River Nile

Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia

The River Nile, registered in Lerwick. This vessel drove ashore from anchor in January 1900, and was abandoned.

There is a lack of clarity in the information available concerning this vessel, one record states she was driven from anchor in Vaila Sound, and this is undisputed. However, it is unclear whether she drove ashore, was got off or refloated herself, then was either beached of went ashore again, or whether she just went ashore once.

The location given for her final resting place, and abandonment, is given in all of the records as the Rerwick Sand, which is in Dunrossness. In the author's opinion, while this may well be correct, especially given the tides between the two locations, they are nevertheless quite some distance apart, and a question must remain, is the given location of Rerwick a mis-spelling of Reawick? Which also has a sand, and is considerably nearer to Vaila Sound.