Port Edgar, Edinburgh

We had another very early start at 4.30a.m. to catch the tide out of Eyemouth on our next 54 mile trip to Port Edgar up the Firth of Forth. 

It was a lovely morning, I saw a beautiful Turner-esque sunrise again and then I went back to bed! There was no wind and flat calm so it was easy to get back to sleep. When I woke up at about 9am we were just passing Bass Rock, which was covered in seabirds so looked white, but not an ice berg thank goodness! It was an amazing site and the rest of the coastline on that journey was breathtaking. In no time we seemed to be in the Firth of Forth, it was strange to see coastline on both sides of the boat and we passed the Isle of Mey in the mist. We could see the famous Firth of Forth railway bridge a long way off although, because of the misty conditions, it didn’t at first look red. It is very iconic and is in fact a UNESCO World Heritage Site (it was opened in 1890). The modern Forth road suspension bridge comes next (celebrating it’s 50 year anniversary in 2014) and then the new bridge which is due to be finished and opened this summer. They are all very close together and Port Edgar is actually between the road suspension bridge and the new bridge. 

The three bridges and Port Edgar Marina

 

We moored in Port Edgar at 2.30 in the afternoon, so all in all a very pleasant trip, with no mishaps along the way.  Queensferry is the nearest village so we planned to walk into the town and explore the next day.

 

The next day an enormous cruise ship came in and disgorged it multinational holidaymakers into Queensferry, which has several shops selling quality tourist souvenirs beside ones selling the more traditional kilts and tartan hats etc. I think the American tourists love all that and they advertise that you could trace your Scottish ancestry in the local register office. After a drink at the famous Hawes Inn , dating from 1693, featured in Robert Louise Stevenson’s “Kidnapped”, we visited the register office (where a wedding was going on) which also houses the local museum. Port Edgar has a long past, having the oldest Cistercian Priory and apparently the monks set up the very first ferry across the Firth. Where we are is South Queensferry and across the river is North Queensferry. It has always been important because it is the narrowest crossing point across the Firth. 

Port Edgar, where the marina is now with berths’ for some 300 boats, is a quarter of a mile from the village and it was an important naval base during both wars. It was used as a training base for mine sweepers in particular, HMS Lochinvar being the base here. There is a poignant memorial for the men and women who lost there lives.  A lot of the buildings still remain from those days but they are refurbishing parts of the marina. There is also a large Water sports Centre here and a Sea Scouts base and we have been besieged by loads of children learning paddle boarding, dinghy sailing and canoeing. This is fine but they share the shower facilities, so every time I have gone in it is like a school changing room full of giggly girls, so I have beaten a hasty retreat. When I did return it was in a state, awash with water and discarded clothes, so I haven’t used it yet. Josh found the men’s showers in a similar state! It is a shame because parts of the marina are lovely and other parts such as the showers and toilet facilities let it down, being housed in Nissan huts.

That morning I was up early so I decided to walk in the woods that surround the marina. It was deserted and part of the footpath went through a deserted boat yard and it was starting to feel a bit creepy as I was on my own. I then saw what I thought was a jogger coming toward me, it was sunny so the trees cast dappled shadows and it wasn’t clear to see. I stopped and what I thought was a jogger in the distance was a deer and her fawn, trotting towards me along the path. They didn’t spot me as I stood very still and being in the shade of a tree I don’t think I was easy to see. I watched them for some time grazing at the side of the path and the mother deer stretched up to reach the tender green leaves on the overhanging tree. They gradually got closer and closer, the fawn gambolling around it s mother until she sensed my presence and they turned round and trotted off down the path from whence they had come. It was a magic moment!