Marine / Swan salutes busy summer season as she ties up for year
HISTORIC Shetland sail training vessel Swan has tied up for the year, having helped 140 young folk gain first-hand sailing experience.
The Swan also took a further 220 others out to sea from April to October during a busy 2024 season.
The restored former herring drifter has a volunteer crew of 28 and retained crew of six, who helped provide a number of school trips.
Bairns from Aith, Scalloway, Skeld and Sandness were among those to be whisked around the isles and shown the ropes, with the trips funded by the Zetland Educational Trust and Cooke Scotland.
Swan also sailed to more distant waters – taking passengers to the west coast of Scotland, Westray in Orkney, the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival in Portsoy and Gulating in western Norway.
More than 160 people visited the Swan over just one weekend last month as part of the national Doors Open Day, with the vessel’s final trip of the season coinciding with Shetland Wool Week.
Swan Trust chairwoman Mary Irvine said it took a lot of hard work and community goodwill to ensure the Swan could continue to be successful.
“We are incredibly proud to work with the community of Shetland – and the work we do to both keep our heritage alive, and offer life changing experiences for our current and future generations,” she said.
“Particular thanks go to all those who have crewed and volunteered in other ways to help Swan this season.
“And also for the generous funding from the Shetland Charitable Trust, Zetland Educational Trust, Cooke Scotland and many others including the local fishing industry – whose funding helped make a memorable day possible for so many Shetland school bairns and others of all ages.”
Bookings will open in the coming weeks to sail on the Swan in 2025, with enquires welcomed by email to info@swantrust.com.
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