Community / Sailors soak up Shetland sunshine: ‘You feel very proud to be part of this’
THE SECOND day of Tall Ships festivities has been full of sun and blue skies, much to the delight of locals and visitors alike.
Hundreds of crew members from almost 40 ships are having a more relaxed day after the excitement of the parade and opening ceremony yesterday (Wednesday).
On top of that, there are also three cruise ships in town: Viking sister ships Venus and Mars and the smaller vessel Corinthian.
As well as visitors from further afield, Shetlanders have also been getting in on the sailing action.
The Swan has been taking part in the races this year and sail trainees joined her for the cruise in company leg from Norway.
Skipper Maggie Adamson said: “The trainees joined us in Fredrikstad and the first bit of the crossing was a bit rough, but we had the tide with us so we were making good progress.
“We stopped off in Kristiansund on the south coast of Norway just to let the worst of the weather pass; that was a really nice stop.
“From there it was pretty plain sailing, we had the engine on for the first half and then we sailed the second half of the North Sea up to Fetlar… before we went to Cullivoe.”
Now that the crew are back home in the isles, Adamson says it is “just fantastic” to be meeting everyone.
“You feel very proud to be part of this and to be from Shetland, just being able to welcome folk,” she continued.
“It feels a bit surreal… it’s such a big, nice community, the Tall Ships.”
Ena Priest, 15, and Brooke Meffen, 17, are local lasses who have been sail trainees on the Swan for the past few days – they say the experience has been “amazing”.
“We flew out to Norway, so we got two flights,” Priest explained. “Then we met the Swan in Fredrikstad, it was amazing seeing all the tall ships there.”
Meffen said: “It was quite fun [to visit the north isles], it was good to get to Yell.
“There were loads of people there, they were excited to see the Swan… the music was really good too.”
She explained how everyone mucks in on board: “We usually split up, so we all cook, we all clean, we do it in our watches usually.
“We have three hours on, six hours off.”
Both girls had been on boats before, but it was their first times sailing for a considerable length of time.
“I think this is maybe my fifth time on the Swan,” Priest said. “But all the times before was just day sails, so this is my first time actually staying on for a long period of time… it’s been so good.”
They both said they would “definitely” be interested in sailing again.
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