Peterhead
At a Glance
Contacts
Peterhead Harbour Control VHF #14, 01779 483630,
Peterhead Marina 01779 477868,
mobile 07803264617
The marina is not staffed 24/7. If you intend to arrive outside the published hours contact them by landline in advance to make arrangements for access to the amenities block and the marina gate. There is a green box at the bottom of the pontoon access bridge containing a safe and they will give you the safe code and leave you a key there.
Both Aberdeen and Fraserburgh favour Commercial traffic (in fact Aberdeen refuses entry to Leisure traffic) so Peterhead has become the crossroads for just about every skipper on the East coast and has gained a reputation as value for money and welcome.
It is an extremely busy harbour serving the off shore oil rigs
and windfarms, a deep sea fishing fleet, assorted inshore and
lobster fishermen, various training organisations for commercial
helmsmen and finally the leisure industry. The Marina, situated in
the Western corner of the bay was opened in 1994 and has been
enlarged on since then.
The entrance to Peterhead Bay faces SE and is passable in all but
the most ferocious weather and once inside it provides good shelter
from all quadrants though in strong winds it is advisable to double
up ones moorings on the pontoons. Peterhead has been a port for
over 400 years but the encirclement of the bay itself was done in
the late 19th Century when the harbour was designated as a "Harbour
of Refuge" (the only Scottish one on the East Coast). This
encirclement was built by prisoners from the, now, infamous prison
which was built to house them and which still glowers down on the
harbour from the SW shoreline.
The requirement for "Harbours of Refuge" faded as sail gave way to
steam but has left Peterhead with a huge area of enclosed water
which it has capitalised on to provide services to a vast range of
maritime activities. The fishing fleet is served by four basins in
the NE corner of the Bay, the off shore oil rigs services operate
from the SASCO berths in the South corner and the South breakwater
and the occasional Cruise ship berths against the North
Breakwater.
The more observant of you will notice that, over recent years the
breakwater (the Albert Quay) at the entrance to the Fish Docks has
been extended and a new pier (the Smith Embankment) added to the
North side of that entrance to accommodate ships with up to 10m
draft and up to 200m in length (big!!); most yachting pilot book
chartlets do not reflect this. Should the wind farm planned for the
seas off Newburgh eventually come into being (despite objections
from Donald Trump Esq. & his Golf Course) this harbour will be
well placed to service it.
The hinterland is mainly flattish (compared to the Highlands) and
does not lend itself much to tourism of the kind that Scotland is
famous for; the coast to the South of Aberdeen provides much for
the cliff walker, bird watching fraternity and to the West of
Fraserbrough, likewise. It can be a bleak place in inclement
weather conditions and the Marina is a good long walk from the town
(especially when returning with loaded shopping bags!); but it
provides what the cruising sailor wants most in inclement weather,
shelter which can be easily accessed.
Peterhead
Approach
From the South the Power Station at Boddam will be the first prominent object....
.... to catch the eye and just to the right of that the
lighthouse on Buchan Ness. As you get closer the Skerry will
separate from the headland and you have the choice of going outside
that or through between it and the Meikle Mackie (the whereabouts
of the "Muckle Mackie" is undocumented and a source of curiosity
for the author; if there is a "wee" Mackie surely there should be a
"big" one?).
As the route outside the Skerry will add only about 0.05 of a
nautical mile to your leg, one would suggest that the saving in
time doesn't warrant flirting with the inside route. When you pass
Buchan Ness it's a good time to call the harbour on VHF 14 for
inbound clearance. For all but the biggest yachts you don't need to
go further north to pick up the inbound track of 314°T but can make
straight for the harbour entrance once you have rounded the Skerry
(watch out for kreel markers on the shoals). As you approach the
harbour entrance keep a good lookout and an ear on the radio
because trawlers departing the fish docks will have to cross you to
pass "red to red" and the support ships coming from the SASCO
terminal (on the SW side) will come out straight down the
middle.
From the North the tall spire on the church (marked on the chart)
will be the first identifiable object you will be able to make out
against the background of grey granite buildings; that is of course
once you have rounded Rattray Head. There is a tall, unattached
light tower at Rattray Head, don't, whatever you do, try to pass
between it and the mainland; there is never enough water. In rough
conditions you should give this headland two or three miles offing
to be sure of avoiding the overfalls. When the wind is against the
tide here, and off Scotstown Head, it is very, very bumpy; even in
quite settled weather you will experience an increase in the swell
and you are looking at a good 2 to 3 knots of tide at springs, if
not more. On the other hand if you are running with the tide and
have the wind behind you this part of the passage should not cause
you any problems, even at only half a mile off the light.
Once inside the breakwater turn onto roughly West and you'll be
able to see the yacht masts on the porr bow in the corner. At this
stage identify the green SH Marker buoy and aim for that. When you
get closer you'll be able to see the Marina entrance (at night it
has port and starboard lights on it and that SHM is also lit). The
right hand (going in) marina breakwater has a white plinth on
it.
You will note as you progress towards the marina entrance that
there's a large sign on the end of the Princess Royal Jetty
adjacent to the marina saying "Visitors Yacht Fuel"; if you want to
bunker before you tie up in the Marina you need to give the Marina
Manager a ring about 15 minutes before you get there as he has to
walk from the office to the end of the pier to service you.
£ GMT
Waypoint
Charts
Rules & Regs
Hazards
Tides
Berthing
The Marina Website is at http://www.peterheadport.co.uk/peterhead_bay_marina.htm
The berths directly opposite the marina entrance (141 to 173) are
reserved for visiting boats,
and you can choose to berth straight ahead or bear left and
moor, bows north on the other side. The only caution here is that
it is shallower on the East side of the entrance so if deep keeled
and less than half tide err a bit to starboard as you enter and
give that breakwater a bit of room – this is especially
necessary if leaving on the bottom of the tide; yachts have been
known to ground there, cutting the corner. If you have a 12m+ boat
length you will probably be directed to proceed beside the Eastern
breakwater to tie up alongside the next hammerhead along.
The
charges here (2022) £15 per night for up to 6m and a £1 per meter
after that. That includes electricity and showers and has to be the
best value for money on this coast (and perhaps anywhere!). You can
also get 7 nights for the price of 5 without paying in advance
which was a distinct advantage in the autumn of 2012 for smaller
boats as you could get stuck here for days on end with winds of F5
and above.
Facilities
As has been said there is electricity and water available on all
pontoon berths and included in the harbour dues. The showers and
toilets are also free and kept in immaculate condition. There is a
small stock of both Calor and Camping Gas kept by the Marina
Manager. You should note that the Marina Manager works "split
shifts" in the summer, starting at about 0800 through to lunch time
and then turning to again at 1600 until about 2100. If you arrive
outside these hours and need the key to go ashore you should
telephone the Port Control who can give you the code to the key
safe at the bottom of the pontoon bridge.
Diesel is available at the end of Princess Royal Jetty though they
some times have had trouble with the hose and you may have to get
it in cans from the Marina manager. Petrol will have to be
obtained at the Esso Garage up on the shore.
There is also a laundrette operated by tokens obtained from the
Manager (£2 wash and £2 dry in the summer of 2018)
There is now an ALDI by the first roundabout on the walk into town
which is a whole lot closer than the Morrisons we used to use!
Chandlers
Buccaneer Marine Electronics
Buccaneer House
4 Union Road
Macduff
Aberdeenshire
Blue Anchor Chandlery
100 Shore Street
Fraserburgh
AB43 9BT
What to Do
This is where Peterhead fails the visitor; the nearest watering holes and restaurants are in the town which, by the time you have negotiated the serpentine hike from your berth to the Marina gate and then walked along the foreshore, is going to take you a good half hour (so if you buy Fish and chips with a view to eating them back on board, they will be cold when you get back there!).
A business/amenities developement at the roundabout to the west
of the town on the Aberdeen road now provides a bar/restaurant, a
Macdonalds, a garage with a Greggs and Spar attached along with a
huge B&Q. The advantage here is that you can cut diagonally up
the small cliff opposite the marina path, skirt clockwise around
the housing complex to get to that complex - its about three
quarters of a mile. Click on the image to the left to enlarge
image and follow the dotted line from top right to bottom
left
Seafood dominates the menus here from Fish & Chips take-aways
to the Brassiere in the Palace Hotel; you pays your money and takes
your choice. There is a good Chinese takeaway across the links,
halfway to Morrisons but you'll need to run back if you want to eat
it hot on the boat!!
Other Food Restaurants & Places to Eat in Peterhead -
Tripadvisor
The bars tend to very basic, at best they have a fruit machine for
entertainment and are dedicated to drinking, making very little
allowance for "ambience."
It's the sort of place where you would be better off making friends
with other visiting boats and entertaining on board where you can
at least control the volume and genre of any music!!
There is naturally a golf course and bowling green.
History
Local Business
Sailmakers-Repair-and-Covers
Bisset & Ross
Riverside Drive
Aberdeen
Aberdeen
AB11 7SL
Compass-Adjusting
Aberdeen Compass Adjusting Ltd
7 Buckie Grove
Bridge of Don
Aberdeen
AB22 8DL
Uncategorised
Buccaneer Marine Electronics
Buccaneer House
4 Union Road
Macduff
Aberdeenshire
Patterson Ship Chandler and Ship Painter
30 Shore Street
Macduff
Aberdeenshire
AB44 1TT
Fraserburgh Outboards
145 Buchan Road
Fraserburgh
Aberdeenshire
AB43 9UG
Macduff Shipyards
The Harbour
Macduff
Macduff
Aberdeenshire
AB44 1QT
Blue Anchor Chandlery
100 Shore Street
Fraserburgh
AB43 9BT
Bisset & Ross
Riverside Drive
Aberdeen
Aberdeen
AB11 7SL
Montrose Rope and Sail Co Ltd
Unit 7, Brent Avenue
Montrose
Montrose
DD10 9PB
Aberdeen Compass Adjusting Ltd
7 Buckie Grove
Bridge of Don
Aberdeen
AB22 8DL
Stitch N Awl
12, Main street
Portsoy
Banff
Aberdeenshire
AB45 2RT
Tide Information for peterhead-marina
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