Boats with Bite!

We found these unusual boats moored near us at the pontoons on Scalpay Island:

A Pair of Strange Boats - with Paddlewheels at the Stern

And Teeth at the Bow!

These boats are used to cut and collect seaweed from the waters along this coast, which is then dumped into large floating "pallets".  

The pallets are brought to the town's slipway and a truck with a grabber device then collects the seaweed to be taken away and sold to industry for use in cosmetics, ice cream and even perfumes we were told!

They said they will return here in about 6 weeks time when the seaweed will have re-grown.  In the meantime they will head off elsewhere along the coast to harvest their weed.

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