skip to main navigation

Seine Netters By Jack Peterson

Seine Netters - Jack Peterson. Vivid portrayal of the lives of fishermen, and mariners past and present.

Read By John J Graham

Seine Netters Seine Netters

Seine-netting was a common method of fishing in the 1960s.   'Shuttin’ (v.4) means shooting the nets.  The catch, however much it consisted of, would then be gutted by the crew prior to landing at the market either in Shetland or in Aberdeen.

 The refrain is a conversation on the ‘Trawler Waveband’,  forerunner of FM.

Black aa roond, an da steep seas makkin;
Gunwale ta gunwale, till da decks rin white;
Mast-head licht in a swirlin moorie
Loopin aboot laek a thing geen gyte.   

Hullo! – Hullo! – Hullo! –
Daybreak calling Venture –
Venture – Venture – Venture
Daybreak calling Venture ...

Fag-end glint i da wheelhoose window;
Tide-lumps brakkin laek ghosts on da baem;
Lost aa sight o da laand fir an oor noo –
Dis is da rodd da Norsemen cam haem.

Swein, an Hal, an da Bare-legged Magni,
Brusi da Black, an Kol Brokkenbanes,
Day an nicht, wi der een ta da wastard,
Strampin da seas laek der ain briggistanes.  

Hullo! – Hullo! – Hullo! –
Twa drags – forty boxes –
Twa drags – forty –
Twa drags – forty boxes ...

Androo John an Grace Ann’s Robbi,
Willi by Nort an Hugh frae da Hadd,
Day efter day, i da hert-hol a winter,
Shuttin, draggin an guttin laek mad.

Oot an awa afore you an me’s waakin,
Niver dön till lang efter dark;
Trivvlin der wye by baa an by Voder,
Fishermen, makkin fur haem frae der wark.

Venture calling Daybreak –
Daybreak – Daybreak – Daybreak –
What’s da price a haddocks
In Aberdeen da day? ...

Da price! Da price! An da Nort Baas brakkin!
What’s da price, braks a winter’s gale?
Senses tuned ta a wirld obstropolus
Ready ta act sood onything fail.

What’s da price, an da squall comes dirrlin 
Black aa roond, nor ever a glaem –
Compass, wheel, an a ee ta windward,
Haddin da rodd da Norsemen cam haem.

back on top