Voe, Northmavine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Voe |
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.jpg) Voe at the head of Ronas Voe, Northmavine |
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 Voe
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| OS grid reference | HU333811 |
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| Council area | |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SHETLAND |
| Postcode district | ZE2 |
| Dialling code | 01806 |
| Police | Northern |
| Fire | Highlands and Islands |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Voe is a small settlement located on the Northmavine peninsula in Mainland, Shetland, Scotland. It sits right at the top of a long, narrow sea inlet called Ronas Voe and is close to the A970 road.
Whaling History in Voe
At the start of the 1900s, Voe became home to two whaling stations. These were built by Norwegian companies. The Zetland Whale Fishing Company opened in April 1903. The Norrona Whale Fishing Company followed in June 1903. These were the very first whaling stations in the United Kingdom.
How Whaling Worked
Whales were caught using harpoons from special ships called steamers. Once caught, they were pulled ashore using a large steam-powered winch and a wooden ramp called a slip. Workers then used long blades, known as flensing knives, to cut up the whales.
Many types of whales were caught here. These included fin whales, sperm whales, bowhead whales, and bottlenose whales. The Norrona station had several large boilers, some as tall as 12 feet (about 3.6 meters). These were used to process the whales.
Local Concerns and Impact
While the whaling stations offered some jobs for local people, they also caused problems. The smell from the processing was very strong. There was also pollution on the nearby beaches. Fishermen who caught herring worried that waste from the whales attracted sharks. They thought this scared away the herring.
A group was set up in 1904 to look into these claims. However, they could not find a clear link between whaling and fewer herring. The whaling stations operated until 1914. Today, very little remains of these stations. You can only see a few low walls.
