I have lived nearly my entire life by the sea, and would you believe I have never been on a sailing boat before? Not properly, anyway. I’ve been on aboard a few while they were berthed, but I had never experienced the thrill of being out on the open sea with the sails down, wind at our backs.
Until recently.
Regular readers will be aware that I am one of the main contributors to the blogs on our local tourism board website – Shetland.org. I also write regular features for their quarterly magazine, 60 North.
This means I get to do All. Sorts. Of. Awesome. Things! So I can write about stuffs, y’know.
One of these awesome things, recently, was the opportunity to sail on the Swan, a restored herring drifter built in 1900. This vessel was one of the finest built during the herring boom here in Shetland in the late 1800s. She’s survived two world wars and near destruction, found partially submerged in Hartlepool harbour in the 80s. The Swan Trust was set up in Shetland to bring her home and restore her to her former glory, and now she’s a sail training vessel, keeping alive the old traditional methods of working a sail Fifie.
I had a most fantastic sail on her one afternoon recently, the first time I’d ever been on a sailing boat, and this was really something special.
I wrote a more detailed historical piece for the Shetland.org blog, but I wanted to share a few extra photos I didn’t include in that piece here, plus to perhaps point more readers in the Shetland.org direction. If you ever wanted to learn more about Shetland, that’s the place to do it!
In the meantime, here are some photos taken on the day. The Lerwick RNLI lifeboat crew were out on exercise that afternoon, pictured below.
Read my piece on Shetland.org on The Swan – Shetland’s Legacy of Sail
Find out more about the Swan on The Swan Trust website
Mum of three, daydream adventurer, OU Life Sciences graduate, occasional crafter, ex-pat Canadian & quite possibly Britain's most northerly food blogger.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
I love your photos Elizabeth – you really captured your time on the boat 🙂 So cool that you get to do this kind of thing!
Cecilia Keinapel says
woow this looks amazing! I wish I had the stomach to do that, but I always get seasick! lol x
Charlotte Braithwaite says
Oh my goodness! I would love to go sailing and this boat looks amazing!
I’ve never been but I I know it would be awesome. So glad you had a great time sugar.
Great post
Charlotte x
Daniella Keating says
This looks like so much fun! I’m such a wuss when it comes to water though, haha.
Valerie says
Amazing. I’d so love to tag along.
Baby Isabella says
What an amazing experience and such an interesting post! We’d love to go on a sailboat, we’ve only ever been on ribs.
Yvonne says
Your photos are amazing! I love them. Very cool that you get to do these kind of things in the name of work!
Charli Bruce says
I’d love to go on a proper sailing boat, I’m so jealous that you did! Your photos look amazing and I shall definitely be checking out your other post xx
Jessica Harlow says
I love being on the water. This looks like a great outing. You’ve got some great photos!
Tiffani says
Oh that’s amazing. I love the water. I have entertained the idea of joining a sailing club. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.
Sally says
What a gorgeous boat! I’ve been wanting to go on a proper sailing boat for years.
Mrs H says
How amazing. And what a beautiful boat to sail on for your first experience on a sail boat. Your photographs are stunning and it looks like you had the perfect weather for a trip out to sea. Hugs Lucy xxxx
Harriet from Toby & Roo says
Wow what an amazing experience! This looks peaceful and just fabulous! H x
MELANIE EDJOURIAN says
Wow I’ve never been on anything quite like that before it looks beautiful. I must admit if I was on it and it moved I’d be terrified.
Tanya Brannan says
What a fantastic adventure for your first sailing experience! The boat looks really fascinating and I would love to sail on It too x
Michelle Adams says
That looks so cool! I’m terrified of boats, but I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
Kerry Norris says
What a fab opportunity for your first time on a sailing boat. The pictures are great x
Stella says
What an amazing opportunity. The boat looks fab.
Dr.Amrita Basu says
Lovely boat.Beautiful pics.I love sailing too.I actually love the ocean ,water,blue sky. The entire experience of the world becoming one.
Dr.Amrita Basu says
The boat looks gorgeous. It must have been a fantastic experience. Hopping over to read the other piece.
Tooting Mama says
It looks like a fabulous experience – when the waters are choppy I am prone to sea sickness. But I do harbour a secret desire to learn to sail – I love being in, near or by the water.
Jordanne | Thelifeofaglasgowgirl says
What an amazing opportunity you got! I love old boats etc… my grandad would always tell me stories about them and how he sailed on them. It’s been beautiful restored for sure!
Jordanne || Thelifeofaglasgowgirl.co.uk
Melanie Frost says
That looks like a great experience. I would probably get sea sick though 🙁 Your photos are gorgeous.
La French Connection says
That’s amazing! I spent myself a few afternoons on a boat called Eleonora. It’s a very famous sailboat and I really enjoyed it.
Great pictures! You must have had a great time.
Mika | http://www.la-french-connection.com
Jessica McDonnell says
This looks amazing. I’m lucky that my dad has a yacht so I have spent so much time at sea, I couldn’t imagine my life without a boat.
Rachel says
Absolutely stunning photos and what an amazing experience, there is something quite liberating about being on the water x
Divya @ Eat. Teach. Blog. says
I’ve never been sailing but I think I would love it!
Holly says
Wow – looks like a great experience. I love being out on a boat. You just feel suddenly so grounded and relaxed. Which is weird because being on the sea you aren’t actually grounded!
Laura H says
Looks like an amazing experience! I’d love to sail on a classic looking boat like that 🙂
Kira C says
Beautiful photos! I’d love to have a day like this one day 😀
Julie Wright says
awesome photos and great scenery.
What a treasure that boat is. I guess living by the sea, you get to see it everyday and not want to go on it?
Looks like you had great weather too:)
I would love to live by the sea!
Hannah says
What gorgeous photos! Sailing isn’t for me as i am terrified of deep water lol
Tara says
Wow, absolutely stunning pictures. What a lovely time!
Anna nuttall says
Beautiful photos I hasn’t gone sailing in ages. The Swan look amazing!
Pubali says
Never been sailing but this gave me serious goals. I loved the pics!
Rhian Westbury says
I’ve never been sailing either, definitly something I’d love to have a go at x
WhatLauraLoves says
Oh wow this looks absolutely amazing! I’d love to do something like this in my life xxx
Lyndsey O'Halloran says
Ive never been sailing but I would love to. Your trip looks fabulous!
Christine Dodd says
What a fab experience – being at sea is quite unlike anything else isn’t it
Nikki says
Looks like a lot of fun! I took a sail on a tall ship when I was in Australia and it was brilliant!
Aurelie says
I have been sailing a few times during summer camps, I have great memories, but never in my adult life….and I used to live by the sea!!!
Alyssia Slade says
I’ve never been sailing but I have always wondered what it would be like, looks like you had a great time.
StressedMum says
I have never been sailing, if honest I am scared of the sea, but the photos are amazing and I quite fancy having a go now x
MsPrettyLThings says
OOh the Swan looks amazing, so much history there. I love sailing it’s so peaceful when you get out on the open sea and breath all that lovely fresh air.