It's not very easy, and if I've learned anything over the last few decades, it's that complaining doesn't make any difference, so you just have to work the boats on the farm on the better days and save easy jobs onshore for bad weather.

So now that I've set out the weather scene, what are the positive things at this time of year? Spending more time onshore enables everyone to really catch up with the work that you kept putting off when it's busy.

Like the machinery that needs to be inspected and maintained so that it is ready for spring harvesting.     The guys will also be checking and preparing the mussel seed collectors - hundreds of hours of work, but at least it's inside the shed and eased slightly by the heater and radio.

And hopefully there will be some improvements too? Not repairs, something new, something to make the job easier.

And of course we try to take a wee bit more time off for the social side of life at this festive period. It's the one thing the weather can't stop us doing! We're harvesting through the spring, summer and autumn and we don't get holidays then, so Cameron (our farm manager) and the guys have all earned a few weeks off.