Yo Ho - A Pirate’s Life for Orkney pupils on board the Swan!

A crew of young adventurers from Papay and North Ronaldsay recently set sail for a training day on board the Swan, a 120-year-old fishing vessel.

The Shetland former herring boat was given new life in the 1990s as a sail training and charter vessel.

Earlier this month, the Swan offered sail training days for pupils in Papay, North Ronaldsay, Sanday and Westray.

We caught up with the young pupils from Papay and North Ronaldsay to see if they found their sea legs.

A P4 pupil from Papay said: “It looked like a pirate ship – I was a bit scared to start off with. My favourite part was the music.”

A P3 pupil from North Ronaldsay said she hadn’t been sailing before. “Lunch was my favourite part and after lunch we had music. I did see a lot of good birds. I would like to go again.”

A fellow P3 pupil at North Ronaldsay agreed that the lunch and music had been highlights. “I was on a sailing boat with my grandad once. I got to steer the boat.”

An P6 from North Ronaldsay School added: “I have been on a boat like this before with my grandad but this one was much bigger. The best bit was putting up the sails; I got to help pull up the sails. I learned how to do the knots and how to steer.

“I did feel a bit odd just before lunch but after eating I felt a lot better.”

A 10-year-old in P6 at Papay shared his thoughts on the experience. “It was quite big and quite interesting. My favourite part was definitely after lunch when we played a bit of music. We all played a couple of different instruments.

“I did get offered to steer but I really did not want to. I would not trust myself to steer a boat!”

Papa Westray Community School Head Teacher, Tim Ross, said: “We started the day with the Papay Nursery getting a chance to explore with parents. The three bairns from North Ronaldsay came across to join on the morning plane with Helga Scott and Edith Craigie, joining the older Papay ones for a five-hour day at sea.

“On our way home it was a peedie bit choppier about the pier than it had been so we made our way to Westray instead – I think they all found this a bit exciting! Thanks to the Nigg Bay then for getting everyone to where they should be. We were very fortunate to have local musicians Jen Austin and Eric Linklater on board who entertained and led us in music after lunch. We had a bit of a sing to the Wellerman – with our own slight variation:

Soon may the school cook come,

To bring us sugar and tea and buns,

One day when the learning is done,

We'll tak wur leave and go.

“We try to do special things that makes learning exciting and fits in with local culture and our North Isles heritage.

“The trip was kindly funded by the North Isles Landscape Partnership Scheme, and we are grateful for their ongoing support. We're also very grateful to the Swan and crew for ensuring we all had a memorable day.”

Described as one of the finest boats in the Scottish fishing fleet when launched in 1900, the Swan was one of hundreds of Fifies to be found fishing around Scotland and further afield. She had a long career in Shetland, before being retired in the 1950s, and left the isles in 1960.  A community initiative formed in 1990 returned her to Shetland and, following a full restoration, she was relaunched as a sail training and charter vessel in 1996.

She is no stranger to Orkney, visiting many times, providing both youth and public trips.

Read more about The Swan Trust’s youth sailing opportunities here: www.swantrust.com/about/youth-sail-training