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SHIPPING OIL SAFELY
Since 1978 Shetland has been a major oil and gas exporter through the Sullom
Voe oil terminal, which has new global standards for minimising oil
pollution. After several incidents in the first months of operation the
council-run port instituted new regulations, enforced by its oil company
partners, which have made this the cleanest tanker harbour in the world,
with negligible spills attributable to Sullom Voe ships. The terminal's
environmental and other advisory groups were models for a citizens' group
set up in Alaska after the Exxon Valdez spill.
After a generation of decline in Merchant Navy employment, oil brought
Shetlanders seafaring jobs on the Sullom Voe tugs, pilot vessels and
workboats and greatly increased the amount shipping around the islands, as
oilfield supply ships, safety boats, seismic research vessels, pipelayers,
drillships and rigs became regular visitors.
THE NORTH BOATS
 For hundreds of years Shetland was cut off from the outside world for most
of the winter. The savage storms of the north-east Atlantic - and the lack
of lighthouses - deterred skippers from venturing near Shetland in the
darkest quarter of the year. Until the invention of the
steamship, mail might only arrive at Lerwick a dozen times a year and there
was nothing like a regular passenger or freight connection with Aberdeen or
Leith. The first summer steamship sailings to the isles began in 1838 but
not until 20 years later was there a regular, year round shipping service.
"The North Boats" have a proud record in peace and war and ships bearing the
traditional names St Clair and St Sunniva are still an important part of
Shetland life. The present operators, P&O, have a special local connection -
in 1837 the shipping line's co-founder was a Lerwick man, Arthur Anderson.
Since 1977 there has been a roll-on/roll-off ferry service to Aberdeen,
currently a six nights a week service each way. Punctuality is well over 95
per cent.
SO MUCH TO SEE
Throughout Shetland our museums and visitor centres provide fascinating
insights into the islands' maritime heritage, from the tiny museum on Fair
Isle to the main Shetland Museum in Lerwick with its exquisite ship models.
 The Unst Boat Haven in Haroldswick is a must for anyone with an interest in
traditional fishing craft; in Yell the Old Ha' of Burravoe has a fine
collection of sailors' gear and marine artwork; and the Scalloway Museum
displays the courageous and heart-warming story of the wartime "Shetland
Bus" operation to Nazi-occupied Norway. Other centres well worth a visit
include the Bressay Heritage Centre, Tangwick Ha' in Northmavine and the
Fetlar Interpretive Centre.
Lerwick got off to a bad start, being burned to the ground in 1614 and 1625
by indignant dignitaries from Scalloway (then the Shetland "capital") who
resented competition and deplored the alleged wickedness of Lerwick's
seasonal inhabitants - who gathered there every Midsummer, partying with the
thousands of Dutch fisherman and selling them warm woolies, fresh provisions
and, it must be admitted, a good time.
"...being informit of the great abominatioun and wickednes
committit yeirlie be the Hollanderis and cuntrie people godles and prophane
persones repairing to thame at the houssis of Lerwick quilk is a desert
place To the venteris of bier thair quha as apperis voyd of all feir of God
and misregarding all civell and ecclesiastical governement in thair
drunkenes and utherwayis committis manifest bludshed...also in committing
manifold adultrie and fornicatiouns with women venteris of the said bier and
utheris women Inclyned quha resortis thither under pretext of selling sokis
and utheris necessaris to thame... (ordered the houses of Lerwick to be
demolished)." - SIR JOHN BUCHANAN, SHERIFF
PRINCIPAL OF ORKNEY AND SHETLAND, 7TH NOVEMBER 1625
 In 1702 French warships burned Lerwick again, along with its fort and much
of the Dutch herring fleet. The picturesque lodberries (from the Old Norse
word for "loading rock") at the South End mostly date from the 18th century.
Commercial Street winds north along the original shoreline of Leir Vik
("Muddy bay").
All the buildings on the seaward side of the street once stood with their
foundations in the sea but, since Lerwick Harbour Trust was formed in 1877,
most of the waterfront has been reclaimed to build the Esplanade, Victoria
Pier and the docks to the north. |
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