Aberdeen Harbour Tours

22/08/2026

We have spaces on the Dolphin Cruises today at 2pm. To Book Call 07807 031018.

21/08/2026

⚓ Aberdeen Harbour Pilots

The harbour pilots were responsible for bringing ships safely into and out of Aberdeen Harbour, particularly before modern radar, VHF and electronic navigation.

The old Pilot House, now known as the Navigation Control Centre or “Roundhouse”, stands at Pocra Quay beside Footdee. It dates back to around 1797–98 and is a remarkably early survival.

Before radios, the pilots used visual signals to communicate with vessels. The original building had a platform from which pilots could use a loudhailer, while signals were also made using wicker balls raised on a mast. Until 1966, three black balls were used to control harbour traffic.

There was also a dedicated pilot cutter. An oral history from Bill Fleming records that he served as coxswain aboard the Aberdeen Harbour pilot cutter for 20 years during the 1950s and 1960s, giving a fascinating first-hand account of taking vessels into the harbour.

Today, pilotage is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Aberdeen's current rules make pilotage compulsory for vessels over 60 metres LOA, subject to exemptions and specific .

19/08/2026

Scarty’s Monument, at Pocra Quay beside Fittie/Footdee.

What looks like a little brick monument/obelisk isn't actually a monument at all. It is a ventilation shaft for an old sewer.

It dates from the harbour's earlier drainage system and is associated with a disused sewer which originally discharged into the harbour navigation channel. Its unusual appearance is why it became known locally as Scarty's Monument, after a harbour pilot who used to keep watch from the North Pier in bad weather.

So you've got a great little Fittie story here:
“Ever wondered what that strange brick tower at Pocra Quay actually is? It isn't a monument…”

The history of drainage around Fittie is particularly interesting because the village had serious sanitation problems. In 1934 Aberdeen Town Council was still discussing bringing the sewerage and drainage of the Fittie squares up to modern standards.

And there's an even older connection: a drainage ditch was dug in the Fittie area towards the Pow Creek/Pock Raw as the fishing settlement developed.

19/08/2026

White beaked Dolphins off Aberdeen. Around 50

White-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) are one of the dolphin species you can encounter around Scotland and the North Sea.

A few interesting facts:

🐬 They are larger and more heavily built than bottlenose dolphins.

⚪ Their name comes from the characteristic pale/white colouring around the beak, although the exact markings vary between individuals.
🌊 They are particularly associated with cooler North Atlantic waters.

👥 They can travel in groups ranging from a few animals to much larger pods.

🚤 They are fast, powerful swimmers and can sometimes be seen surfacing alongside boats
🐟 Their diet includes fish such as cod, herring and other schooling species, as well as squid
🔊 Like other dolphins, they use echolocation to navigate, find prey and gather information about their surroundings.

White-beaked vs bottlenose dolphins
The bottlenose dolphin has a long, clearly defined beak and a generally smooth grey body. White-beaked dolphins tend to have a shorter, chunkier beak, distinctive pale markings and a more robust body shape.

19/08/2026

17/08/2026

100m off beach 😍😍

16/08/2026

Thank You ❤️

A massive thank you to everyone who has supported Aberdeen Harbour Tours and joined us out on the water over the summer! 🛥️🌊🐬
It’s been fantastic seeing so many familiar faces and welcoming plenty of new passengers aboard the Sea Cab.

We really appreciate every booking, share, recommendation and kind word. ❤️

Although the summer season is coming to an end, we’re not stopping! 😎

👉 We’ll continue running our harbour tours every Saturday and Sunday, so there are still plenty of chances to get out on the water, see Aberdeen Harbour from a different perspective and hopefully meet our famous dolphins! 🐬

Thank you all for your continued support — we’ll see you on the water! ⚓️🌊

16/08/2026

Old Torry and compulsory purchase

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, plans were developed to expand Aberdeen Harbour and create more harbour-side industrial space. Old Torry village stood directly in the way of the proposed development.

Properties and homes in the old village were acquired through compulsory purchase, following a public inquiry. The acquisition eventually led to the demolition of much of Old Torry in 1974. The area became part of what is now the harbour's Torry Marine Base.

What's particularly interesting is that this wasn't simply a few houses being removed — an entire historic community was effectively wiped off the map. Streets, homes and businesses disappeared, and families who had lived in Torry for generations were moved elsewhere.

The key reason was the North Sea oil boom. It wasn't simply that Aberdeen Harbour wanted extra room for normal harbour operations.
By the early 1970s, oil and gas activity offshore was expanding rapidly, and Shell wanted a dedicated marine supply and storage base on the south side of the River Dee. The land occupied by Old Torry was in an ideal position: right beside the river and existing harbour infrastructure, giving access for supply vessels and space for oil-and-gas equipment and storage.

Why Old Torry was in the way
Old Torry was a traditional fishing village built along the waterfront. The proposed development required a large, continuous industrial site, whereas the village consisted of houses, streets and individual properties occupying that waterfront land.

The council approved the redevelopment, the matter went to a public inquiry, and the plans were ultimately approved. The properties were then acquired by compulsory purchase and Old Torry was demolished around 1974. Around 140 houses and flats were demolished and roughly 350 people displaced, according to research from the University of Aberdeen. �
University of Aberdeen

The resulting area became the Torry Marine Base, which formed part of Aberdeen's transformation into a major offshore oil-and-gas support port.

The important point
So, in simple terms:
Old Torry wasn't demolished because the houses themselves were a problem. The land was considered more valuable for the rapidly expanding offshore oil industry.

16/08/2026

. 11am.and 2pm tour today . Another fun day as always .

16/08/2026

How fast a bottlenose dolphin can swim while remaining underwater, they can move surprisingly quickly:

🐬 Normal cruising: roughly 5–10 mph (8–16 km/h)

🐬 Fast swimming: around 20–25 mph (32–40 km/h)

🐬 Short bursts: estimates can reach 25–30 mph (40–48 km/h)

They can also remain underwater for several minutes, although the exact time varies with activity and circumstances.