SS Ellan Vannin (1854) via Peel and onwards to the north of Ireland. It would appear that the vessel was being utilised to her maximum. Sailings to Whitehaven and Liverpool were maintained whilst sailings to Glasgow and from Liverpool to Dundrum via the Isle of Man were introduced. However it would seem that the company continued to sustain losses over the winter of 1857-58, and by March 1858 it had been decided to put the "Ellan Vannin" up for sale by public auction. She was sailed to Trafalgar Dock, Liverpool on 6 March, where she was laid up awaiting sale. She was offered for
SS Ellan Vannin (1883) passage – something which would have caused her master no particular concern. However, the weather rapidly worsened and by 06:35hrs, when the ship arrived at the Mersey Bar lightship, the wind had risen to a Hurricane Force 12, and waves were reported to be exceeding in height. A strong consensus at the time was that with a following sea the "Ellan Vannin" had made good time to the Bar Lightship. Upon reaching the Bar her course would have been changed from approximately 130 degrees to 080 degrees as she entered the approach channel to the river. This would have caused