Stonehaven, Gourdon & Johnshaven
June 6, 2021
6 June 21. HM 120. What a happy and beautiful place Stonehaven is.
After 30 years as HM, James (Jim) Brown enjoys life and ensures that all his visitors do too. Full of stories, his harbour has been used for many things including a regular film set. He remembers when Mel Gibson was in Stonehaven in 1990 filming Hamlet at nearby Dunnottar Castle (photo 6) and 1,600 people auditioned for extras. Other films include a North Sea drama when artificial waves were created to resemble a storm. Recently he had the pleasure of organising a "Covid Compliant" wedding ceremony to take place at the end of his harbour wall. A true mariner, Jim has been a fisherman, a wooden boat builder and now enjoys using his own beautiful expedition boat (photo 10). Early in his career he remembers WW2 RNVR veterans teaching young boys of the town how to splice ropes on the harbour wall.
Once a week since 1997, as part of a 30 year experiment by Marine Scotland, Jim transports scientists 5km off the shore to monitor levels of plankton, sea temperature and salinity in the North Sea. In common with trends in the NE Atlantic, there is an increasing trend in both temperature and salinity at the site which leads to changing fish stocks. Both fascinating and alarming!
Jim works for the council - but you wouldn't know it! I am not sure if anyone will read this, but on the whole the management of council run harbours is usually poor compared with Trust Harbours. Jim bucks that trend and it is not a surprise that Aberdeenshire Council asked him to supervise two other harbours to the south - Gourdon (photo 8) and Johnshaven (photo 9). Both small, busy drying shellfish landing harbours with VERY tricky entrances. No - we did not attempt to take Good Dog into these ones - it was too rough!
Thank you Jim (and your son Jim!) for a very happy stay.
After 30 years as HM, James (Jim) Brown enjoys life and ensures that all his visitors do too. Full of stories, his harbour has been used for many things including a regular film set. He remembers when Mel Gibson was in Stonehaven in 1990 filming Hamlet at nearby Dunnottar Castle (photo 6) and 1,600 people auditioned for extras. Other films include a North Sea drama when artificial waves were created to resemble a storm. Recently he had the pleasure of organising a "Covid Compliant" wedding ceremony to take place at the end of his harbour wall. A true mariner, Jim has been a fisherman, a wooden boat builder and now enjoys using his own beautiful expedition boat (photo 10). Early in his career he remembers WW2 RNVR veterans teaching young boys of the town how to splice ropes on the harbour wall.
Once a week since 1997, as part of a 30 year experiment by Marine Scotland, Jim transports scientists 5km off the shore to monitor levels of plankton, sea temperature and salinity in the North Sea. In common with trends in the NE Atlantic, there is an increasing trend in both temperature and salinity at the site which leads to changing fish stocks. Both fascinating and alarming!
Jim works for the council - but you wouldn't know it! I am not sure if anyone will read this, but on the whole the management of council run harbours is usually poor compared with Trust Harbours. Jim bucks that trend and it is not a surprise that Aberdeenshire Council asked him to supervise two other harbours to the south - Gourdon (photo 8) and Johnshaven (photo 9). Both small, busy drying shellfish landing harbours with VERY tricky entrances. No - we did not attempt to take Good Dog into these ones - it was too rough!
Thank you Jim (and your son Jim!) for a very happy stay.