The morning of Thursday 26^th February 1874 saw the schooner Elizabeth being driven onto the rocks on the east side of the island. At the time there was a south-easterly gale and ebbing tide. The Elizabeth had left Liverpool bound for Ayr with a cargo of nitrate of soda and oil cake but had to run before the increasing SE gale until she became embayed on the east side of Rathlin. The crew tried desperately to sail off the shore but to no avail. They eventually dropped anchor between 10 and 11am which finally held. Unfortunately, by this time they were caught on Brecan’s Bo – an underwater reef upon which their ship broke up and the crew were lost. All the bodies were recovered, and burial was arranged by the landlord of the island, Mr. Gage.

During this spell of bad weather, the S/S Myrtle turned back on Tuesday when off Torr Head, returning to Portrush with cattle, passengers and general cargo.

Diving information – The Elizabeth was wrecked on the reef immediately opposite Brecan’s Cave on the east side of the island. The only item found in the vicinity of the reef is a large anchor caught on the top of the reef and lying shoreward. I would presume that this is the Elizabeth’s as she lay at anchor for some time before she broke up. It would be worth giving this site a more thorough search as the main part of the wreck has not been found, although after this length of time all one would expect to find is the brass and copper fittings. There is very little current over the site. The depth ranges from 3 to 10 metres and the seabed is covered in kelp with large boulders. The Elizabeth was wrecked with an easterly gale so any wreckage would be close inshore.