Highland waters

Spent a few relaxing days trawling around coastal villages north of Helmsdale and south of Wick. Midsummer is a fabulous time of year to explore this area, particularly when the weather is being kind to visitors. Living here all year round and trying to make a living would have been a very different story a hundred and fifty years ago. Kelp harvesting in a sea full of jellyfish would not have been pleasant.
The small size of fishing boats doesn’t make the work look too appealing even in calm weather.


Interesting though, to watch a catch being landed at either Latheronwheel or Lybster (can’t remember which). A two man operation hauling baskets of huge crabs, shiny silver fish (probably herring or mackerel) and large lobsters up the harbour wall attracts an audience of 20 or so visitors plus the wife and toddler daughter of one of the fishermen. The catch is no sooner up than its transferred to big plastic colanders with lids, tied to anchor rings and dropped back over the side.
The man must have answered the same question hundreds of times but still manages to do it with grace and patience. The catch must be kept fresh for export to markets in Spain at the weekend, five days hence. I guess the pile of dead ones on the seabed didn’t survive til Sunday.