The arrival of the Silver Darlings

Here we are leaving the harbour yesterday in winter sunshine passing this old lay by berth of the old coal boats.
Amble used to be a prominent  the coal export port and one of the companies I used to work for as a young seafarer was Coe Metcalfe Shipping. There is a great history from Amble for quality coal and this was recognised  by the amount of coal taken south as the the quality was so high this employed a lot of men not only in the coal mining industry but on the coastal trade of the merchant navy. A man I met many years ago while working at sea was himself one of the people that sailed out of Amble on the flat tops to London. Many times we spent sailing in the Baltic  Seas and during that time he taught me navigation. and to navigate the world. I owe my career to this very fine man Captain William  Amyes extra Master Mariner.

We were out fishing on the marks where in the summer we had caught a lot of cod, however  the seasons change and different tides have an effect on where the fish may feed and this time we were not in luck! This did not detract from such a perfect winter day on the Morning Star. Just before we headed for home I was in for a surprise I foul hooked a herring! As everyone knows herring are a mass shoaling fish and this was a very good sign which shows some evidence that not only are there some fish around , but the coastal waters are healthy and able support life and new fishing. We came to the conclusion that the cod were full of herring and not interested in us so we headed for home.

By the time we headed for home it was deck lights and tie up alongside.

A short but perfect day.