Carr Rock.
The Carr forms the seaward termination of a reef of sunken rocks which appear at low-water, extending about a mile and three quarters from the shore of Fifeness, on the northern side of the entrance of the Firth of Forth. The very dangerous position of this rock, as a turning point, in the navigation of the northern-bound shipping of the Firth , will be seen from the chart of the coast, [Plate IV.] It seemed necessary, therefore, for the safety of navigation, that the Carr Rock, in connection with the several light-houses of the Bell Rock, Isle of May, and Inchkeith, should be made as easily distinguishable to the mariner as possible.
Shipwrecks at the Carr Rock.
The author, while occupied with the works at the Bell Rock, having been often struck with the frequent and distressing occurrence of shipwreck at the Carr Rock, was induced to collect information as to the probable numbers of these wrecks; and he accordingly obtained, from persons who had good access to know, the following list of wrecked vessels, for a period of nine years prior to the commencement of the works at the Carr Rock.
| List of Shipwrecks off Fifeness, between the Years 1800 and 1809. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Vessels’ Names. | Masters’ Names. | Descriptions. | Port belonging to. |
| Unknown. | Simpson. | Sloop. | South Ferry. |
| Martha. | Clark. | Do. | Crail. |
| Leven. | Phillip. | Do. | Leven. |
| Neptune. | Finlay. | Do. | Dundee. |
| Unknown. | Brown. | Do. | Kincardine. |
| Aurora. | Leslie. | Brig. | Arbroath. |
| Lady Charlotte. | Duncan. | Sloop. | Aberdeen. |
| Two Brothers. | Carfrae. | Brig. | Dundee. |
| Expedition. | Nicol. | Sloop. | Kincardine. |
| Isabella. | Rintoul. | Do. | Perth. |
| Unknown. | Johnston. | Do. | Do. |
| Do. | Unknown. | Do. | John’s Haven. |
| New Deer. | Banks. | Do. | Kirkaldy. |
| Unknown. | Hamson. | Galliot. | Christiansand. |
| Countess of Elgin. | Gowans. | Sloop. | John’s Haven. |
| Unknown. | Small. | Do. | South Ferry. |
Floating-buoy moored off the Carr.
By this melancholy list we find, that no fewer than sixteen vessels have, in the course of nine years, been either lost or stranded on the Carr Rocks, being almost at the rate of two wrecks in the year. From this alarming state of things, it was thought advisable to bring the subject under the notice of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, when the Board immediately ordered a Floating-buoy, of a large size, to be moored off the Carr. The moorings for this buoy were laid down, upon the 18th of September 1809, in 10 fathoms water, at the distance of about 200 fathoms, in a north-eastern direction, from the rock. But, owing to the heavy swell of sea, and the rocky sandstone bottom on this part of the coast, it was found hardly possible to prevent the buoy from occasionally drifting, even although it had been attached to part of the great chain, made from bar-iron, measuring 1½ inch square, with which the Bell Rock floating light had been moored for upwards of four years, without injury. The moorings of the Carr Rock-buoy, from the continual rubbing upon the sandstone bottom, were worn through with the friction in the course of ten months; and during the four years which it rode here, though regularly examined and replaced, in the proper season of the year, it was no less than five times adrift, to the great inconveniency and hazard of shipping.
A Beacon of masonry is resolved on.
Under these circumstances, the Light-house Board was induced to erect a Beacon of masonry upon the Carr Rock itself, instead of the Floating-buoy. This work was commenced in the month of June, in the year 1813, under the direction of the writer. The stone for this building was taken from an excellent sandstone quarry on the property of Lord Kellie, near the mouth of Pitmilly Burn: But, owing to the smallness of the rock, the depth of water upon it, and the exposed nature of the situation, the work was afterwards attended with very great difficulty.