Burning off - a Scarborough warning in high seas

Until a recent period there was maintained at some of the north-east ports, particularly those which are dangerous of entrance in bad weather, the old and striking custom of 'burning off'. This warning was to be seen at Scarborough when the old 'platform' existed at the foot of the Castle Hill, and before the new Marine Drive was finished. The 'platform' was an old wooden shed with three small look-out windows commanding a view of the North sea towards the south and east, and within the building pilots and fishermen assembled in time of gales to watch for the coming of smacks to harbour, and the appearance of vessels which might need pilots or a tow. If the weather allowed a coble to get out, off a pilot would go, sometimes picking up a five pound note for the trouble of telling a master his position or guiding him to a neighbouring port; or a steam-trawler would thrash out and get hold of the lame duck. The 'platform' was the rendezvous of the old time smacksmen - and they were quaint neighbouring inns to which they could withdraw, and in whose cosy corners, over glasses of hot grog, they could re-spin many a North Sea yarn.

The 'burning off' took place when it was considered unsafe for a smack to enter the harbour, owing to the dangerous sea running. A great iron brazier was placed on the top of the outer pier, and in it a big fire made of wood. When the flames and smoke of this device were seen a skipper knew that he was officially forbidden to attempt to enter the harbour. Often enough a smack would be kept dodging about in the heavy sea for several tides. I remember seeing one, in a winter gale, that was burnt off for five successive tides, and for sixty hours he was wallowing and thrashing about within a stone's throw of refuge, yet forbidden to try and get the shelter of harbour. Occasionally a reckless or worn-out skipper defied the warning, and made a dash for port. He usually succeeded in entering safely. There is a famous tale of one of the old-world skippers who saw the signal burning, and defied it. He swore that he would get into harbour, warning or no warning, and he made a desperate dash for it. Fortune favoured his recklessness, but in an unexpected and amazing way, for an enourmous sea lifted up his smack bodily and carried her safely over the outer pier and dumped her down in harbour. They called the skipper Mad Isaac, and his wonderful achievement was numbered with the thrilling records of the old frequenters of the 'platform'.

This is an extract from "North Sea fishers and fighters" by Walter Wood (1911).

OTHER ARTICLES
• Burning off - a Scarborough warning in high seas
• Watching for ships by the harbour walls in Scarborough
• Coastal erosion in the 19th Century around the North Bay and Scarborough Castle area
• Harwood Brierleys description of Scarborough harbour at the opening of the 20th century
• The U-Boat campaign in the First World War
• The port of Scarborough in the late 15th Century
• When the Colliers came to Scarborough
• The 200 year history of scarboroughs RNLI
• World war one outbreak. The war effort in Scarborough
• Hinderwells account of the first launch of the Scarborough Lifeboat in 1802
• Stories of human interest from the sea port of Scarborough
• The national RNLI and the Scarborough lifeboat of 1861.
• The early years of the Scarborough Lifeboat
• Trawling During WW2 around scarborough and the North - East coast
• A sea shanty about a storm on the Scarborough coast
• Radio 270 - pirate radio station off Scarborough
• The Lady Dock - a small slipway on the North Bays Marine Drive
• Tommy Rowley - stories about loss of life at sea
• William Cammish - log book of the Aurora - a Scarborough merchant ship

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