Lerwick Harbour
The harbour of Lerwick is the reason for the geographical position of the town of Lerwick , due to the shelter provided by the island of Bressay to Bressay Sound, where the harbour developed.
Named by the Vikings (Leirvik = Muddy Bay), and in later centuries used as an anchorage for Dutch and other fishing vessels, trading posts were built on the Mainland side of the Sound, and so the town began.
Major dredging work to deepen the north harbour entrance were carried out in 2008.
For a more detailed view about what's going on, in and around Britain's "Top" Harbour have a look at the Lerwick Port Authority's website.
Definition of Harbour Limits
According to Lerwick Harbour Act 1994, Part II, the Limits of harbour of Lerwick are defined as:
An area bounded by an imaginary line commencing at the level of high water on the south-east corner of The Breakwater, 15.24 metres or thereby east of the south-east corner of the Old Tolbooth; thence northward passing along the building line on the west side of South Esplanade and the west side of the Harbour Trust Offices and continuing northward following the building line on the west side of North Esplanade to the north-east extremity of the property formerly belonging to Messrs. J. & J. Tod Limited; thence westward along the northern boundary of the said property to the wall on the east side of Commercial Road opposite Fort Charlotte; thence northward along the said building line and the wall on the east side of the road leading to Northness to the south-western extremity of the property belonging to Malakoff Ltd.; thence eastward along the southern boundary of the said property to the level of high water of Lerwick harbour; thence northward along the level of high water passing Northness, the docks and pier belonging to Hay and Co. (Lerwick) Limited and the piers and docks at Garthspool, taking in the piers and jetties constructed after the date of the passing of the [1877 c. cxciv.] Lerwick Harbour Improvements Act 1877; thence northward along the level of high water on the east side of the mainland of Shetland passing Holmgarth and Gremista to the eastern extremity of the level of high water at Green Head (now incorporated and forming part of a new quay); thence westward, then northward along the line of high water to a point at the western extremity of the central line of the foreshore between the mainland of Shetland and the tidal islet of Easter Rova Head; thence eastward along the said centre line of foreshore to a point where it joins with the islet of Easter Rova Head; thence along the line of high water around the said islet in an anti-clockwise direction returning to the point of junction with the said centre line of foreshore; thence westward retracing the said centre line of foreshore to its point of departure from the mainland of Shetland; thence westward, then southward, then northward, along the line of high water of Bight of Vatsland to the northern extremity of the level of high water of Kebister Ness; thence south-westward, then north-eastward along the line of high water of Dales Voe passing Doos Cove, Kebister, Muckle Ayre, Dale Burn, South Califf, North Califf and Breiwick to the northern extremity of the level of high water of Fora Ness; thence westward, then northward along the line of high water of Foraness Voe, Brim Ness, Bight of Brimness to the north-eastern extremity of the level of high water of Hawks Ness (latitude 60° 13.43' north, longitude 01° 09.95' west); thence due east (090° true) across the sea and foreshore to the position latitude 60° 13.43' north, longitude 01° 03.98' west; thence due south (180° true) across the sea and foreshore to the northern extremity of the level of high water of the Island of Outer Score (latitude 60° 11.63' north, longitude 01° 03.98' west); thence south-westward along the line of high water to the south-western extremity of the level of high water of the Island of Outer Score; thence in a straight line south-westward across the sea and foreshores to the north-eastern extremity of the level of high water of the Island of Inner Score; thence south-westward, then southward along the line of high water to the southern extremity of the level of high water of the Island of Inner Score; thence westward in a straight line across the sea and foreshores to the northern extremity of the level of high water of Aith Ness in the Island of Bressay; thence south-westward and southward, then generally westward along the line of high water of the north coast of the Island of Bressay passing Aith Voe, Sweyn Ness, Ness of Beosetter, Baa Berg, White Ayre, Scarfi Taing to the north-west extremity of the line of high water of Turra Taing; thence southward along the line of high water on the west coast of the Island of Bressay to the south-western extremity of the level of high water of the Point of Hogan (or Heogan); thence following the line of high water southward passing Cruster and Gardie to the southern extremity of the level of high water of Leira Ness taking in the piers and jetties constructed after the passing of the [1877 c. cxciv.] Lerwick Harbour Improvements Act 1877; thence in a straight line in a south-easterly direction across the sea and foreshores to the south extremity of the level of high water of Holm of Mel; thence in a straight line in a south-easterly direction across the sea and foreshores to the north-eastern extremity of Mel Pier; thence southward along the line of high water on the west coast of the Island of Bressay to the north-western extremity of the level of high water of the Head or Taing of Ham; thence southward along the line of high water to the southern extremity of the level of high water of Kirkabister Ness; thence continuing southward to the level of low water of Kirkabister Ness; thence south-eastward along the level of low water on the south-east coast of the Island of Bressay passing The Ord and Maatruf to the southern extremity of the level of low water of Bard Head (latitude 60° 06.19' north, longitude 0l° 12.24' west); thence westward (259° true) across the sea to the eastern extremity of the level of low water of The Skeo on the mainland of Shetland (latitude 60° 05.42' north, longitude 01° 12.30' west); thence north-westward then north-eastward along the line of low water of Pund Geo, East Voe of Quarff, Wick of Burland, Burland to Ness of Setter; thence north-westward, northward and south-eastward along the line of low water of Gulber Wick and crossing the foreshore to the southern extremity of the level of high water of Ness of Trebister; thence northward, eastward and southward to the southern extremity of the level of high water of Ness of Sound; thence northward along the level of high water of Ness of Sound to the Bight of Clickimin; thence eastward and south-eastward along the level of high water at Bight of Clickimin and Breiwick to the southern extremity of the level of high water of the Horse of the Knab; thence northward, north-eastward and north-westward along the line of high water of the Knab, South Ness, Twageos to the point of commencement at the south-east corner of The Breakwater.
Picture by:Jeannie.
