Photos of the Heather Bloom – Bobby Wylie

We are grateful to Bobby Wylie, formerly of Campbeltown Shipyard, for this collection of photos of the Heather Bloom INS 110  (Yard No. 92) from the time of her launch in 1992. She was built for the Heather Fishing Company of Avoch, in the Black Isle. Sadly, on 3rd December 1994, 69 miles north of Cape Wrath, in heavy seas and gale force winds, she snagged her gear on an underwater obstruction which caused her to take in water and sink. Five of the crew were rescued but, tragically her skipper, John McLeman was lost. 

We are also very grateful to have the blessing of the McLeman family for us to share these photos of the Heather Bloom being launched.

It was great to see the pictures of the Heather Bloom launch again, looking at our family all as one. Which is hard to do. But remembering what a great feeling it was on the day, seeing our father’s boat take to the water for the first time. We all looked so young and happy with a great future of hard work ahead, a father and his four sons, but around 2 years after the launch she was sadly lost with our father. An extremely difficult time for our mother, Kathleen, and her five children, wondering which way to go next. But it was then we decided to build the Boy John, in Macduff – a vessel which held the family together through the time of building and served us very well for almost 18 years, with some good times and some hard times. Then the new Boy John and Rosebloom were built.  The four brothers now work the boats and are still closely followed by by our mother, Kathleen.

Sandy McLeman

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. L-R: Kathleen McLeman, Leslie Howarth, Sandy McLeman, Johnny McLeman, John McLeman. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. L-R: Leslie Howarth, Sandy McLeman, John McLeman and Johnny McLeman. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. L-R back: Sandy McLeman, John McLeman, John’s wife Kathleen, Donald McLeman. Front L-R:  Johnny McLeman, Katy McLeman and Andrew McLeman. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.92). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. L-R: Alister McLeman (cousin of Sandy), Ritchie Patience (also a cousin), Andrew McLeman (brother of Sandy, now skipper of Boy John), Johnny McLeman (front, youngest brother of Sandy, also skipper of Boy John), Sandy McLeman (back), Donald Patience (skipper of Avoch boat, Vision), John McLeman (skipper), William Whyte (retired pelagic fisherman, Fraserburgh), Donald McLeman, Donald McLeman (brother of John McLeman, skipper of Avoch boat, Heather Sprig and father of Alister). Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

The launch of the Campbeltown-built Heather Bloom INS 110 (Yard No.). She was built for Skipper John McLeman of Avoch in 1992. Photograph courtesy of Bobby Wylie.

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