An old sea dog is guiding visitors into the digital future of a popular museum in the Aberdeenshire fishing village of Johnshaven.
Johnner Jack made his first appearance in the weekend launch of an augmented reality app which aims to lure increasing numbers of visitors to what was once the busiest fishing village on that stretch of Mearns coast.
Old fisherman Jack will jump onto the phone screen to regale visitors with tales of a magical Pictish princess, shipwrecks and local rogues.
The app has been developed for visitors to the Heritage Hub Museum, located in Johnshaven’s one-time lifeboat house.
Don Marr, of the local heritage society, said: “Johnner was once the busiest fishing harbour on the Mearns coast but tourism is now the lifeblood of the village.
“With the harbour, award-winning food and drink and the museum we have real potential to bring even more tourists here.
“But we were conscious that people want to do more than just look at exhibits so we needed to do something to bring the museum into the 21st century.
“The stories are aimed at all the family and are short and fun,” said Mr Marr. “They are more Horrible History than Discovery Channel.
“Hopefully tourists heading to the V&A in the south and Dunnottar Castle to the north will take a little detour off the A92 and spend some time enjoying Johnner Jack’s stories and our new exhibition.”
The Tales of the Smuggler’s Coast exhibition is the heritage hub’s first since the pandemic outbreak and runs until September 11.
The Johnner Jack project has been funded by Eneco Tullo/Twinshiels windfarm and public donations.
Fascinating history
Don added: “For a small village, Johnshaven’s connections with Scottish history are remarkable.
“The Old Pretender spent one of his last days in Scotland here and the Duke of Cumberland burnt the village because of its Jacobite sympathies.
“It was once the busiest fishing harbour on the coast.
“There are too many stories to tell – unless you are Johnner Jack.”