Findochty, Portknockie and Cullen
May 17, 2021
17 May 21. A lucky combination of a calm sea, zero wind and a high tide in the middle of the day, gave us the opportunity to enter three more of Darren Bremner's harbours east of Buckie.
Unusually we kept our "Seafarers" charity banner on the boom (it can cause a few "windage" problems) but this lead to people spotting our boat as we "squeezed" into these tiny picturesque harbours, turned around in very shallow water and went out again. Of course people asked Darren what we were up to! Luckily he knew.
The first harbour was Findochty (NB pronounced "Fin-ech-ty"). Fishing has taken place here since 1716 with the harbour expanding through the 18th and 19th century until Buckie was built and most of the fishing fleet moved there. In the SW corner of the harbour sits a statue of a seated fisherman made in 1959 by a local artist, this is known as the ‘White Mannie’ and he watches over the harbour.
Along the coast was Portknockie – in use as a natural harbour from Iron Age and Pictish times. In 1677 a group of fishermen moved over from Cullen to operate from here with the building of the harbour completed in 1890. A rather more modern addition is a salt water tidal swimming pool (photo 7) and a cheery chap called Xander (I think!) had just finished painting it bright blue.
The third harbour was Cullen (comment with the word "Skink" if you know the delicious thick fish soup that originated here!). The village was given Royal Burgh status in the 12th century with stories going much further back. Built by Thomas Telford in 1819 the harbour is overlooked by the old railway viaducts and is extremely pretty.
Well that was the sixth and last of the harbours looked after by Darren Bremner on behalf of Moray Council and I have to say they, and the communities are very lucky to have him (and his team) as their Harbour Master - a brilliant example of why I am fascinated by HMs and their work - a true guardian of an historic and precious community. @chasing_sterlochy
Unusually we kept our "Seafarers" charity banner on the boom (it can cause a few "windage" problems) but this lead to people spotting our boat as we "squeezed" into these tiny picturesque harbours, turned around in very shallow water and went out again. Of course people asked Darren what we were up to! Luckily he knew.
The first harbour was Findochty (NB pronounced "Fin-ech-ty"). Fishing has taken place here since 1716 with the harbour expanding through the 18th and 19th century until Buckie was built and most of the fishing fleet moved there. In the SW corner of the harbour sits a statue of a seated fisherman made in 1959 by a local artist, this is known as the ‘White Mannie’ and he watches over the harbour.
Along the coast was Portknockie – in use as a natural harbour from Iron Age and Pictish times. In 1677 a group of fishermen moved over from Cullen to operate from here with the building of the harbour completed in 1890. A rather more modern addition is a salt water tidal swimming pool (photo 7) and a cheery chap called Xander (I think!) had just finished painting it bright blue.
The third harbour was Cullen (comment with the word "Skink" if you know the delicious thick fish soup that originated here!). The village was given Royal Burgh status in the 12th century with stories going much further back. Built by Thomas Telford in 1819 the harbour is overlooked by the old railway viaducts and is extremely pretty.
Well that was the sixth and last of the harbours looked after by Darren Bremner on behalf of Moray Council and I have to say they, and the communities are very lucky to have him (and his team) as their Harbour Master - a brilliant example of why I am fascinated by HMs and their work - a true guardian of an historic and precious community. @chasing_sterlochy