The heavy February gale had surprised the collier that had been on its way from Newcastle to London. When the waves crashed mercilessly against its hull and the winds hit its sails with such force that the ship had threatened to capsize, the skipper ordered to run for the Whitby harbour.

When the port came into view, the ship fired signals, and bells were tolled in the harbour town. The lifeboat was launched in case the crew needed assistance.

They did. As the ship approached the port, it was blown off course, southward, and ran aground on the hard shale known as the Scaur, hidden just below the surface. The waves kept beating against the ship until it was broken up into pieces, the Whitby lifeboat only managing to reach the ship just in time to help the terrified crew off.

Nobody in Whitby seemed to care about the loss of the ship however. At first dawn, as the tide was going out, people were already rushing down to the Scaur, now partially exposed, carrying baskets. Entire families showed up, and some visiting Dutch sailors were running ahead of the others to get there first. 

A wrecked collier meant free coal scattered across the Scaur and beaches.