Whitehills
May 18, 2021
18 May 21. HM 112. Please meet Bertie Milne, the legend of Whitehills!
Whitehills is a near perfect, community owned, "Trust Harbour". Run by 12 local commissioners, self financing and managed by a dedicated HM who appears to be on duty 24/7 (well his house does overlook the harbour entrance!). For a yachtie, it offers complete shelter on this unforgiving part of the coast. Inside the harbour is an oasis of calm - my crew even nicknamed the shower-block "The Wellness Centre" and it is no surprise that Bertie won a "Best Marina of the Year" award last year.
Bertie's warm welcome to yachties belies the fact he was a roughy toughy fisherman from 1963 to 2009....46 years! Photo 8. In my two hour chat with him, I learnt so much more about fishing including how three significant developments changed the fishing industry "meteorically" during his career:
1. The change to synthetic fibres - lighter, stronger and cheaper nets.
2. Electronics - The "Decca Navigator", a forerunner to GPS.
3. Powerful diesel engines. More Horsepower = more fish.
The simple equation of "the bigger the fishing boat - the bigger the profit" lead to the overfishing of the North Sea in the 80s & 90s and arguably the demise of cod. Today's "super boats" can now catch One Million pounds worth of mackerel in ONE trawl... more on that later!
During my discussion with Bertie, I showed him a sepia photo of an historic fisherman I had been shown in Kinlochbervie (on the west coast) ..... "That's my grandfather" said Bertie....I was blown away! See photo 9. Bertie went on to name every boat in KLB harbour in another photo I had.... amazing.
The fishing community in this part of Scotland is very tight and is summed up in the beautiful memorial to Fishermen and Seafarers sitting above Whitehills Harbour. Photo 10. Thank you Bertie for your amazing hospitality and opening my eyes to so much. You are a true legend.
PS I have not forgotten Portsoy!
Whitehills is a near perfect, community owned, "Trust Harbour". Run by 12 local commissioners, self financing and managed by a dedicated HM who appears to be on duty 24/7 (well his house does overlook the harbour entrance!). For a yachtie, it offers complete shelter on this unforgiving part of the coast. Inside the harbour is an oasis of calm - my crew even nicknamed the shower-block "The Wellness Centre" and it is no surprise that Bertie won a "Best Marina of the Year" award last year.
Bertie's warm welcome to yachties belies the fact he was a roughy toughy fisherman from 1963 to 2009....46 years! Photo 8. In my two hour chat with him, I learnt so much more about fishing including how three significant developments changed the fishing industry "meteorically" during his career:
1. The change to synthetic fibres - lighter, stronger and cheaper nets.
2. Electronics - The "Decca Navigator", a forerunner to GPS.
3. Powerful diesel engines. More Horsepower = more fish.
The simple equation of "the bigger the fishing boat - the bigger the profit" lead to the overfishing of the North Sea in the 80s & 90s and arguably the demise of cod. Today's "super boats" can now catch One Million pounds worth of mackerel in ONE trawl... more on that later!
During my discussion with Bertie, I showed him a sepia photo of an historic fisherman I had been shown in Kinlochbervie (on the west coast) ..... "That's my grandfather" said Bertie....I was blown away! See photo 9. Bertie went on to name every boat in KLB harbour in another photo I had.... amazing.
The fishing community in this part of Scotland is very tight and is summed up in the beautiful memorial to Fishermen and Seafarers sitting above Whitehills Harbour. Photo 10. Thank you Bertie for your amazing hospitality and opening my eyes to so much. You are a true legend.
PS I have not forgotten Portsoy!