A Life on the Ocean Wave
Posted: Friday, 02 June 2006 |
I'm back after a long absence. Settling in at new job. But the last few days allowed me to go back to my seafaring roots. On Sunday, consort & I took a trip on a Dutch 3-masted barquentine, the Thalassa. We sailed from Lerwick and motored out the north mouth of the harbour before hoisting the sails to sail around Bressay. Ruthodanort and daughter were also there.
As we dropped the pilot, the Knab (the Lerwick pilot boat) came alongside. In the backwash from the boat several of us got soaked. My camera survived but sadly Consort's died.
In the cabin, we had live music - courtesy of a couple of member of local band, Hom Bru. And a buffet lunch - including octopus!!
Once the sails were up, the boat heeled to the side but remained stable. Strange experience walking through the main cabin at an angle of umpteen degrees.
We circumnavigated Bressay and got a close look at the gannet colony on the cliffs of Noss before heading in the south mouth of the harbour. As we did the Norrona, the ferry between Shetland, Norway, Faroes & Iceland, passed us, dwarfing us.
On Tues, it was one of the activities days for Sandwick JHS. We took a minibus up to Scalloway and set off on the Swan - a lot smaller. (see www.theswan.shetland.co.uk for more info or talk to ruthodanort) The Swan was built as a drifter in 1900 and is 67 ft long.
Heading out the weather was cold with a strong northerly wind blowing - so a lot of tacking as we headed for Reawick. However, once the sail is up it's amazing how steady the feel. Felt quite sea-roverish standing there in oilskins and drinking a mug of tea before helping to change tack again.
Heading back to Scalloway the wind was more behind us and we sped along, with the sun shining by now. Face is now pretty red after all the sea air.
As we dropped the pilot, the Knab (the Lerwick pilot boat) came alongside. In the backwash from the boat several of us got soaked. My camera survived but sadly Consort's died.
In the cabin, we had live music - courtesy of a couple of member of local band, Hom Bru. And a buffet lunch - including octopus!!
Once the sails were up, the boat heeled to the side but remained stable. Strange experience walking through the main cabin at an angle of umpteen degrees.
We circumnavigated Bressay and got a close look at the gannet colony on the cliffs of Noss before heading in the south mouth of the harbour. As we did the Norrona, the ferry between Shetland, Norway, Faroes & Iceland, passed us, dwarfing us.
On Tues, it was one of the activities days for Sandwick JHS. We took a minibus up to Scalloway and set off on the Swan - a lot smaller. (see www.theswan.shetland.co.uk for more info or talk to ruthodanort) The Swan was built as a drifter in 1900 and is 67 ft long.
Heading out the weather was cold with a strong northerly wind blowing - so a lot of tacking as we headed for Reawick. However, once the sail is up it's amazing how steady the feel. Felt quite sea-roverish standing there in oilskins and drinking a mug of tea before helping to change tack again.
Heading back to Scalloway the wind was more behind us and we sped along, with the sun shining by now. Face is now pretty red after all the sea air.
Comments
Allegedly (I understand it is advisable, at least in the Western Isles, to use this caveat at every turn) my mpu has thrown up from the Statsraad Lehmkul and one other tallish ship, and has ambitions to do similar on as many of the nasty heaving waterborn things as possible. There's no accounting for the slightly skewed tastes of humans. But I did think better of ponies......until now. How clever of you to hold the camera with your hooves...........
Flying Cat from lubbering on dry land
What fond memories of the Norrona! You will need a new camera for the grazing event of the year. PS Shetland Times had a better picture- heave, heave, heave.
Herman from Orkney
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