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Sailing on the Swan LK243

Published on September 3, 2016 • Last updated October 14, 2024 by Elizabeth

The Swan LK243 is 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.

The Swan, Shetland
Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • My first time on a sailing boat
  • Other Shetland adventure posts you might like

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. 

The Swan, Shetland

My first time on a sailing boat

One of these awesome things, recently, was the opportunity to sail on the Swan LK243, 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.

This was the first time I’d ever been on a sailing boat, and it 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 also out on exercise that afternoon, pictured below.

Lerwick Lifeboat from Swan
Lerwick Lifeboat, Shetland
The Swan, Shetland
The Swan, Shetland
The Swan, Shetland
The Swan, Shetland
The Swan, Shetland
The Swan, Shetland
The Swan, Shetland
The Swan, Shetland
The Swan, Shetland

Read my piece on Shetland.org on The Swan – Shetland’s Legacy of Sail

Find out more about the Swan LK243 on The Swan Trust website

Other Shetland adventure posts you might like

A West Coast of Scotland Boat Tour on the Agnes Kay II

Ardglass Viking Longship Black Swallow

Follow the Vikings: The Unst Viking Festival

Category: Adventure, ShetlandTag: Promote Shetland, Shetland, The Swan

About Elizabeth

Solivagant. Foodie. Calls Shetland home.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche

    October 20, 2016 at 6:40 pm

    I love your photos Elizabeth – you really captured your time on the boat 🙂 So cool that you get to do this kind of thing!

    Reply
  2. Cecilia Keinapel

    September 8, 2016 at 1:39 pm

    woow this looks amazing! I wish I had the stomach to do that, but I always get seasick! lol x

    Reply
  3. Charlotte Braithwaite

    September 8, 2016 at 11:11 am

    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

    Reply
  4. Daniella Keating

    September 7, 2016 at 7:47 pm

    This looks like so much fun! I’m such a wuss when it comes to water though, haha.

    Reply
  5. Valerie

    September 7, 2016 at 5:21 pm

    Amazing. I’d so love to tag along.

    Reply
  6. Baby Isabella

    September 6, 2016 at 7:45 pm

    What an amazing experience and such an interesting post! We’d love to go on a sailboat, we’ve only ever been on ribs.

    Reply
  7. Yvonne

    September 6, 2016 at 5:58 pm

    Your photos are amazing! I love them. Very cool that you get to do these kind of things in the name of work!

    Reply
  8. Charli Bruce

    September 6, 2016 at 8:57 am

    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

    Reply
  9. Jessica Harlow

    September 6, 2016 at 4:35 am

    I love being on the water. This looks like a great outing. You’ve got some great photos!

    Reply
  10. Tiffani

    September 6, 2016 at 2:13 am

    Oh that’s amazing. I love the water. I have entertained the idea of joining a sailing club. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.

    Reply
  11. Sally

    September 6, 2016 at 12:44 am

    What a gorgeous boat! I’ve been wanting to go on a proper sailing boat for years.

    Reply
  12. Mrs H

    September 5, 2016 at 10:42 pm

    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

    Reply
  13. Harriet from Toby & Roo

    September 5, 2016 at 8:55 pm

    Wow what an amazing experience! This looks peaceful and just fabulous! H x

    Reply
  14. MELANIE EDJOURIAN

    September 5, 2016 at 8:26 pm

    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.

    Reply
  15. Tanya Brannan

    September 5, 2016 at 5:48 pm

    What a fantastic adventure for your first sailing experience! The boat looks really fascinating and I would love to sail on It too x

    Reply
  16. Michelle Adams

    September 5, 2016 at 1:47 pm

    That looks so cool! I’m terrified of boats, but I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  17. Kerry Norris

    September 5, 2016 at 1:40 pm

    What a fab opportunity for your first time on a sailing boat. The pictures are great x

    Reply
  18. Stella

    September 5, 2016 at 1:12 pm

    What an amazing opportunity. The boat looks fab.

    Reply
  19. Dr.Amrita Basu

    September 5, 2016 at 12:16 pm

    Lovely boat.Beautiful pics.I love sailing too.I actually love the ocean ,water,blue sky. The entire experience of the world becoming one.

    Reply
  20. Dr.Amrita Basu

    September 5, 2016 at 12:06 pm

    The boat looks gorgeous. It must have been a fantastic experience. Hopping over to read the other piece.

    Reply
  21. Tooting Mama

    September 5, 2016 at 11:07 am

    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.

    Reply
  22. Jordanne | Thelifeofaglasgowgirl

    September 5, 2016 at 10:56 am

    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

    Reply
  23. Melanie Frost

    September 5, 2016 at 2:31 am

    That looks like a great experience. I would probably get sea sick though 🙁 Your photos are gorgeous.

    Reply
  24. La French Connection

    September 4, 2016 at 9:28 pm

    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

    Reply
  25. Jessica McDonnell

    September 4, 2016 at 7:49 pm

    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.

    Reply
  26. Rachel

    September 4, 2016 at 5:43 pm

    Absolutely stunning photos and what an amazing experience, there is something quite liberating about being on the water x

    Reply
  27. Divya @ Eat. Teach. Blog.

    September 4, 2016 at 5:32 pm

    I’ve never been sailing but I think I would love it!

    Reply
  28. Holly

    September 4, 2016 at 4:58 pm

    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!

    Reply
  29. Laura H

    September 4, 2016 at 3:31 pm

    Looks like an amazing experience! I’d love to sail on a classic looking boat like that 🙂

    Reply
  30. Kira C

    September 4, 2016 at 2:36 pm

    Beautiful photos! I’d love to have a day like this one day 😀

    Reply
  31. Julie Wright

    September 4, 2016 at 1:55 pm

    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!

    Reply
  32. Hannah

    September 4, 2016 at 1:43 pm

    What gorgeous photos! Sailing isn’t for me as i am terrified of deep water lol

    Reply
  33. Tara

    September 4, 2016 at 12:55 pm

    Wow, absolutely stunning pictures. What a lovely time!

    Reply
  34. Anna nuttall

    September 4, 2016 at 10:22 am

    Beautiful photos I hasn’t gone sailing in ages. The Swan look amazing!

    Reply
  35. Pubali

    September 4, 2016 at 7:09 am

    Never been sailing but this gave me serious goals. I loved the pics!

    Reply
  36. Rhian Westbury

    September 4, 2016 at 12:20 am

    I’ve never been sailing either, definitly something I’d love to have a go at x

    Reply
  37. WhatLauraLoves

    September 3, 2016 at 10:19 pm

    Oh wow this looks absolutely amazing! I’d love to do something like this in my life xxx

    Reply
  38. Lyndsey O'Halloran

    September 3, 2016 at 5:33 pm

    Ive never been sailing but I would love to. Your trip looks fabulous!

    Reply
  39. Christine Dodd

    September 3, 2016 at 4:38 pm

    What a fab experience – being at sea is quite unlike anything else isn’t it

    Reply
  40. Nikki

    September 3, 2016 at 4:25 pm

    Looks like a lot of fun! I took a sail on a tall ship when I was in Australia and it was brilliant!

    Reply
  41. Aurelie

    September 3, 2016 at 4:05 pm

    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!!!

    Reply
  42. Alyssia Slade

    September 3, 2016 at 3:29 pm

    I’ve never been sailing but I have always wondered what it would be like, looks like you had a great time.

    Reply
  43. StressedMum

    September 3, 2016 at 1:21 pm

    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

    Reply
  44. MsPrettyLThings

    September 3, 2016 at 12:53 pm

    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.

    Reply

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Cooking up a storm at the edge of the world

Image of Elizabeth Atia making a cake in the Aald Harbour Hoose, Shetland. Photograph by Misa Hay from Shetland Wool Adventures.

Welcome to Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary, Scotland’s most northerly award-winning food blog.

I’m based in the wild and remote Shetland Islands, where I’ve been sharing my adventure-fuelling recipes since 2011.

As seen on Shetland: Scotland’s Wondrous Isles on Channel 5.

“Never underestimate the power of your own story. Life may have taken unexpected turns, but it’s never too late to weave new threads of adventure into your tapestry. Keep spinning those yarns, my friend.

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