100 years on, but town still has that sinking feeling

From The Standard

In full sail the Falls of Halladale provided a grand spectacle as it slowly sank off the Peterborough coast. On a foggy morning almost 100 years ago, the cargo ship struck a reef about 150 meters out to sea.

Townsfolk watched in awe from the cliff tops as the cargo ship gradually made its way to its watery grave. Next month, the sailing ship will be the talk of the town again when a group of history and shipwreck buffs commemorate the sinking's centenary.

Community activities, including a market, plaque unveiling and a special dinner are planned for the occasion. Although the south-west coast is riddled with notorious shipwrecks - Loch Ard, Schomberg and La Bella to name a few - centenary organizer Rex Mathieson said the Falls of Halladale was unique, describing it as one of the last "great" sailing shipwrecks.

"But what makes the Falls of Halladale more unique is that it had steel masts and wire rigging," Mr Mathieson said.

"Most of the sailing ships of the time had wooden masts and hemp for rigging. The steel tubing on the Falls of Halladale would have made it handle heavy seas a lot easier without causing much damage."

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