Cromarty (Gallery)
Cromarty Firth is an estuary of several rivers, principally the River Conon, that is a sheltered inlet of the Moray Firth, from where the various rivers of Strathglass and Strathconon enter the North Sea. To the south of Cromarty Firth the Black Isle acts as a partition, creating shelter from the Moray Firth. In addition, the narrow entrance to Cromarty firth is also well protected, by two 450ft promontories, known as “The Sutors”, providing a 1 mile wide passage from the North Sea into the Firth.
Unassigned oil rigs are often “stored” in Cromarty Firth, which was also the place of manufacture for many oil platforms used in the North Sea. At the time the images in this section were shot there were 9 oil platforms in the Firth mainly because the 2008 recession had the effect of reducing the oil prices, thus rendering some oil production in the North Sea uneconomic.
Photographic opportunities alongside Cromarty Firth are many and starting from Cromarty it is possible to circle the complete Firth, clockwise, with the sun over your shoulder throughout. My images are the result of three visits to this compulsive locality.
