photos. Nice you share your walk on sea & Sand.

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