
The Cromarty Archive
No: 698 Contributor: Andrew Bathie Year: 1912
Ships Chart of Cromarty FirthThis is an old ships chart that was produced from a survey of the Cromarty and Moray Firths by HM Surveying Ship “Research” in 1898. The chart had been updated over the years with this issue being dated 1912.
The full chart covers the whole of the Cromarty Firth and the west side of the Moray Firth down as far as Fortrose.
The alignment shown for shipping entering the firth is to line up the “monument on the Hill of Fyrish in line with Invergordon Free Kirk spire and open of Cromarty”.
The wreck of the Natal is not marked so the chart pre-dates 1915. Target mooring buoys are marked to the west of Cromarty and the maximum depth shown is 186 feet midway between the Sutors.

Picture added on 15 March 2004
And the Sutors were then the East Sutor and the West Sutor (not North and South). The Admirality changed the names just after this.
Added by David Alston on 17 March 2004
picture #588 is the 1896 ordnance survey, which refers the 'North Sutor'. Were there fixed names at this time?
Added by Garve Scott-Lodge on 18 March 2004