Sunday, February 13, 2005

Sand blows past the Sand Dancer

Sand was piling up fast on the grass near Fort Apache and whistling along past the flats over towards the river. The sea was breaking over the harbour defences here and there but nothing too serious: thrill seekers could park their cars and risk a little rust without any danger at all. It had been a rough night, wet in the town but snowy anywhere higher, which saved a spate in the river. The swans were gracefully demanding their bread and pretending to empathise. The last Sunday Telegraph had been sold in the Harbour Street stores according to an annoyed friend.

3 comments:

Nairn said...

The harbour at Nairn remains the towns one and only drive-in. Numerous car owners enjoy the sea air, their car windows wound down a fraction to expose them to the elements. Clearly Nairn needs a drive-in chippie to complete the experience, for whenever I see a family parked at the harbour eating their chips I know that some poor soul will have been forced to leave the safety of their car for the occupants to be able to enjoy their in-car pursuits at the harbour. Chips are versatile, for when the car owners tire of watching the waves they then feed the ever waiting gulls and have a near safari park adventure with the birds sitting on their car bonnets. Chip wrappers also fill the harbour basin from over flowing bins in the summer. The capacity of the bins are not helped by the fact that some local (to the harbour) chip retailers empty their waste into the public bins rather than pay the council for larger ones of their own – what chancers, especially as their trade depends upon folk visiting a nice harbour rather than one filled with rubbish!
Come sundown the harbour is the domain of the boy racers. Nairn becomes a mini race track as the boys circuit the town. High street, harbour, bus station, harbour, bus station, high street, I guess till they run out of petrol or the will to drive. Baseball caps, along with a blown exhaust and a driving position that makes it look as though they have removed their seats is a mandatory requirement should you wish to join these guys. Rumour has it that the harbour is a great place to do drug deals. The Polis don’t seem to patrol too much and can easily be seen coming.
Little in the way of smuggling seems to take place at Nairn harbour these days, although there was the year that many boats ventured out to secure their share of a timber consignment which had fallen off the back of a ship as it were. And there was the Christmas when friendly geese vanished from the harbour.
What a crime filled place it is!

Graisg said...

Nothing wrong with a few loons taking their mums' snazzy cars for a spin - in fact how can you sure that it isn't mums and even grans driving round the Harbour: I've seen these type of vehicles parked near Whinnieknowe.

Many Nairnites think the good intentions of the redevelopment evaporated when the Sailing Club made their insensitive land grab and built Fort Apache.
Once again we look back, misty-eyed to the days of Nairn District Council, Hugh Allison, Habour Fests and Capercaille on the Maggot.

Suggest you contact your local council to site a machine gun on top of the CCTV camera iright
Never had a seagull pecking your windscreen for the chip you're holding on the inside - gee, some people have never lived!

Nairn said...

Never mind valentines day (today if you haven’t twigged) for thanks to the tattie council today mark the start of national chip week! Yes it would seem we are not eating enough of the products (even at Nairn harbour) so why not leave an anomonous bag of chips on your loved one’s doorstep – I’m sure they will thank you for it

http://www.potato.org.uk/include.asp?sec=1027&con=967&lcon=1271