0:00:04 > 0:00:06Aberdeen Harbour.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09You can pick up to a speed of between five and six knots, please.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12A multi-million pound business
0:00:12 > 0:00:15at the cutting edge of maritime technology...
0:00:15 > 0:00:18On the move, Bob. Roger. On the move, guys.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22..where everyone works together...
0:00:23 > 0:00:25I can't slap these guys. I'd like to!
0:00:28 > 0:00:30You've got to be on the ball, got to be alert.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34..in the most challenging conditions...
0:00:34 > 0:00:36If your feet get caught in that, it'll drag you over the side.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41(BLEEP) What happened there?
0:00:44 > 0:00:46..to keep the harbour running...
0:00:47 > 0:00:48LAUGHTER
0:00:48 > 0:00:49Oh, my God!
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Get off. Come on!
0:00:54 > 0:00:56..every single day of the year.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59You are looking good on starboard side.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Glad we don't drive a submarine.
0:01:12 > 0:01:18Aberdeen Harbour - the epicentre of marine operations for the oil and gas industry.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24Not just in the UK, but across northwest Europe too.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28And it's always hectic,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31so dive support vessel the Bibby Sapphire
0:01:31 > 0:01:33has had to berth in Montrose instead.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Brr, that's cold!
0:01:41 > 0:01:45What happened to summer? It was here last week. You missed it.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Hugh Jones, her captain, is preparing to catch the mid-morning tide.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57Aberdeen gets very busy, and we've been in port for six days now.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Doing some maintenance on things, and Aberdeen don't like us in that long.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06OK, that's us on the way, and we're off to UKCS.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Start swinging it around, then.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Just steady the ship up.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14Are you ready?
0:02:14 > 0:02:16OK, take control forward.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Yassick Vijinksy is the chief officer.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24It's the first time he's taken the ship out of Montrose.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Yassick's steering, pilot's guiding, and I'll just keep an overview on things.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35I hope I'm still in employment in half an hour's time.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39Five knots now. Good. Thank you.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41Keep her coming to port.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46You can come a little bit more quickly, please.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48The wind is one challenge.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51Getting pushed by the wind? Yes. OK.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56The varying depths of the harbour another.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59This is the shallow bit we're coming up to now.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Come back to zero 85, please. Zero 85.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20Keep driving. I'll see you guys the next time.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25Pilot away.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28There he is.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Pilot away!
0:03:31 > 0:03:35The Bibby Sapphire is heading for the Joanne oilfield,
0:03:35 > 0:03:37a journey that'll take about 13 hours.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44It's nice when you're going out to blue lumpy stuff, but this is grey lumpy stuff, isn't it?
0:03:44 > 0:03:46North Sea.
0:03:56 > 0:04:01Billy Duguid has been a boatman at the harbour for the past 16 years.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03You can go through a wee bit more, if you want.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06RADIO
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Sitting in an office just wouldn't appeal to me,
0:04:08 > 0:04:13unless I was surrounded by a bevy of beauties, you know?
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Then I would change my mind.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19To hell with this crap.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24He's on shift with Gary Morris,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26one of the harbour's newest recruits
0:04:27 > 0:04:30whose attitude is very different to the old timer's.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35My mates think I'm super-lucky because
0:04:35 > 0:04:39I get to watch TV and stuff, so my breaks are a lot better than their breaks.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Back at the bothy, Billy's dog is waiting.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47That's my travelling companion - Duke.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Fierce Border Terrier.
0:04:51 > 0:04:52Kills for fun.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59But while Billy spends his downtime with Duke,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02the younger boatmen have other pursuits.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Oh!
0:05:05 > 0:05:07And Billy doesn't approve.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11He hides the PlayStation 3 controllers, and stuff like that!
0:05:11 > 0:05:13He hates us.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17It's Billy's job to train up the younger guys,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19not that they're always receptive.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24If they want to sit and play that, they're not listening to that,
0:05:24 > 0:05:26as far as I'm concerned, you know?
0:05:26 > 0:05:30I don't play that. My radio's on all the time.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32And I'm tuned in, you know.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34I expect THEM to be as well.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36That's the job.
0:05:36 > 0:05:37This.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40It's not like the old days.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43When I was a young lad, and I didn't listen,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47you know...you got a slap, you know.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Aye, and you knew you were doing wrong, you know.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55I can't slap these guys, you know. Assault! I'd like to.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Wouldn't I, Duke?
0:06:19 > 0:06:23Barmaid Val Morrison is admiring a recent purchase.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28I like going to charity shops, and it's a jug I bought today.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31It's old-fashioned stuff. It's needing a clean.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Look at that, but I still think I'll get 20 quid for it.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Her house in Torry is an Aladdin's Cave of charity shop finds.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45I've got tables, I've got cutlery sets,
0:06:45 > 0:06:49I've got vases, I've got this nice iron.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51Fancy iron. It's a Swan iron.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55I've got a brand-new lime kettle.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58I don't know who I got the aftershave for, but I must have bought it.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01And she's got a keen eye for a bargain.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Look.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06Is that nae lovely?
0:07:06 > 0:07:09I got the whole lot for ?4.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16I actually bought the doll's house in a charity shop for ?6.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18My chum Shirley says to me,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21"What are you doing buying a doll's house?! You're 62."
0:07:21 > 0:07:26This bit opens out, and I cannae really open it out... I can! NOW.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Look. Is that nae just lovely?
0:07:28 > 0:07:30And then this all lifts up.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Oh, it's my candles! My money box!
0:07:35 > 0:07:38But she's running out of space,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41and she's having a big clear-out before having new wardrobes installed.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44All this stuff's to go to the car boot sale,
0:07:44 > 0:07:46and I've just decided I'm coming home with nothing.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02The Bibby Sapphire is more than half-way to her destination.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06And it's time for the divers to go into saturation.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Can you reinforce that for Brownie?
0:08:10 > 0:08:12That's unfair. I've lost weight.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15I'll come out lean and mean.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19For the next few weeks, these chambers will be home.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24When you've done it for so long, it's just an everyday job, basically.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Martin, there's your ear drops.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Another day at the office.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Hello. We're all in, ready.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36OK. I've got two using five.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Mick, you're in two, yeah? Roger that.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41Getting the clipper board going here.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Jeff White's the life support supervisor.
0:08:44 > 0:08:49He can now take the divers, or blow them down to the depth they'll be working at.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52We're ready to take a seal.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Just confirmed that you are pushing on doors 23,
0:08:56 > 0:08:5811, and 13.
0:09:02 > 0:09:08They've all had to hold the exterior doors, cos we're blowing down the main system.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15On the surface, we breathe in a mixture of nitrogen, and oxygen.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Pressure on the door.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Going for it, fellas.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24At depth, it's helium and oxygen which they're pumping in now.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Get any there? Yes. OK, John.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36Take it through.
0:09:36 > 0:09:37Looking good.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39OK, we're looking good here.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Jeff toyed with the idea of becoming a diver,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44but decided against it.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51I mean, they're going in there, sealing themself in a bin.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54For a month.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56I think it takes a special person.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Torry Battery at the entrance to the harbour
0:10:11 > 0:10:15is a favourite spot for Billy to walk his dog Duke.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Travelled a lot, but...
0:10:20 > 0:10:22..you just come back to your roots.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29He just gets off, does his own thing.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37His first job was on a trawler, and he spent most of his life working on boats.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43You couldn't envisage now
0:10:44 > 0:10:48young lads doing what we did, you know, what I did.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51You went away to sea.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55Maybe staying for a day, shoot away the nets.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59And then three hours later you're up out of your bed
0:10:59 > 0:11:02standing on deck hauling nets in.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Gutting fish.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09He was lucky to get his job at the harbour, because vacancies are never advertised.
0:11:10 > 0:11:15Because I'm on the Lifeboat crew, one of the lads said there was a job coming up where I am now.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19And I applied, and fortunately I got it, you know.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21It's a good job.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Even though he has no family connections to the other boatmen
0:11:25 > 0:11:27unlike half his colleagues.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32They'll take in their sons, then their nephews.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35I totally understand that.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39You know, that is the way it is.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45I would want my son to follow the trend, you know.
0:11:46 > 0:11:47That's the way it is, you know.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Hey!
0:11:59 > 0:12:04It's an early start at Thainstone Centre on the outskirts of Inverurie.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08We've got a car boot sale today with all my rubbish.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10It'll take maybe half an hour to unload the van,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13because I've so much stuff!
0:12:17 > 0:12:19There's space for at least 200 cars...
0:12:21 > 0:12:23..selling every conceivable household item.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27I dinnae ken half of what's in here, actually.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Just get everything out. You can't see anything for anything here.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33A pasta perfect timer.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Aye. I dinnae ken what it's for, like.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38Val's roped in her friend Stacey Davidson,
0:12:39 > 0:12:43and Crown and Anchor regular Simon to help her out.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Don't sell these. I'm wanting to keep these.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48She's come out at half past six in the morning to help her adopted ma.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52She's only out to see what she can get, like.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55This is what we're needing.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57I've got a pretty doll's house up here.
0:12:57 > 0:13:02The same doll's house Val bought for ?6, and is hoping to sell for at least ten times that.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06If they want to, they can sort that, and I'll handle the sale.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09I'm going to ask ?80, but I'll take it down to ?60.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11I'm nae going to take less than that.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14OK, I didn't pay much for it, but I'm nae going to take less than that.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23The sale can attract up to 5,000 people,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28all of them looking for a bargain.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Is there no face on it?
0:13:30 > 0:13:33There's nae meant to be a face on. She's meant to be like that.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35You can have her for ?4.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40He'll be back.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Val, your green light. Just take what you can get for it.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46OK. Thank you. Bye-bye.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50But Val's sales technique is failing to attract any buyers.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Are you nae buying that, you miserable little (BLEEP)?!
0:13:53 > 0:13:55LAUGHTER
0:13:56 > 0:13:58That's what I like.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02Hey, you're buying something off this stall.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06You have to display things properly.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09Oh, excuse me!
0:14:09 > 0:14:11This is the second time I've done this for her.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15She was supposed to get rid of her rubbish the last time she moved house, but she never did.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18This is why we're back AGAIN.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21Better get rid of it today.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Look at that doll's house, Mum.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27The big doll's house, how much do you want? ?60.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29?60?
0:14:47 > 0:14:49Yeah, on comms, mate.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53It's 5am on the Bibby Sapphire,
0:14:55 > 0:14:59and they're launching the ROV, or remotely operated vehicle.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03Bingo.
0:15:04 > 0:15:10Supervisor Dave Gordon can now begin to survey the area that the divers will be working.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14The vis doesn't look brilliant, does it?
0:15:15 > 0:15:17No.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21The poor visibility is caused by a build-up of sediment in the water.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Yeah, we'll just go along this side.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28This is minging.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Something's coming on sonar now.
0:15:31 > 0:15:3315m ahead.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38The divers will be installing a flexible pipeline,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40and tying it into a manifold,
0:15:43 > 0:15:48a structure made of pipes and valves to transfer oil and gas.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52Just see the top of the manifold... There you go.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Looks like a giant cauliflower. It's just marine growth.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06So we're just going to make sure there's no scaffolding poles or debris
0:16:06 > 0:16:09that's going to obstruct the laying of the line.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12They won't see an end till they're on it.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18You need a lot of patience for this job.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33# Oh, what a beautiful morning...
0:16:33 > 0:16:37Four of the boatmen are preparing for a job that doesn't happen very often.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Come on! Come on, boys! Wey!
0:16:50 > 0:16:52We're going away out the channel now.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54Headed towards a barge.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57Barges rarely come into the harbour.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Once every 18 months or so.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03There's a pilot going out to the barge as well.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07It's going to be a challenging few hours for Gary.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11This is his first time doing this, so we'll just have to keep an eye on him.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13Make sure he's OK, like.
0:17:14 > 0:17:19There's no real training for this, considering the guys I'm learning from
0:17:19 > 0:17:22have only done it a couple of times.
0:17:22 > 0:17:23Not a nerve in my body. Steady as a rock.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31The barge is unmanned,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36so the boatmen will be preparing the ropes they need to bring her into the harbour.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39So we'll go alongside the barge.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41We won't get a go at this barge now.
0:17:44 > 0:17:49Russell Matthews is going with them as a second pair of eyes for the pilot on the tug.
0:17:50 > 0:17:51Once on board, we've got to recover the towline.