Isle of Whithorn
Shaun McGuire is exactly what you expect a Harbour Master to be like. A fisherman, a Coastguard, an engineer.... a true mariner. Based in The Isle of Whithorn (no longer an island) he is also the HM for nearby Garlieston (where they trialled the Mulberry Harbours in WW2) and Port William (where they have their own Inshore Resue Service - having been turned down by the RNLI!) We are now in Wigtownshire - and a peninsula known as The Machars. On the northern edge of the Irish Sea - directly between Cumbria and the Mull of Galloway plus the shortest distance from the Isle of Man to the south. As Shaun told me, this unique position means he gets a lot of visiting yachts using his harbour an overnight stopping point. He also gets scallop dredgers landing their catches with him.
Shaun is the chairman of the wonderfully named Galloway Static Gear Fishermen's Association (Lobster and Whelk fishermen to you and me). He is very thankful to #SEAFARERSUK who helped fund 44 Life Jackets and PLBs (Beacons) for his Association.
He told me his most unusual experience was probably when a large RIB appeared at low water and a young lady with a Northern Irish accent asked Shaun 'whereabouts are we?' When he told her, she shouted down to her pals 'I told you it was f***ing Scotland' The RIB belonged to the father of one of the teenagers , and they had decided it would be great to go to the Isle of Man for the day during TT week. After spending the day in Peel, they set off for home and ended up in Isle of Whithorn, a good 90 degrees off course!
Shaun is the chairman of the wonderfully named Galloway Static Gear Fishermen's Association (Lobster and Whelk fishermen to you and me). He is very thankful to #SEAFARERSUK who helped fund 44 Life Jackets and PLBs (Beacons) for his Association.
He told me his most unusual experience was probably when a large RIB appeared at low water and a young lady with a Northern Irish accent asked Shaun 'whereabouts are we?' When he told her, she shouted down to her pals 'I told you it was f***ing Scotland' The RIB belonged to the father of one of the teenagers , and they had decided it would be great to go to the Isle of Man for the day during TT week. After spending the day in Peel, they set off for home and ended up in Isle of Whithorn, a good 90 degrees off course!