Launch Of New Skiff At Cullen Sea School By Lady Clare Russell
THE fruits of a project which has spanned the generations took to the waves in style when Cullen Sea School (CSS) launched their latest skiff. On hand to name the vessel by splashing the bows of the Weymss skiff Artemis with whisky was the Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire Clare Russell. It was built by a team of retired shipwrights and four Buckie Community High school students – Alexander Mair, Lewis Grant, Ethan Hickman and Brandon Runcie. Opening the proceedings to a large crowd of well-wishers, including pupils from Cullen Primary School, was Three Harbours Association chairman Prof Ashley Mowatt, who urged everyone to join in the occasion. Addressing the audience, Mrs Russell said that she had a “very
soft spot in her heart” for Cullen due to pleasant childhood memories of playing on the beach. She went on to joke that the Artemis was only the second vessel she had launched, the other being the Moray Council dredger Selkie. She continued: “What an amazing feat this is for the Buckie High students. “The Wemyss skiff is smaller than the St Ayles skiff and is more suited to the younger rowers the Cullen Sea School is trying to attract. “I’m thrilled to see the sea school going from strength to strength. It’s so important that young people learn the arts of seafaring and what they have been doing here is amazing.” The naming ceremony completed, the Artemis and the crowd present were led to the harbour by piper Thomas Stevenson, where she took to the water from the slipway. The quartet’s achievements were also hailed by BCHS rector Neil Johnson, who was at the ceremony to see the skiff named. “I’m sure the pride I felt at seeing Artemis take to the water was nothing compared to the four boys who have spent their Wednesdays this year building her,” he said. “Most young people have a collection of certificates at the end of their school days – to have something as tangible as a boat you have built yourself must be amazing. “The partnership with Cullen Sea School is now long-standing and we are all very grateful to the enormous effort put in by all of the volunteers at CSS. “I was delighted to see two former pupils who have been involved through our link with them and I know that a number of them have used this experience to gain them apprenticeships. “I look forward to us getting the course accredited with the SQA so that we can include it in the formal curriculum as it is clearly more than just an interest course.”
Leading the boatbuilding project were retired local shipwright Bert Reid, from Portknockie, Willie Henderson, who hails from Cullen and Bill Dunbar, formerly of Cullen but now residing in Garmouth. In conjunction with BCHS and Moray College UHI, CSS have been developing an SQA-accredited wood working course designed to help stimulate interest in preserving fast disappearing traditional boat building skills. To find out more about the sea school, which is run by the Three Harbours Association, visit their website at www.cullenseaschool. co.uk