The wooden barque Esra was launched from the Arandel yard of S Jorgensen in 1894. She measured 125.6′ x 29.9′ x 16.0′ and her tonnage was 423 gross tons, 365 net tons. Owned initially by her builder’s shipping company she was sold to A Andersen of Grimstad in September 1893 before being sold to her final owner, Nicolay Olsen and a syndicate of businessmen in Grimstad.
Lloyd’s register 1898
In November 1898 she was en route from Sundsvall, a Swedish port north of Stockholm, to Belfast with a cargo of timber. She was under the command of her captain A Anderssen who had a crew of eight men and a single passenger aboard. As they reached a point off the Butt of Lewis she lost her rudder in a storm and, despite the efforts of the captain to keep her off shore, she was gradually pushed towards the Lewis coastline. Fortuitously she drifted towards the bay at Camas na-Clibhe (Cliff Beach) where she ran aground on the broad sandy beach. Everyone aboard safely reached the shore and safety.
The ship herself was high and dry in the shallows and ultimately became a total wreck. She was presumably subject to substantial salvage, either officially or unofficially. The bell recovered from the wreck is on display in Uig museum.
Bell from Esra (Uig museum)
The wreckage of the Esra lies where she went ashore in a position approximately 58° 13.329′ N, 06° 58.288′ W. Various metallic remains are visible in the centre of the bay at low tide.
