Memorial to lost seafarers will become 'our Angel of the Far North'
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A new statue commemorating lost seafarers has "exceeded our expectations" and will become a place of reflection and remembrance, according to the chairman of the Wick-based voluntary group behind the ambitious project.
Willie Watt also said the solitary bronze figure at the town's Braehead would become "our Angel of the Far North" and he praised the support that has come from the business community, the public and funding bodies.
He was speaking ahead of the official unveiling of the Seafarers Memorial Group monument which will take place on Saturday afternoon against the backdrop of a flotilla in Wick Bay.
The ceremony will mark the culmination of a five-year campaign to raise more than £100,000 for a sculpture honouring all those lost at sea from or in the WK registration area, stretching from Talmine across to Stroma and down as far as Golspie.
Sculptor Alan Beattie Herriot was selected to create the statue, which rises to a height of five metres on a stainless-steel base plinth surrounded by five lecterns. The male figure has one arm outstretched, holding a representation of a haddock, while the other hand gestures towards a panel at the base of the column containing figures of sea users from past and present in bas-relief in bronze.
Mr Watt said: “Roughly our total funds came to about £110,000, of which 48 per cent came from grant funders like Beatrice and the Caithness and North Sutherland Fund and the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, then 26 per cent came from the public and 26 per cent from businesses around the country and locally.
“We in the group are so delighted with the finished result. It has exceeded our expectations on how it looks and indeed it is going to become our Angel of the Far North, in a prominent position over the harbour.
"It will be a place of reflection and remembrance and hopefully it'll focus people on the dangers of the sea, because the sea remains as dangerous as it was when the Vikings were coming here.
“It has been a collaborative affair, from fundraising through to delivery. I would really like to say that the companies in this area have been absolutely exceptional, the public have been exceptional, the funds have come freely, and people of all ages have really connected with what we are doing and they are part of the finished result. We are proud of it, absolutely proud of it.”
Mr Watt accepted a cheque for £20,710 from the Caithness and North Sutherland Fund
It was handed over by the fund's vice-chairperson Kayleigh Nicolson, who said: “We at the Caithness and North Sutherland Fund were absolutely delighted to support the Seafarers Memorial Group in putting the memorial together.
"It's just stunning the way it has turned out. It's going to be a focal point for the community.
“It really draws the eye. It's wonderful the way it looks like it has just come up from the sea.”
A similar amount was awarded from Beatrice offshore wind farm funding.
Alan Beattie Herriot's other works include Aberdeen's Robert the Bruce sculpture, the fishermen's memorial in Pittenweem and a statue of a Black Watch soldier that was unveiled near Ypres to mark the centenary of World War I.
Mr Herriot, whose studio is south of Edinburgh, explained: “This started when I did the Pittenweem fishermen's memorial and my name was mentioned through a chap called Ronnie Hughes who was on the committee at Pittenweem. Ronnie had mentioned it to Willie and they got in touch and asked me if I would like to look at the project.
"I thought, 'this could be terrific'. It's a spectacular location overlooking the harbour.
“So I came up with the idea of the single figure representing the sea – the sea gives with one hand, it takes away with the other. It's simple, but that's exactly what the sea does.
“It was then a case of symbolically representing the sea with the figure. So on the figure you'll see various seaweeds, you'll see ripples that you get on the sand, there's even a couple of sharks there. And of course the haddock, with the main industry being fishing, and there's sea foam.
“Below on the stainless-steel column we've got processional figures on each panel. The first one has the fishermen around about the 1800s, and on the right-hand panel we've got First World War navy, Second World War navy, Merchant Navy...
"Then you're moving round to the back and we have coastguards, we've got the fishing industry itself represented, yachtsmen, so there's a number of occupations there. And on the final panel we have the leisure industry.”
Mr Herriot praised the efforts of the Seafarers Memorial Group and Mr Watt in particular.
He said: “Willie Watt has been an absolute diamond – unbelievable. He is a great guy to work with. He's a perfectionist, a wee bit like myself.
“The truth is, this wouldn't have happened without Willie Watt – that's the bottom line.”
The statue is the first major public memorial in the town since the war memorial was erected 100 years ago, and members of the public are invited to attend Saturday's ceremony (1.30 for 2pm).
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Wick and Longhope lifeboats will lead a procession of small boats out into the bay, weather permitting. If conditions are not favourable, the boats will gather in the outer harbour.
Small-boat owners have been invited to join in and have been asked to drop a flower into the water at the same time as wreaths are being laid at the memorial.
The Arion Choir will sing the Skye Boat Song and the Mingulay Boat Song.
Wick RBLS Pipe Band will play up until 2pm to welcome guests and will perform a specially commissioned tune towards the end of the ceremony. The tune – WK Seafarers Memorial – was composed by Ivor Mackay, a pipe band member and also a patron and committee member of the Seafarers Memorial Group.
Mr Mackay captains one of the support vessels for the Beatrice offshore wind farm and previously was the master of the Hamnavoe ferry. His tune captures the rise and fall of the sea.
Members of the Seafarers Memorial Group were joined by Wick Paths Group volunteers on Saturday and Wednesday to weed the surrounding paths and carry out other tasks to tidy up the area for the unveiling.
Saturday's ceremony will be a standing event, although some seating will be available for those who are less able.
