John celebrates 25 years as boss of local harbour

John celebrates 25 years as boss of local harbour

10 April 2013

JOHN Smyth has the sea in his blood.

The Ardglass harbour master celebrates 25 years in the job tomorrow but he has no plans to retire just yet — he loves his job too much.

One of the most instantly recognisable faces at the picturesque harbour, John commands the highest respect of trawlermen, local people and his bosses at the Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority.

A man who is normally known for staying well away from the limelight, John has been firmly thrust into it this week as friends and colleagues recognise his 25 years’ service.

Yesterday, he was presented with a special gift to mark his milestone by Mr. Kevin Quigley, the Fishery Harbour Authority’s chief executive during a presentation ceremony at the harbour master’s office.

From an early age, John Smyth had to be at the sea and it has been his constant companion for over 50 years.

The modest harbour master has literally sailed the seven seas during a career which took him to some of the world’s most famous destinations as a merchant seaman, transporting everything from submarines to sheep.

As a boy he fished off the harbour wall in Ardglass but recognised that education was all-important, even though every spare moment was spent at the harbour or fishing with the trawlermen.

It was almost inevitable that he would join the Merchant Navy after leaving school. He worked with a number of leading shipping companies travelling on 40,000 tonne boats to America, Australia, Africa, the Persian Gulf, Russia, Ceylon, Bangladesh and almost everywhere in between, shipping a cornucopia of cargo.

“During my time with the Merchant Navy where I worked as a second mate I helped transport grain, coal, sugar, steel, yachts, submarines and even 6,000 live sheep, complete with their very own shepherd,” John recalls.

In 1988, when various changes were introduced for Merchant Navy personnel, John decided it was time for a change in job. But the sea would continue to be at the heart of his new post.

“They were looking for a harbour master in my home village so I applied for the job and was delighted my application was successful,” said John.

“It was great to be home in the village where I fished off the harbour and went to sea with the trawlermen. The money was good back then with some fishermen earning around £500 a week and there was plenty of fish in the sea.

“The work was hard and uncompromising and to this day I have the utmost respect for fishermen who put to sea to earn a living. Things are much tougher for them now, with many running just to stand still.”

When John took over the reins at the harbour 25 years ago there were just 14 boats registered at the Ardglass port. Today, despite the many problems the industry faces, that number stands at almost 40.

“Safety for me is of paramount importance and this view is shared by all the fishermen in Ardglass. As there are so many boats it means I have to deal with many different companies,” he explained.

“No two days are the same in my job and I suppose that’s what I really love about it. One day the focus is on risk assessments while the next could be a safety meeting and the next could be guiding a large vessel safely into harbour or even helping fix the ice machine.”

During his time in Ardglass John has worked to improve facilities for fishermen, working closely with the Seamen’s Mission to provide enhanced facilities for foreign nationals who work on the Ardglass fleet. The harbour master is also a member of the Merchant Navy Welfare Board.

When he’s not working, John can be found out on his boat fishing for lobsters and when he goes on holiday the sea is never far away.

He added: “The sea is in my blood and has been my constant companion over the years. I simply couldn’t live without it.”