An offshore worker for 12 years, Graeme Bremner knows what hard work is.
And spending weeks at a time on platforms in the middle of the North Sea doesn’t leave much time for hobbies – particularly those of the four-wheeled variety.
So in his downtime Graeme can mostly be found behind the wheel of his pride and joy; a rare 1989 Porsche 944 coupe.
“The car itself isn’t particularly rare,” said Graeme, 30.
“But the model I have has an unusual 2.7-litre engine.
“They only made this kind of car for one year and last time I checked there were less than 200 still on UK roads today.”
Although this car is classed as something of a collector’s edition, Graeme didn’t set out to acquire such a rare vehicle.
By his own admission, all he had been looking for was a vehicle in a semi-decent condition.
“Originally I was on the lookout for a Mark 2 Ford Escort,” said Graeme.
“But I spotted the Porsche online and it just appealed to me.
“It was a coupe, rear-wheel drive and was in great condition.”
But for Graeme, who lives in the Black Isle, it wasn’t exactly a local purchase as the Porsche’s previous home was just outside London.
“As it went, I hopped on a plane to Heathrow to view the car and ended up buying it,” he said.
“Then I had to drive it the 600-odd miles back home.
“I stopped in Middlesbrough because I’ve got some friends there but otherwise it was a long drive on my own!
“It took about a day and a half over all, and the car made it no problem.”
Graeme isn’t exactly sure what inspired his passion for classic cars, but remembers as a child being impressed by traditional cars he used to see around the neighbourhood.
“When I was a kid I used to love going round to a friend’s house if his dad had a classic car. And I had a poster of a Ferrari F40 on my wall.
“Once I remember going to the Alness Vintage Car rally, but I’ve no idea how old I was.”
However it would turn out to be many years before Graeme had a classic motor to call his own.
“The Porsche 944 is actually my first car that I guess you could say is a classic,” he said.
“And I only bought it two years ago.
“That wasn’t to say I hadn’t been thinking about it though, and I even made sure that my wife and I bought a house with a decent garage so there would be a place for any future car purchases.”
Since buying the Porsche 944, Graeme has enjoyed exploring the classic car scene in the Highlands and is now a member of various clubs and societies.
“Last year I went to seven or eight rallies around Scotland,” he said.
“There are a few good ones down the Aberdeen way, and one in Grantown which I enjoyed.
“The first summer I had the car I wasn’t a member of any clubs and didn’t know anything about the show calendar.
“But by last summer I’d joined the Highland Classic Motor Club which has been a great avenue to hear about events.
“It’s also been a good way to meet new people.
“I moved up to Stornoway a few years ago and lost touch with quite a lot of friends in the Black Isle area.
“So when I came back the car club made it easy to meet like-minded folk.”
And although Graeme’s rally calendar is often interrupted by his offshore rota, he makes sure to make the most of his time at home.
“A lot of people put their classic cars away for the winter,” he said.
“April to October is the main season but I like to have mine available all year round.
“Obviously I don’t take it out if there is salt or grit on the roads, but there’s nothing better than going for a drive on a cold, crisp day.
“It’s a nimble, good-handling car which keeps up with modern traffic.
“And there is nothing worse than old cars just sitting in a garage.
“It’s not good for them so I like to make sure I take it out at least every couple of weeks, even if it’s just to blast around the Black Isle to blow the cobwebs off.”
And Graeme seems to have passed on the car-loving gene to his son Ruaridh, aged three, who loves joining his dad at various rallies.
With no plans to sell the Porsche 944 any time soon, it looks like Ruaridh might one day be learning to drive in one of the rarest cars in the country.