Harbour Cache Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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This cache is placed at Wick Harbour.
The Harbour consists of three basins:- the Inner and Outer Harbours are the main fishing and leisure berths, and the River Harbour is the commercial area.
Fishmarket (long white building across the water) is no longer in use for fish sales as all white fish landings are consigned directly to clients.
The south-facing area of the roof was covered with photovoltaic panels in 2004, and is now generating electricity (max 22 Kw) which is fed into the local grid.
WICK (from the old Norse “VIK” – a bay) lies in a strategic position on the north east tip of mainland Scotland. The earliest harbour works began in 1803 under The British Fisheries Society, to exploit the huge seasonal herring fishing. Trade at Wick peaked around 1900 when some 1120 vessels were based here, and over two particularly busy days landed fifty million fish!.
It was dry work! For about that time the workforce were consuming 3000 litres of whisky a week from the local Old Pulteney Distillery! A comprehensive factual and photographic history of the port and the town can be seen nearby in the Wick Heritage Centre, a "must" for anyone with salt on their lips.
Thomas Telford, engineering genius, Thomas Stevenson, father of Robert Louis, who lived in Harbour Terrace, and local man James Bremner, whose distinctive "Round House" overlooks the Inner Basin, and whose memorial stands above the Old Lifeboat shed, were all eminent civil engineers who built the harbour, largely as you see it today.
From 1879 the port was owned and operated by Wick Harbour Trust, a publicly constituted body whose members were elected from local fishing, business and council interests.
Business today is somewhat less hectic than those early days, and the port is suffering badly from the demise of the east coast white fish trade.
Commercial trade is thriving however, with regular deliveries of fuel oil, agricultural lime, road salt, coal, oil related cargo and wind turbines. Exports are of local high quality barley for malting, and timber.
Magnetic Bolt. Take your own pen/pencil. You may also be better with a pair of tweezers. Please replace exactly where you found it, thanks.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Sbyybj gur Genvy