2 weeks on a 23 metre boat with 13 other people? Pure dead brilliant.

Swan was launched in 1900 in Shetland as a Fifie fishing boat.  She has fished, collected debris at sea during the war, accommodated a family as a houseboat, languished unloved in a dock and then reemerged as a sail training vessel, offering any interested folk (and many teenagers!) a chance to sail a small tall ship.  And she’s grand.

We sailed from Shetland to Greenock – roughly 500 miles and 3 1/2 days at sea, with a  brief stop for a chilly swim at Cape Wrath. Everyone on board works together to sail, cook, clean and look after one another. When at sea, it’s 3 hour watches on rotation. When anchored it’s time for swimming and exploring.

We sailed down the West Coast and I spy with my little eye (and a pair of binoculars) Mull…

I have a love affair with the hardware on board…

We took part in the ASTO small ships race (it was flat calm = not much racing for Swan!), we parked in Greenock, Portavadie, the Kyles of Bute and in Glasgow. We took part in the 250 boat Commonwealth Games Flotilla, visited the Commonwealth Games and we welcomed visitors on board…(spot City Mouse!)

A race that was beautiful but wasn’t a race…

We sped-ish back through the Caledonian Canal, hit the high seas and made fond farewells in Lerwick…

Check out the Swan’s homepage and Facebook for more photos and info.

GET ONBOARD, Y’ALL!