Coastline panorama of part of the route of the Catterline Race 

The Catterline race is one of the more challenging sailing events of the year, held in late July or early August, the exact date depending on when high-tide occurs on a Saturday afternoon. Rather than racing around marks in Stonehaven Bay, the start is off Stonehaven, and finish line in Catterline Bay about 8km to the south. The idea is to race south on the last of the flood tide, picnic at Catterline, and cruise back on the ebb tide.

 

            Dunottar Castle                                                             Crawton Ness

GPS track of one of the boats in the 2008 Catterline Race

The route south is past the ruins of Dunottar Castle on it's isolated stack, the sheer seabird-nesting cliffs at Fowlsheugh, Crawton Ness, and finally into the tiny harbour in Catterline Bay. It's an open, exposed and lonely stretch of coastline, and at least two rescue boats are needed to cover the handicap fleet. There is often a 1-2m swell running, and in a southerly wind it can be an exhausting beat. In a north-westerly or easterly wind it's an exhilarating reach.

The pier in Catterline Bay (image copyright Bob Jones and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons License http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/24547). In 1881, when the fishing industry was at its peak locally, Catterline had eight herring boats and 21 other boats or yauls. But by 1900 most of the fishing had ended. Today the pier is maintained by the Catterline Harbour Trust.

            ASYC rescue boat and Laser arriving at Catterline               Wayfarers in Catterline harbour