Sail Training Shetland Trainees Prepare for Tall Ship Races 2019

Swan will welcome its trainees aboard on the evening of 27^th June and anchor overnight before leaving Shetland to cross the North Sea to Aalborg in Denmark. There Swan will join an immense fleet of Tall Ships for Race One to Fredrikstad in Norway, starting on Wednesday 3 July after an impressive ‘parade of sail’.

The ten trainees taking part in Race One onboard Swan are: Aaron Regler (15) from Setter, Sandwick, Laura Bowles (15) from Gruting, Walls, Xenon Johnson (15) from Lerwick, James Phillips (16) from Lerwick, Malachi Hendry (16) from Cunningsburgh, Jan Peters (17) from Evie, Orkney, Daniel Sinclair (18) from Cunningsburgh, Michael Noblett (21) from Lerwick, Sarah Kissick (21) from South Nesting and Andrew Manson (23) from Brae.

These trainees will work under the guidance of Swan crew to learn a wide range of hands on skills, such as watch-keeping, setting sails and other domestic duties which they will share during their time onboard. All of the trainees will also have time to join in the host port celebrations, mixing with other participants from across the world and forming new friendships.

Some trainees are lucky enough to train with Sail Training Shetland more than once, often sailing aboard Swan on their first trip and Statsraad Lehmkuhl on their second. One such trainee is, 21 year old Abi Marples from Lerwick: “I was fortunate to experience sailing on Swan thanks to Sail Training Shetland in 2014, taking part in Nordisk Sejlads between Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Now I can’t wait to get the chance to push myself further and experience life on board a much larger ship, Statsraad Lehmkuhl. I hope to learn something new about myself from stepping out of my comfort zone. There’s going to be such a fantastic atmosphere ashore and onboard, it’s going to be amazing!”

Tommy Allan, Vice-chair of Swan Trust said: “The work Sail Training Shetland does in providing opportunities for young people is invaluable to our community. Sail training is an adventure activity which includes instruction in all aspects of sailing, but its purpose goes far beyond this. It uses the experience of being at sea principally as a means to help young people learn about themselves and to discover hidden strengths and talents. Shetland is lucky to have experiences like this to offer our young folk and sail trainees reap the benefits of this through increased self-confidence, independence, team working, communication skills and testing their personal and physical boundaries, with some going on to pursue careers at sea.”

Sail Training Shetland could not make these annual placements without its sponsors and supporters: Lerwick Port Authority, J.R. Hutton Consulting Ltd, Mørenot Aquaculture, Tulloch Developments Ltd, Shetland Tall Ships Ltd, EnQuest on behalf of the Sullom Voe Terminal Owners, The Swan Trust, Serco NorthLink Ferries and Artmachine. You can find out more about Sail Training Shetland here

While Race One is for trainees, anyone can experience taking part in Tall Ships 2019 aboard Swan for the Cruise in Company leg, along the scenic coasts of Norway to Bergen. Call 01595 695193 to book.