Saturday, October 12, 2013

"Do we really want the coast of Nairn blighted by the constant presence of tankers? " Ritchie Cunningham


Shipping berthed in the Firth - a feature that tourists enjoy or a noisy and unsightly intrusion?

On Wednesday night in the URC hall Tommy told his River CC colleagues that he had received an e-mail from Ritchie Cunningham. Tommy read out the request he had received here we reproduce most of what was said:

“For the attention of Community Councils in Nairnshire. Nairnshire visitors cannot fail to have noticed the almost constant presence of oil tankers and other vessels off the Nairnshire coast since Easter, indeed for only a few days have we had an uninterrupted view. Such has been an eyesore in what is an important tourist destination and a source of clearly audible noise as well as low frequency nuisance. The prospect of free anchorage here has deterred them from anchoring in the areas where they would have had to pay fees. In other areas of Scotland Port Authority areas often cover the entire Firth. For example Clyde Port and Forth Port Authority. In the Moray Firth Inverness, Ardersier and Cromarty are small port authorities with limited boundaries. We aren’t now seeing a ship just waiting a day or two to enter the Cromarty Firth but empty tankers for weeks on end – up to six weeks in one tanker’s case, birthing for free until their job calls them away. I’d like to pursue the possibility of extending the limits of the Port Authorities in the Moray Firth to take the waters off Nairn into their ambit. If a Port Authority in Scotland wishes to change their harbour limits they would have to apply to Scottish ministers though Transport Scotland for a harbour revision order[...] Do we really want the coast of Nairn blighted by the constant presence of tankers? Hardly the view that tourists come to see. Do Nairnshire Community Councils have a view on this issue and are they prepared to press the Highland Council and our MSPs for action?”

Graham Vine then said: “I am not a resident of this community council area but my bedroom does overlook the Firth and those boats. It is true that you do sometimes get noise when they are empty, it’s usually very, very low frequency but I can’t it’s ever bugged me and it’s like living in the countryside and looking out over the fields and saying my view is blighted by that tractor.”

Tommy then said that his personal view was that he was living just a 100 yards from the sea shore and he never heard it.

A little later Rosemary Young (Chair of West CC and visiting River’s meeting) said after putting her tourism hat on:
“Can I say something on the behalf of the tourist association? I find all the tourists love looking at the ships and find it quite interesting. I think he has a valid point if there is money to be made, why not? But I’m sure that’s a very difficult process to get into – it’s not our remit I’m sure. We’ve got enough to do without that.”

After a little more discussion Graham Vine asked: “Are we all agreed that the boats are not an eyesore, they are just a feature?”

There was no one that dissented with Graham’s view and the Secretary minuted the result of the discussion. 

15 comments:

The Maggot said...

When we went on a family holiday to Whitby we purposely booked a villa overlooking the sea to view the beauty of the boats in the water. Using shipais.com as linked to in the Gurn we learned a lot about the shipping movements on the North Sea. I reckon many holiday makers in Nairn are just as interested in the comings and goings in the Moray Firth as we were in Whitby.

the good ship sailed on the... said...

What?! Ships sail in something called the sea, Nairn is beside the sea, ergo ships.

Perhaps Mr Cunningham should consider a move inland, although maybe as Mr Vibe pointed out tractors may then prove to be a problem for him

Anonymous said...

I'm not too keen on the airplanes that fly in the sky above Nairn but I wouldn't dream or writing to anyone to complain about it (Okay, maybe I just have!)

Ships, airplanes, vehicles are all part of modern life in terms of transport

growtosow said...

more noise from boy racers i think. not a lot done about them driving fast in built up areas.

Anonymous said...

I too can sometimes see the anchored ships from my window and like seeing them. By looking at the way their facing I can tell if the tide is coming in or our - front of the ship faces into the tide

Many tourists look at all the boats in the harbour and I'm sure they enjoy gazing at the ships as well

I was sorry to read that Mr Cunningham suffers from the noise they make, I must admit I've only heard them on really still windless days and they don't bother me at all, rather comforting to hear the gentle hum and seeing them all lit up at night

Anonymous said...

I've grown quite fond of the ships and when the regulars are not out there I use the shipais site already mentioned to see where they are and what they are doing.
One day I was lucky enough to be taken out in a yacht which sailed along the length of the PetroAtlantic (one of the big red tankers) and it was quite an impressive sight close up too.

Anonymous said...

Ritch is right. These boats should be made to use the harbour like everyone else and then they could switch off the engines and we would all get some piece

Anonymous said...

What ships? There weren't any down there tonight. Did the traffic wardens finally turn up?

Anonymous said...

No, somebody pulled the plug.

growtosow said...

salty the seagull makes more noise. our clock keeps ticking more noise and so the list goes on and on. so not sure what all the noise is about. i work in noise all day. but replace it with music. a more noise you say. well its music to my ears keeps me happy.

Anonymous said...

Wait for it he will want the planes to take a different heading to the airport next.Come on more important thing to worry about that a tanker in the sea !!!!!

Anonymous said...

Wait for it he will want the planes to take a different heading to the airport next.Come on more important thing to worry about that a tanker in the sea !!!!!

salty dog said...

The interesting point which few appear to have noticed is that - unlike the Firth of Forth, where fees are charged by the local council or port authority - ships can anchor in the Moray Firth for free.

Isn't it odd that Highland Council, which has just published a new parking order for road vehicles, and had recently upped the harbour dues for local boat owners, seems unwilling or unable to levy parking charges on the big ships that sit for weeks off the coast.

An opportunity being missed to raise a bit of revenue for hard-pressed Council funds?

Anonymous said...

Quite right Ritchie, I live on Lochloy road and quite often we can hear in bedroom at night with windows shut, these rust buckets should not be there.

Anonymous said...

I always shut my windows when I want to hear things, very effective