During a full south-easterly gale, the schooner Fridealk of Christiansand, laden with coal from Hartlepool and bound for Wick, was driven by heavy seas to a very dangerous position on the north side of the bay, her crew dropping anchor just clear of the rocks. They immediately hoisted distress signals and the Wick Lifeboat, under the command of David Williamson, who had taken over from Allan McLeod in about 1880, was quickly launched, being manned by fifteen men. After a desperate struggle in very heavy seas and in spite of the rocks close-by, the crew of five were rescued from the schooner and landed at Wick.