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Tuesday, 22 February 2011

"Poor weather in the North Sea" - they didn't see that one coming!


Video shot from the wheelhouse of a large Norwegian demersal trawler.

To get a sense of 'being there' have the volume turned up and enlarge the clip to fill the screen as, despite being filmed inside the wheelhouse, the howling wind is easily audible. 


The video starts looking out over the bow while the trawl warps are being wound on the main winch - then, looking aft, at one point a swamped fulmar is seen unable to take off from the deck and is given a helping hand from one of the crew who launches the gull over the stern. Eventually, the trawl doors arrive and are made fast to the gantry before the trawl bridles are attached so that the net can be hauled. There's a helpful visual tour round the wheelhouse and the electronics on a modern fishing boat - note the three trackball mice on the arm of the skipper's chair. Back aft to watch the hauling process - as the bridles are hauled you can hear the lower bridle chain clattering over the stern ramp - once the trawl itself is wound on board the crew then put a strop round the stocking so that the cod end can be brought to the stern. 


Up to this point the clip seems to be nothing more than capturing on film everyday life aboard the boat in poor weather as the guys on deck contend with a deck washed by the occasional sea coming over the stern ramp while they haul the gear until ..............I think the expression, 'yoy' means much the same in English as it does in Norwegian!

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