Stonehaven Harbour

Stonehaven Harbour was first built before 1607 but was repeatedly damaged by storms. In 1678, it was rebuilt more robustly, yet the North Sea continued to take its toll. A successful reconstruction was finally completed in 1825, based on a plan by Robert Stevenson, and the harbour was handed over to Stonehaven Town Council in 1962.Today, it is the largest recreational harbour in Aberdeenshire, featuring three basins covering 18,200 square metres and 550 metres of berthing space along the quays, with additional mooring chains in the inner harbour. There are almost 140 regular moorings, all fully occupied, with a waiting list for vacancies.Although Stonehaven no longer hosts a fish market, the harbour is still used by several 50-foot fishing boats. Services include water and power points on the quays, a concrete slipway, and a 1.5-tonne crane on the fish jetty. Under certain storm conditions, only the inner basin is suitable for berthing, with priority given to local fishing boats. The inner basin has over 50 berths and can be protected by a heavy steel boom.