Coming Home to Roost

Originally from Lymington in the South of England, it was inevitable that John Roberts (Graham Roberts’ father)  would go to sea. He grew up near Southampton, famous for its nautical college. John attended the world-renowned Warsash Nautical College in nearby Southampton.
John first went to sea in 1967 and initially worked on passenger vessels and in 1968 he purchased his own boat the “Kingfisher”. Achieving his qualification in maritime studies, he then went to work in the fisheries sector, and became heavily involved in fisheries research in the UK.  He moved to Ireland with his family in 1978 and purchased his first Irish boat the “Graylin”. From here is where it all started.
John had many boats after that the Graylin from the ABC1, Alain Domique, Kittiewake, Carraig Chuin and Fulmur.
This week Kittiewake G25 came home to roost.  Built clark steelcraft in Southampton for John (Graham’s Father) she was lanched in 1989 and was sold during the 90’s to an Aran Island owner.  In our time she was engaged in survey work with B.I.M. (Bord Iascaigh Mhara) to find Enviromentally Friendly & Sustainable ways of catching Tuna & Swordfish by line fishing. Since then we have been smoking Tuna and have developed a cure that is unique to the Connemara Smokehouse and has become a firm favourite. See www.smokehouse.ie for more on Tuna.

In the space of a week of the Kittiwake returning, Carraig Chuin returns for a visit.
Another of the Roberts fleet. She was a fine wodden 47ft Tyrells of Arklow built Inshore trawler. She was owned after the Kittiwake during the 90’s. Carraig Chuin used  to fish the South and West Inshore Waters.

John has since retired from the Connemara Smokehouse but is still very much involved with the sea check John out – Serious Sailing