Methil, Kirkcaldy, Burnt Island
June 19, 2022
19 to 21 Jun '21. As we sailed west into the narrowing Firth of Forth, Edinburgh appeared on our left and the three imposing Forth Bridges slowly emerged ahead of us. We sailed past three industrial and historic harbours ... I was to meet their Harbour Master a few days later.
First Methil. Do you recognise the name?
"Methil no more".
Remember the song "Letter From America" by the Proclaimers? In the words (photo 3) the artists compare the Highland Clearances of the early 19thC with Thatcherism in the early 1980s when the closure of heavy industry (later the Fife coal mines) in the central belt of Scotland caused massive unemployment and a movement of people.
Methil now is a centre for wind turbine construction. In 2013 Samsung built the world's largest test offshore turbine here - 7MW and 360 feet high (video 4). Ones being installed in the North Sea in 2021 are 600 ft height but only a little more powerful at 9.5MW. By 2035 (see photo 5 & 6) it is estimated they will be 17MW per turbine - enough to power 20,000 houses. More on wind farms later as I sail south.
Kirkcaldy is pronounced Kirkcoddy! Why? Nobody seems to know! The harbour has been dominated by "Carr's" flour mill (photo 7) since 1826 when Robert Hutchison developed a special way of turning locally grown wheat into traditional shortbread biscuits using unique Scottish grades of flour. Business is still booming and 70% of the wheat is delivered by boat.
Our final destination was Burntisland - again nobody knows how it got its name. The rundown Victorian docks bely the ancient history of this part of Scotland. The site of 4000-year-old rock carvings and a 193-metre tall volcanic plug from the same volcano that formed the Edinburgh Castle Rock. The natural harbour was used by Roman commander Agricola who made camp near here in 83AD. More recently the world’s first roll-on/roll-off ferry started crossing the Firth of Forth in 1850 until the Forth Bridge opened in 1890.
Outside the harbour we watched an oil rig being floated onto a ship - video 9 & photo 10.
Thank you Burntisland Sailing Club for our deep water berth.
First Methil. Do you recognise the name?
"Methil no more".
Remember the song "Letter From America" by the Proclaimers? In the words (photo 3) the artists compare the Highland Clearances of the early 19thC with Thatcherism in the early 1980s when the closure of heavy industry (later the Fife coal mines) in the central belt of Scotland caused massive unemployment and a movement of people.
Methil now is a centre for wind turbine construction. In 2013 Samsung built the world's largest test offshore turbine here - 7MW and 360 feet high (video 4). Ones being installed in the North Sea in 2021 are 600 ft height but only a little more powerful at 9.5MW. By 2035 (see photo 5 & 6) it is estimated they will be 17MW per turbine - enough to power 20,000 houses. More on wind farms later as I sail south.
Kirkcaldy is pronounced Kirkcoddy! Why? Nobody seems to know! The harbour has been dominated by "Carr's" flour mill (photo 7) since 1826 when Robert Hutchison developed a special way of turning locally grown wheat into traditional shortbread biscuits using unique Scottish grades of flour. Business is still booming and 70% of the wheat is delivered by boat.
Our final destination was Burntisland - again nobody knows how it got its name. The rundown Victorian docks bely the ancient history of this part of Scotland. The site of 4000-year-old rock carvings and a 193-metre tall volcanic plug from the same volcano that formed the Edinburgh Castle Rock. The natural harbour was used by Roman commander Agricola who made camp near here in 83AD. More recently the world’s first roll-on/roll-off ferry started crossing the Firth of Forth in 1850 until the Forth Bridge opened in 1890.
Outside the harbour we watched an oil rig being floated onto a ship - video 9 & photo 10.
Thank you Burntisland Sailing Club for our deep water berth.