Bha mi uabhasach fhèin fortanach is toilichte a bhith an làthair nuair a thàinig na Rèisean Tall Ships a dh’Obar Dheathain san Iuchar am bliadhna, a chiad uair às dèidh an tadhail mu dheireadh an sin ann an 1997. Ghlèidh mi àite-fuirich faisg air a’ chaladh bliadhna gu lèir ro làimh, cho luath’s a bha fios agam gum biodh iad a’ tighinn. Bha iad ann bho Dhihaoine gu Dimàirt, is seo an treas port nan rèisean às dèidh Le Havre agus Dunkirk, agus ‘s e seòrsa fèise moire a bh’ ann anns gach port. Bha Sgìre Obar Dheathain air a fìor ghlacadh le fiabhras Tall Ships, is barrachd is 400,000 luchd-tadhail ann!

‘S e Sail Training International a chuireas na rèisean air dòigh, comann charthannach a bheir taic do dh’fhoglam is trèanadh òigridh air bàtaichean-siùil, gus an sgilean beatha, sgilean prataigeach agus obair-sgioba a leasachadh. Feumaidh leth-cheud as a’ cheud den chriutha co-dhiù a bhith eadar 15 agus 25 bliadhna a dh’aois, is iad ag obair còmhla ris a’ chriutha eòlach. Bha buidhnean de dhaoine òga à Alba air siubhal a Dunkirk gus pàirt a ghabhal san cheum Dunkirk – Obar Dheathain den rèis, a thug sia làithean.  Thàinig òigridh Nirribheach a dh’Obar Dheathain airson a’ chèim gu Kristiansand, an ath phort. Mar sin bha iad uile ann còmhla ri chèile airson na fèis. Chunnaic mi agallamhan leotha, agus iad uile air an dòigh ghlan a bhith air bòrd,  ag ionnsachadh sgilean ùra agus a’ dèanamh càirdeas ri chèile. Partaidh mhòr a bha aig a’ chriutha, ùr no eòlach, cuideachd, chan ann aig an luchd-tadhail a-mhàin.

‘S e rèis chàirdeil a th’ ann, le dà chlas fairsaing de shoithichean, nas motha no nas lugha na 40m a dh’fhaid, ach co-dhiù 9.4m. Mar sin, bha bàtaichean tradiseanta iasgaich ann, a thuilleadh air na “longan àrda” clasaigeach, agus thàinig iad à air feadh an t-saoghail, bho Phearù gu Oman, bhon Phòlainn chun na Frainge, is bho Devon gu Sealtainn.  Bha mu leth-cheud soitheach-siùil san rèis, agus iad uile ann an Obair Dheathain fad 4-5 laithean. Bha an caladh loma-làn dhiubh, sealladh drùidhteach is dìreach àlainn. Abair cothrom iongantach do luchd-leantainn shoithichean-siùil tradiseanta, leithid mi-fhìn!

Ged a bha na mìltean de dhaoine eile ann, cha robh thu a’ faireachdainn idir mì-chofhurtail. Bha rùm gu leòr ann san raon fharsaing shònraichte timcheall air a’ chaladh – bha na daoine a’ spaidsireachd mun chuairt air an socair ann an deagh shunnd, is an t-sìde tioram is blath. Bha faireachdainn làithean-saora ann, agus an luchd-tadhail dìreach toilichte a bhith ann, air an tarraing leis na bàtaichean sònraichte seo bho air feadh an t-saoghail. Bha fiù ‘s aon soitheach-siùil à Obair Dheathain fhèin ann, am Malcolm Miller, agus ùidh mhòr ann, mar a bhiodh dùil. Bha cuid dhiubh fosgailte airson tadhail, agus bha mise air bòrd trì dhiubh: an Shabab Oman II ana-mhòr, an Christian Radich a’ toirt gu cuimhne na seann clippers, agus an Wylde Swan beag. Bha gach seòrsa de bhiadh is ghreim-bidh ri reic san raon-tadhail fhada timcheall air an dà thaobh den chaladh, bùithtean-chiùird, teantaichean bhuidhnean carthannais is chomann, goireasan airson cloinne, agus àiteachan-coinneimh is cothroman-suidhe cuideachd.

Taobh a-muigh a’ chalaidh bha goireasan is dibhearsain gu leòr rim faighinn cuideachd – ann am meadhan a’ bhaile bha fèill-spòrs ann agus bothanan-fiosrachaidh de gach seòrsa, ceòl saor an-asgaidh fad an latha, agus bha na taighean-bidh, na taighean-seinnse is na bùithtean uile air an sgeadachadh gu freagarrach (pèint ùr agus flùraichean air feadh an àite) agus a’ tairgsinn stuth iomchaidh sònraichte. Deagh shunnd an seo cuideachd! Bha cuirm-chiùil mhòr ann gach oidhche ann am bathar-lann Peterson cuideachd, le luchd-ciùil ainmeil mar Deacon Blue no Tide Lines no na Kaiser Chiefs. Chaidh agam air tiocaid airson Tide Lines fhaighinn – consairt sònraichte math! Aon fheasgar bha taisbeanadh nan Red Arrows ann os cionn na tràghad, treat ris an robh fiughair aig sluagh mòr, ged a bha e rud beag ro sgòthach airson pàirt dheth.

Ach an rud sònraichte dhan mhòr-chuid dhinn, b’ e sin am Parade of Sail Dimàirt, is na bàtaichean ùile a’ fagail a’ chalaidh fear mu seach a dh’ionnsaigh a’ Chuain a Tuath, airson an ath chèim den rèis, a’ dèanamh air Kristiansand ann an Nirribhidh. Bha mise nam sheasamh aig an railing air Pocra Quay, agus a’ faicinn fìor mhath. Sa chaladh fhèin cha b’ urrainn dha na bàtaichean na siùil a chur suas, ach a-muigh air an abhainn bha siùil air cuid mhòr, sealladh brèagha a chòrd rinn glan. Thug e uairean a thìde gus an robh iad uile air falbh, le beannachdan sònraichte airson an t-siubhail air an toirt le glaodhaire do gach soitheach, beag no mòr,  le riochdairean chreideamhan eadar-dhealaichte air a’ chidhe. Sealladh drùidhteach, ach bha sinn brònach gam faicinn a’ falbh.

Bha an tachartas gu lèir ag obair gu h-iongantach rèidh – meal a naidheachd dhan luchd-eagrachaidh! Agus meal a naidheachd do dh’Obar Dheathain cuideachd – cha robh clach gun tionndadh sa bhaile airson soirbheas tadhal nan Tall Ships a dhèanamh cinnteach. Bha fàilte uabhasach blath ann do gach neach-tadhail agus dha na criuthaichean, bhon sgioba mhòr shaor-thoilleach agus bho mhuinntir a’ bhaile – cha robh ach aodainn sona rim faicinn agus guthan toilichte rim cluinntinn sna h-agallamhan uile. Agus tha sinn an dòchas nach bi sinn a’ feitheamh ceart cho fada gus an ath thuras!

Aberdeen – the Tall Ships

I was incredibly fortunate and happy to be there when the Tall Ships Races came to Aberdeen in July this year, the first time since their visit in 1997. I booked accommodation close to the harbour a year in advance, as soon as I knew they were coming. They were there from Friday to Tuesday, the third port of the races after Le Havre and Dunkirk, and in each port it led to a kind of major festival.  The Aberdeen area was gripped by Tall Ships fever, with more than 400,000 visitors!

It’s Sail Training International who organises the races, a charitable association which supports youth education and training on sailing boats to develop life-skills, practical skills and teamwork. At least 50% of the crew must be between 15 and 25, working alongside the experienced crew. Groups of young people from Scotland had gone ahead to Dunkirk to take part in the second leg of the races, Dunkirk – Aberdeen, which took 6 days. Young Norwegians came to Aberdeen for the leg to Kristiansand, the next port, so they were all there together for the festivities. I saw interviews with them and they were all thrilled to be on board, learning new skills and making friends with each other. It was a huge party for the crew too, new or experienced, not just for the visitors.

It’s a friendly race, with two main classes of vessel, those above and those below 40m overall length, though at least 9.4m long. Consequently there were traditional fishing boats there too, as well as the classic “tall ships”, and the vessels came from all round the world, from Peru to Oman, from Poland to France, and from Devon to Shetland. There were around 50 sailing-boats and ships in the race, and all in Aberdeen for 4-5 days. The harbour basin was packed full of them, an impressive and beautiful sight. What an amazing opportunity for fans of traditional sailing vessels, such as myself!

Although there were thousands of people there, you didn’t feel at all uncomfortable. There was plenty of room in the wide enclosed zone around the harbour – people were strolling around, relaxed, in a good mood, and the weather was warm and dry. There was a holiday atmosphere, with the visitors just delighted to be there, fascinated by these special vessels from around the world. There was even one sailing ship from Aberdeen itself, the Malcolm Miller, which of course attracted a lot of interest. Some ships were open to the public, and I got on board three of them: the huge Shabab Oman II, the clipper-like Christian Radich, and the small Wylde Swan. There were all kinds of food and drink on sale around the whole visitor zone on both sides of the harbour basin, craft stalls, tents with charities and associations, children’s activities and areas, and meeting-places and seating too.

Outside the harbour there was plenty of entertainment too – in the city centre there was a funfair, and interesting displays and information tents, free live music all day, and all the pubs, restaurants and shops were appropriately decorated (fresh paint and flowers everywhere)  and offering lots of relevant special menus, products etc.  A great atmosphere there too! There was a big concert every night in Peterson’s yard too, with famous musicians such as Deacon Blue, Tide Lines and the Kaiser Chiefs. I managed to get a ticket for Tide Lines  – a brilliant night! One evening there was a Red Arrows display over the beach, a treat huge crowds were looking forward to, sadly spoilt somewhat by low cloud hiding part of the show.

But the most special thing for the majority of us was the Parade of Sail on Tuesday, with the ships all leaving the harbour one by one heading for the North Sea and the next leg of the race, to Kristiansand in Norway. I was standing at the railing on Pocra Quay and had a great view. They couldn’t raise the sails in the harbour itself but out on the river many did hoist at least some sails, a beautiful sight that delighted the crowd. It took several hours for them all to leave, each one, large or small, getting a special blessing via loudspeaker from representatives of various religious denominations on the quay. An impressive sight, but we were sorry to see them go.

The whole event went off amazingly smoothly – congratulations to the organisers! And also to Aberdeen itself – no stone was left unturned in the city to ensure the success of the Tall Ships. There was a wonderfully warm welcome for every visitor and crew-member, from the army of volunteers and the Aberdeen folk themselves – there were only happy faces to be seen, and delighted voices to be heard in the interviews. And now we hope we won’t have to wait quite so long for the next time!

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