31/01/2026
On 30 January 1886, 60-year-old Elizabeth "Betty" Mouat embarked on a journey from Grutness near Sumburgh to Lerwick as the sole passenger aboard the sailing vessel Columbine. The purpose of her voyage was to visit her sister, sell some of her knitted goods and consult a doctor due to her recent illness. During the journey, a sudden storm arose, causing both the captain and the mate to be swept overboard by a powerful wave. The mate managed to return to the ship, and together with the deckhand, the only other crew member, they launched a small boat to search for the captain. Unfortunately, they found no sign of him and soon realised that the Columbine was being carried away by the storm, making it impossible to reach. Eventually, the two men were able to reach land and raise the alarm. A search was initiated for the Columbine and its sole passenger, Betty Mouat, but after two days, it was determined that both had been lost in the storm. On 7 February 1886, the Columbine washed ashore on a beach at Lepsøy, near Ålesund, Norway. When local villagers arrived, they discovered Betty Mouat alive and in good health, having survived for nine days on a single bottle of milk and some ship's biscuits. She was subsequently repatriated to Edinburgh and arrived in Lerwick aboard the steamer St Clair in late March. Her remarkable survival made her an instant celebrity, and an appeal for public donations to assist her garnered a letter and a contribution of £20 from Queen Victoria.
