The steel steamship Jura was launched from the yard of Robert Duncan and Co Ltd., Glasgow (Yard No 353) on 23rd June 1923. She measured 250.0′ x 37.2′ x 16.8′ and her tonnage was 1507 gross tons., 923 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by D Rowan and Co Ltd, Glasgow delivering 138 net horse power. Built for the Scandanavian Shipping Co Ltd (Glen and Co Ltd, mgrs)., Glasgow she operated on the North Sea and Baltic routes for her short career.
Extract Lloyd’s Register 1926
On 9th October 1926 she was en route from Belfast to Rostock in ballast under the command of Captain Ambrose with a crew of sixteen men aboard. She had taken refuge from a strong north east gale in Murkle Bay, Caithness but unfortunately, almost immediately, her anchor cables snapped in the huge swells and she came ashore. A local man, Captain George Johnson of Castletown, and his friend Albert Williams, were walking on the shore and saw the Jura come ashore. A line was thrown from the stranded ship and the men, plunging into the surf to retrieve it, succeeded in securing the line ashore. Shortly after the local rescue brigade arrived on the scene and, after erecting their breeches buoy apparatus, pulled the seventeen men aboard the Jura safely to shore.
SS Jura aground in Muriel Bay, Dunnet
The ship was hard aground with sternpost torn off and badly holed in the forward areas. She was buffeted by huge swells and grinding on the rocks. Her position looked perilous. On 11th October the Liverpool and Glasgow Salvage Association personnel were on site and filed the following report: ‘ At low water this morning unable to board, vessel resting on shelving rocks on south side of Dunnet Bay, head due south, stern seawards, exposed west to north. Vessel flooded throughout, sternpost, rudder and propeller gone and forefoot badly damaged assume extensive bottom damage. In view of extremely exposed position, season of year and difficulty of approach from land or sea, which will materially affect operations, consider prospects of salvage very doubtful, but given good weather not impossible. The salvage steamer could not get alongside. Approach from land over 250 yards of rough rocks.’ Later the same day, with the salvage team finally able to board the wreck, they cabled again to say that the water was ebbing and flowing freely throughout the ship and that salvage was hopeless. She was abandoned as a total wreck.
