Summary

The Haddock Word on the Week 7th March 2026.
This was the time of year when we fished for Haddock. For some reason they were to be found near the neighbouring coastal village of Whinnyfold. It was approximately 5 miles North of Collieston so the boat got its first long sail of the new year!
Perhaps I should explain the boat was owned and sailed by my next door neighbour. His ‘crew’ consisted of his two sons and myself who had the privilege of manning the tiller.
Most fishing boats had Biblical names and ours was called Ebenezer – ‘hitherto the Lord had helped us’ (I Samuel 7 verse 12). These trips were few in number as the fish moved on. They were much bigger than the haddock caught in the summer and much prized.
They had the distinctive ‘Peter’s thumb print’ on the left hand side behind the gills. How the haddock got into the Sea of Galilee is something I never understood! However, Peter was a good judge as its flesh is quite delicious!
The place where they congregated was at the shore end of a line of rock which is called the Scars of Cruden. They stretch a mile into the North Sea and have very few breaks in them. They were home to a few shipwrecks. They joined the land at Whinnyfold which had a natural harbour. It was at that end of the rocks that we fished.
As the sea was always a bit choppy manoeuvring the boat close to the Scars and holding it in position while the ‘crew’ fished with handlines, required considerable dexterity. The rewards were good with the average fish being over 2 feet in length.
It must be admitted we seldom fished there. It was only at this time of the year and the weather and the tide had to be right. The dangers are echoed in this hymn: -
(Eternal Father strong to save)
O Christ, Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walkedst on the foaming deep,
And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
O hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea.
A more Christian note would be to end with the young people’s chorus: -
‘I will make you fishers of men if you will only follow me’.