Episode 3 The Harbour

Aberdeen Harbour, on the North East coast of Scotland.

FOGHORN

One of Britain's oldest businesses.

It's just like a conveyor belt, it just never stops.

And one of Europe's most modern ports.

You've got clearance to sail now.

This is a glimpse into a hidden world...

On our way. He's under the bell now.

..of men and women who keep the harbour running.

It's what you would call a typical woman.

I'm a poor defenceless female, so watch it.

..24 hours a day...

Things change like...

It's getting on for a force 10 now.

Hang fire on that bell.

This is just madness.

..365 days a year.

Goodbye, cruel world!

-God, just from breathing it.

-Jimmy!

-How are you, my friend?

-It has been my pleasure.

The Harbour.

FOGHORN

The sheltered estuary of the River Dee

has been used as a fishing base for thousands of years.

Until very recently,

fishing was an important part of the city's industrial heritage.

Not any more.

These days, only two or three fishing boats

dock at Aberdeen Harbour with any regularity.

And the number of processing factories

has dwindled from 250 to less than 30.

How's that for quality?

You wouldn't like to meet him on a dark night, would you?

Alex Ferguson, or Fergie,

is the factory manager at Andrew Christie Junior,

a family-owned fish processor.

And for all those who work there, it's an early start.

There's people in at five in the morning, taking fish in

and setting up the factory.

The rest of the workers come in at 6 o'clock.

Oh, a lie in!

7 o'clock.

LAUGHS

I canna lie in my bed.

I'm that used to getting up early, even on a Sunday.

Arthur has worked in this factory for how long? 34 years.

34 years.

34 years.

It just feels like yesterday.

Most of the fish they process comes from the market in Peterhead.

Some tusk, nice pollock.

Beautiful cod, look at that.

That's the cat fish getting packed in there. Beautiful.

He came in here at half past ten. Right?

It's now 10 past 12, that's the same fish going back on that lorry

and away to France.

Filleting, the skinning, the packing, the icing,

all that in under two hours.

You canna get fresher than that.

SEAGULLS

INDISTINCT TANNOY VOICE

'Just a phone call from BP, they want you back.'

It's Ralph Greig's first day at his new job as a trainee pilot.

What's the supplier doing out there at the entrance?

And he's learning how to drive a ship.

In the simulator.

'We just spend all day going out,'

turn around and coming back in again,

get on the berth, turn around going back out again.

LAUGHS

Well do it till he's sick of doing it.

Till he gets it right, is that right?

His trainer, Colin MacRonald, went to sea when he was just 16.

-Dinna run ahead till you're ready.

-Yes.

And there's not much he doesn't know about boats.

'What tricks is he going to play on me?'

I've taken his bow thruster away from him.

He's still using it,

but it 'aint working.

Oh yeah, the instructor always wins.

A bow thruster failure

makes it tricky to move around a confined space like the harbour.

It's been over two minutes

and Ralph still hasn't noticed.

'It's all about awareness.'

Look at what your instruments are telling you.

Something not going according to plan here.

'Engine room don't seem to have a bow thruster.'

I told you he had something up his sleeve.

I don't want him to have a go at it and see if he can do it.

That's not what he's here for,

he's got to make a right decision when things go wrong.

Keep your eye one downer, please, we'll stop a couple of metres off.

He just has to slow down a little bit.

You only get that with your frights and the mistakes you make.

He'll get his frights.

Ralph used to work at VTS or vessel traffic services,

the nerve centre of the harbour.

Now that he's gone, there's a vacancy

which Ellen Haugland is hoping to fill.

And her training involves spending a few hours in the harbour itself.

I'll join the pilot,

I'll go on board the vessel and see how it is to go in the entrance,

to see how it is sailing here because I've never been here before.

Ellen has worked on large passenger and cargo vessels all over the world.

But it's still an experience being battered by the North Sea.

Ooh!

Like many ex-sailors, she swapped a life at sea for a family

and misses her first love.

It was nice to be on board a ship again.

It's something I always long for.

But being a VTS officer is almost the same

just not with the rough seas and the bad weather.

Here, at VTS,

is where Ellen will undergo three weeks of intensive training.

If she's successful,

she'll become the harbour's first female VTS controller.

'I think it will be more weird for them.'

I'm told they are old dinosaurs,

but I'm used to that.

So you can have somebody coming in now...

Ellen has to learn the names of the individual quays

and the measurements of each of the 50 or so berths.

We have Malaviya Nineteen with the Malaviya Twenty.

We have the Malaviya Twenty Nine now,

not to be confused with the ASSO Twenty Two and the ASSO Twenty Five etc.

It takes a long time to become completely confident.

Taking a deep breath and I'm in charge.

175 miles out at sea,

the Bibby Sapphire is bracing itself for a Force Ten.

We need to make sure all loose gear's lashed,

make sure everything's shipshape and Bristol fashion

and we'll be fine.

In theory, there's not a storm that could affect the dive support vessel.

But it's not something that ship's master Hugh Jones

would like to put to the test.

-16.5 metres was the rise and fall of the lower deck.

-Not a bad guess, was it?

Everything should be secure, especially in the cabin.

Everyone on board is suffering,

including saturation diver Terry Dearlove.

It's bad news, it just wrecks everything.

Everybody just runs for cover.

You're better off just staying in the cabin or staying out the way.

Walking around the ship in extreme weather conditions is

an art form all the seamen have mastered.

Proper on the sea, I can't walk.

Make way. I'm coming in for the milk.

BELL RINGS

Running the ship when it's this rough is also a challenge

and it's going to become a whole lot worse.

-RADIO:

-New storm warnings over the coast of Sweden.

That's the Scandinavian coast guards putting out a storm warning.

It's a race against time to strap down everything before

the full force of the storm hits.

At the harbour, Ellen's continuing her training

under VTS controller Barry Sanderline.

-He just said, would he get in on arrival.

-OK then. I'll do my very best now.

It's not like any other port, really

because things change like yon.

Aberdeen VTS. Who's calling?

Copy, VTS. Good afternoon.

We're approaching the North Pier. Over.

Already, Ellen's floundering.

Now I've got someone, I don't know who it is.

That's fine, if it's busy just tell them

-to be aware of any moving traffic.

-Yeah. OK.

If it's all quiet, it's OK and I can think, but if we have

people in the room, talking, it's very hard to concentrate.

There's a lot for Ellen to take in.

The boatman will have to,

first of all, let the Island Empress go to Pocra Quay.

And then go around, let go of the ASSO 25s,

then the Empress will go quayside and the ASSO 25 will go second left.

Please, say that again.

THEY LAUGH

I remember after my first week here,

I had to go and lie down in a darkened room for about

12 hours to recover my composure when I got home.

RADIO CHATTER

One of the problems with on-the-job training is that everyone

can overhear your mistakes.

And boatman Alan Cowper draws his own conclusions.

She doesnae listen, that's what's wrong.

Half the time she doesnae listen properly

It's fit you'd call a typical woman.

But Ellen's not the only one who doesn't listen.

Eh?! Oh.

Towards the end of her shift, Ellen's feeling more confident.

VTS?

INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER

Yes, OK you have my permission.

But Barry's not convinced.

She's a mile away.

Really, she's got three weeks of training to do,

and from my own experience, I would say she'll need all of that.

At the Crown and Anchor, barmaid Val Morrison is doing another shift.

So fit are yas daeing yersel?

-Fit een are you awa, John?

-Well Enhancer.

Is the Well Enhancer coming in? Aye here?

Oh, spot on, I'll see all my boys today!

Will I phone the bridge and get them to put a tannoy out?

There's a lot of nice looking guys come in here,

they're really nice looking.

But it disnae mean to say I'd be running after them,

chasing after them, ken.

I'm a poor defenceless female, so watch it.

-LAUGHTER

-Dinna start!

But at my age, I wouldn't be able to run affa quick

so I'd hae to stop after a few paces and say "Hey!

"Could you wait for me?!"

Despite being just across from the harbour,

not all of her customers are seafarers.

So what are yous doing here in Aberdeen then?

We've come to Morris dance.

Oh, you're joking! We've never had Morris dancers in. Never.

You're our first Morris Dancers in, my darling.

I like somebody you can actually have a laugh and a joke with

and has kinda got the same daft sense of humour as I've got.

-There's nothing better than dancing.

-Oh!

And dancing closely with a woman.

-You're nae getting a dance from me, you little

-BLEEP,

so you can forget that!

And I like somebody that you can turn roond

and say onything you like tul.

-The only poker you'll get is one oot the fire.

-LAUGHTER

But even with Val, there's a more reflective side.

I've been psychic since I've been six years old.

You! You are just so full of devilment, it's unreal.

You have been since you been a kid.

But you know something, he likes fun,

but he's a very private person as well.

You're spot on.

I've never gone by looks - cos I had a nice looking husband

-and he was just an

-BLEEP.

Before they leave, the Morris dancers have a treat.

THEY SING

A preview of their concert on Saturday.

ALL: And flick!

APPLAUSE

Out in the North Sea, the storm is raging.

And the crew of the Bibby Sapphire are steeling themselves

for a turbulent few days.

How much movement have we got on the DP now?

How much are we moving from centre point?

-Eight metres.

-On the helideck?

But they can't go back

until they finish the job they were contracted to do.

Most of the boats that didn't have to be out,

they'll have gone in for shelter into Aberdeen Bay.

It'll be nice, it'll be quite comfortable in there.

A lot more comfortable than we are, that's for sure.

Terry's weathering the storm in the confines of his cabin.

Here we go.

But for deck foreman Ian Buchanan, it's work as usual.

-Ah, for

-BLEEP

-sake!

The white containers, which have broken free,

are salt sacks with used Sodasorb, a filter for the divers' gas.

We could try and stack some of them up here.

But no-one wants to end up overboard.

It's too dangerous to go out there and tidy them up.

We'll wait till the weather calms down.

Yes, it's as bad as you want it to be out here.

This is just madness. Mother nature at her worst.

I think we're the probably the only vessel out in the North Sea,

unless you're a fisherman, and you're mental.

A few weeks after she first started her VTS training,

Ellen has her final assessment.

At the beginning it was totally almost catastrophic.

Everything was happening in my head,

and I couldn't manage to understand what was happening.

It was very confusing.

But now the two last days have been not so busy, and then today,

I felt that I could manage.

The examiners will test, among other things, her general

knowledge of the harbour and emergency procedures.

-Ellen, would you like to come up?

-Yeah.

If she's successful, she'll be allowed to work in VTS on her own.

At the fish processor's, it's business as usual.

We've only got a few Scottish people working here now.

Arthur Stewart is one of them.

There's no many of us left - we're like the Siberian Tiger.

Basically, they don't want to work in fish factories.

There's a lot of other industries in Aberdeen.

Oil related work. We can't compete with that.

I think oota all my friends,

I'm the only one who never went offshore.

Everyone of them tried it.

The difference in wages is just colossal.

No-one wants to come here

and stand in the freezing cauld in the winter.

My son came in here when he was 16 years old.

And he was doing this job here and he turned round to me

and says, I ain't staying here I'm not doing

this for the rest of my life I'm out of here.

They go to the toilet and you never see them again.

HE LAUGHS

I always think they built a big black hole in the toilet

-they fall through and get lost!

-HE LAUGHS

Pavel and the rest of you girls and I'll get a couple of loons on here.

There are around 35 people working in the factory,

most of them from Eastern Europe.

To be quite honest, if it wasn't for them,

it would be very difficult to run my business.

This is Pavel.

I don't speak English very well.

He speaks English very, very well, he asked for a pay rise last week.

These people are so keen to work.

If you ask these people to start at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning, they'll

be standing out there at quarter past five, waiting to get in.

Ellen has passed, but her first solo shift has been delayed.

They just said, we've all been through this.

I've been sitting in a dark room - and they all say that.

I guess they know how it feels after only ten days.

SHE LAUGHS

I'm doing the best I can.

Instead, she'll spend one more night supervised

by another VTS controller.

Out at sea, the worst of the storm is finally over

and the crew are having to deal with its aftermath.

I've come to the gym to do a little bit of exercise.

Somebody had a party here last night.

Don't know what's gone on.

I think it might have something to do with the weather, though.

Oh, man.

Nowhere on board has escaped unscathed.

It's all collapsed and smashed to bits.

I think it's a bad time now to ask one of the Filipinos

if me washing's ready!

The calm weather means it's back to work as usual.

And once the job's finished,

the Bibby Sapphire can finally head back to port.

I think I've packed my bags three times already.

HE LAUGHS

It's the night shift at VTS and Ralph arrives to supervise Ellen.

I'll just let you carry on, I'll go get my sleeping bag.

But there won't be much rest for either of them.

I'm only looking at the next 20 minutes

because otherwise I'll get, yeah, it looks very busy.

I might have to just wander away and go home!

We'll be ready in 20 minutes for you.

Don't tell me, oh, this is a calm night.

This is not a calm night shift.

HE LAUGHS

You can never guarantee a quiet night. Never.

Quay 3, we'll be ready in 20 minutes.

But the intensive training has paid off

and Ellen is managing without any help.

You have your clearance to the cut.

Please stand by, we'll see when you can get you in, yes.

Thank you.

More pilot jobs.

And Ralph's beginning to wonder

if he might not be more useful elsewhere.

There are boats on that list that need piloting at the moment.

I could do most of them.

RADIO: Can we get a pilot any time soon?

Not any time, we're quite busy right now.

I think it will be after midnight.

We will send you out, Ralph.

If we had two pilots out you'd be sat with your feet up on the desk

-reading the newspaper!

-HE LAUGHS

Sure. Are you going to be here tomorrow night?

If you're happy enough to sit up here by yourself,

with me at the end of the phone if required.

That's the way it will work.

At the Crown and Anchor, Val is still fending off potential suitors.

-Will I fit?

-Would you fall in love with us?

Would I fall in love with you? No, darling,

you'll need to join the queue.

Tons and tons and tons. I just knock them back,

I really knock 'em back.

It's lovely though. Even at my age, they still ask you.

-But I think he's

-BLEEP,

-so...

-Speckled Hen?

-Two!

-Two!

The Morris dancers are back.

And this time, they've brought a few more friends.

-Val!

-Yes, darling!

-This dance is for you.

Oh, thank you, my darling!

A dance entitled 'The Wee Fair Maid With A Sharp Tongue!'

Mind you I hiv!

-I'll give you a wee sharp tongue you fat...

-LAUGHTER

-Dance By The Little Fat

-BLEEP.

-Carry on!

She may be the belle of the Crown and Anchor,

but Val is relishing the single life.

I'm happy coming hame at nights. My hoose is the same way I left it.

I've naebody arguing with me,

saying "Far hiv you been tul this time a morning?

Far hiv you bin? You working again?!

I've naebody to answer tul but me.

Her 11-year marriage ended badly

and there hasn't been anyone serious since.

I just turned roond and said one night, enough is enough.

I canna stand this no more.

And I took my son and I took myself and I left.

And I vowed nae man would ever lift a hand to me

in my lifetime ever again. Never.

And I thought, right, you change your life.

And I did.

# Cos, I can't help

# Falling in love with you. #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

'It was actually the pub that helped me.'

Thank you very much!

It's been my pleasure.

That was my turning point in my life.

All these beards! All these beards!

And that's me, ha! That's my life.'

-My darlings!

-See ya!

-See ya.

-Yeah. Take care!

For the crew of the Bibby Sapphire,

Aberdeen Harbour is finally within sight.

I'm just looking at the golf course and getting pangs.

Smack one off the helideck.

He's going in, then the guy closest to us - he'll be going in

at some stage and once he's picked his pilot up, it'll be our turn.

After 38 days at sea, Terry's becoming impatient.

We've got another ten minutes before we get in.

Got me phone, we've got four signals,

that means we're nearly there.

I've got me passport. I'm ready for off.

I just can't wait to get off the gangway and get on the plane.

And then we'll just starburst our different ways.

That was the crew wondering which quay we're going to

so they can order taxis to go home.

I don't get to do this very often.

-They're all queuing up to get on.

-Yeah, bless them!

Take it in without a bump, that's the whole idea.

Like most of the crew,

Terry's looking forward to seeing his family again.

My daughter, she was 18 last Saturday.

I thought I'd make that but I missed it.

But it's just one of them things.

I mean I'm not going to get that back, but obviously

when I get home, she can take me out for a pint now she's 18.

I know she missed me because she wanted me to be there,

but I promised her I'd be home for Christmas this year,

so I think I'll be sticking to that promise.

Coming up, Doug Rennie visits a fish auction.

Yes!

60 to 94!

Chaplain Howard Drysdale's feeling stressed.

I'm not getting any younger, Brian. HE LAUGHS

And a supply ship heads out to the rigs.

We're like the milkman - we deliver on a daily basis.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd