Harbour Newsletter November 2024
We have had a very busy few months around the harbour. The area has been a hive of activity with frequent cargo traffic, visiting yachts and various vessels undertaking survey work for offshore renewables and scientific research. Our fishing and local summer leisure activities continue as usual.
Leisure
Despite spells of poor weather over the summer we have had a very successful Summer 2024 season. We out performed the 2023 figures for visiting leisure vessels using our Marina which in itself was a record breaking year. Year on year we are seeing an increase in vessel numbers and crew and crucially the length of stay in our lovely area is rising significantly. We regularly have vessels staying for week long stays and in some cases have had visitors here for longer than that. Visitors to the town continue to venture to the harbour area taking in the vibrant sights and sounds, visiting Wick Heritage Centre, Wickers World Cafe, Harbour Chip Shop and local marine tourist business Caithness Seacoast. There is always a great atmosphere and buzz around the place, which is greatly enhanced by our colourful flower tubs courtesy of the Wick Flower Baskets team of volunteers. The committee work hard throughout the year, planting and maintaining the displays around the harbour and throughout the town. The flowers really make a difference to our community so a big thanks from us !
We were thrilled earlier in the year to be amongst the Top 300 of 15,000 worldwide Marinas on the Navily yachting App. Following a visit to a particular marina users of the App are invited to review facilities and the service they receive. Wick Marina has consistently received excellent reviews and we are delighted to proudly display the Best Marina 2024 coaster.
We have welcomed visiting yachts from various parts of the UK, from throughout Europe and elsewhere in the world. Some excellent feedback from visitors again this year about our facilities, cleanliness, the welcome and service they receive from staff and the friendliness of locals both on the marina and in town. Many have been surprised by just how much there is to see and do in Wick and around Caithness resulting in our visitors staying longer. We have lost count of our guests who have hired cars to get out and about to explore the area, and many have enjoyed our 2 local outdoor swimming pools. We recently sent out our annual Wick Marina Visitor Experience Survey. As was the case last year, the results seen so far have been extremely favourable. This is a valuable exercise for the Harbour Authority as it gives our visitors an opportunity to comment and give feedback which in turn helps to shape our facilities and service provision.
Back in July locals may spotted a yellow lifeboat style vessel on the Marina. This vessel was the Polar Bound owned by famous explorer and navigator David Scott Cowper. David stopped en route to the Artic as part of his latest expedition . Here is an extract from Wikipaedia about David`s previous expedition to the North West Passage.
At 15.33Z on 29 August 2012, David Scott Cowper and Jane Maufe (four-times great niece of Arctic explorer Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin) aboard motor yacht Polar Bound, became the first yacht to navigate west of Cape Prince Alfred on the original Northwest Passage through McClure Strait discovered by Captain Robert McClure aboard HMS Investigator in 1851.[4] Polar Bound departed Portrush, Northern Ireland on Thursday 2 August 2012 at 1030 UTC and arrived at the port of Nome Alaska on Friday 7 September 2012 at 1800 UTC completing an official Northwest Passage by crossing both the Atlantic Arctic Circle 17 August at approximately 1000 UTC @ 66.31 N 54.20 W and crossed the Pacific Arctic Circle Thursday 6 September at approximately 0640 UTC at 66.31 M 167.59 W. This northwest passage was just under 20 days transit.[5][6][7] Following this passage, Cowper was awarded the Blue Water Medal of the Cruising Club of America.[8]
Cowper has completed five (5) official Northwest Passages (four solo single handed and one with crew) passing through the Atlantic Arctic Circle and the Pacific Arctic Circles; in 1986 aboard M/V Mable E Holland, in 2001, 2009, 2011 & 2012 aboard M/V Polar Bound.[4]
Cruising
We have dipped our toe into the world of cruising as we welcomed the Lord of the Highlands 7 times during July & August as a regular port on their Summer 2024 cruise itinerary. The company and Master have spoken of how pleased they have been with the set up here and ease for their operations. During 2025 it is expected that the vessel will be on a different itinerary so it is unlikely we will see them next summer but who knows… watch this space….
Their sister ship Hebridean Princess also used the harbour to tender guests ashore for trips to local attractions.
Image courtesy of Dougie Sinclair
Cargo
Over the last few months we have had various vessels in port with onshore wind turbine components and steel pipes for Subsea 7.
Images courtesy of Dougie Sinclair
Offshore Wind
This is the busy maintenance period out on the windfarms We look forward to continuing to develop this aspect of our business as future windfarm activity increases.
Over the last few months five vessels – Seacat Rainbow, Njord Zenith, Eden Rose, GXS Viking and GXS Valtos have been working on the windfarm. Vessel numbers have now scaled back to winter levels.
During July the Offshore Sensor, Waterfall and Green Quest were all in port undertaking contracts in connection with Marine Scotland surveys, BOWL Bethnic survey and Subsea 7 cable . In August workboat vessels Salt Island, Woodstock and CRC Galaxy were also working from the harbour. Survey vessel Athenia arrived recently for a weeks contract working on the SSEN cable at Noss Head.
Harbour Entrance Works
Following the damage sustained to the North Pier entrance in October 2023 during Storm Babet work to improve the pier entrance is progressing well. Following extensive discussions with various funders, a package of funding to assist with this work has been agreed. The past year has obviously been a stressful period for all at Wick Harbour Authority, as well as our stakeholders that make use of the harbour, with the uncertainty of the strength of the structure. The Harbour Authority is extremely grateful for the guidance and support provided by the funders throughout the process. Local contractor GMR Henderson Ltd are currently on site undertaking the concrete infill around the piles which were installed by Sheet Piling UK Ltd. The contract for preparatory works to the piles and steel was awarded to JGC Engineering and Technical Services Ltd. It is very pleasing that around 80% of the value of the works have gone to local companies, thereby benefiting the local economy and workforce.
Allan and Mhairi – The Long Row Home
Folk may have seen that our Deputy Harbour Master Allan Lipp and his partner Mhairi Ross undertook a Round Britain Rowing Challenge during summer 2024 to raise funds for the RNLI and Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance. Unfortunately the weather gods over the summer were pitted against Boudicea and Allan and Mhairi faced a continuous battle with numerous low pressure systems hindering their efforts to row unsupported around the UK. However what they achieved was tremendous. They managed to transit the East coast of Scotland & England, through the English Channel and up the West coast as far as Tobermory, before the continual bad weather finally caused them to call time on the challenge. They have shown themselves to be a formidable partnership, inspiring so many of us who were following their adventure. A significant sum of money for their 2 chosen charities was raised and everyone here at Wick Harbour Authority is so proud of their achievements.
