Flow enters the Tyne

Flow, an artwork by Owl project and Ed Carter seen   entering the River Tyne this afternoon accompanied by the Port Of Tyne's pilot cutter Bewick

Flow is a tide mill - a floating building on the River Tyne that generates its own power using a tidal water wheel. The building will  house electro acoustic musical machinery, and instruments that respond to the constantly changing environment of the river, generating sounds and data.

Flow will be free and  open to all on the River Tyne from 25 March 2012.

This project is part of Artists taking the lead, one of twelve   public art commissions funded by the UK Arts Councils for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad to help celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Wm. Wight Ltd.

Wm. Wight   was founded after the Second World War by William Wight who provided the local fishing fleet with stores and provisions. It's main  business today is with the general public.

"When I first started you came down at six o'clock in the morning and opened the doors and you had a flood of ships cooks coming in putting in their stores orders for the next day or that night depending on the state of the tides- when these boats went out fishing they had to catch the tides to catch the fish. So the boat came in at seven o'clock in the morning and you had to be out at, say, the fishing grounds for seven o'clock at night, well the steaming time between sometimes they were screaming for the stores because if they got out there and missed the tide and missed the fish they could miss out on a couple hundred boxes of fish which in those days were a lot of money." Martin Wright , the son of the founder.

Wm. Wight, North Shields Fish Quay.

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Wm. Wight is to be found on the Fish Quay at North Shields and was founded after the Second World War by William Wight who provided the local fishing fleet with stores and provisions. It is still going strong to this day, with business from the general public making up for the decline in the local fishing fleet.
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"When I first started you came down at six o'clock in the morning and opened the doors and you had a flood of ships cooks coming in putting in their stores orders for the next day or that night depending on the state of the tides- when these boats went out fishing they had to catch the tides to catch the fish. So the boat came in at seven o'clock in the morning and you had to be out at, say, the fishing grounds for seven o'clock at night, well the steaming time between sometimes they were screaming for the stores because if they got out there and missed the tide and missed the fish they could miss out on a couple hundred boxes of fish which in those days were a lot of money." Martin Wright , the son of the founder.

The 'new' Low Light, North Shields

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The tall white tower seen here was built between 1808-10 by Trinity House, Newcastle, to replace the Old Low Light which served as a navigational aid to ships. When aligned with the `new` High Light higher up the river bank to the West it indicated a safe shipping channel to vessels entering the river Tyne. At the top right of the picture can be seen some of the ruins at nearby Tynemouth Priory.

Dock Masters House

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North Tyneside Council has transformed the old Dock Masters House into three new business units, all of which have been let this year.
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North Shields Fish Quay

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the white tower to the left is called the Low Light and was one of two built in 1808 to mark the entrance of the harbour.

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North Shields Fish Quay

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North Shields Fish Quay lies 1km from the mouth of the River Tyne on its northern bank. It dates back to 1225 as part of the settlement which grew to support the monastery at nearby Tynemouth The fishermen who supplied the monks lived in 'shiel' huts from which the towns of North and South Shields derive their names.

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The fishing industry around the UK has been in general decline for decades but several vessels still earn a living here, and North Shields is the biggest prawn port in England.

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A number of fish handling and processing firms remain in the area of which Caley Fisheries is one.
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