Category: Small boats

The 20th Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, 22nd and 23rd June

Portobello and Queensferry

STBF1 (1) Little and Large Skiffs tied up at Portsoy harbour 2

The 20th annual Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Traditional Boat Festival will take place at Portsoy on the 22nd and 23rd June.

Amazingly, crowds in excess of 16,000 are expected – which is quite a thought for those who think traditional boats are a minority interest.

Traditional wooden boats from all over the UK and beyond will congregate in the historic 17th century Portsoy harbour. Visitors can learn how to paddle a coracle, hop aboard restored fishing vessels, and see the crews of the St Ayles Skiffs rowing regatta race on the open seas.

The music programme will once again feature the very best of traditional music. Popular Scottish folk singer and former presenter of BBC’s Travelling Folk, Archie Fisher, will headline the Friday Showcase Concert on the eve of the Festival – supported by the internationally celebrated shanty band Kimbers Men, and local group The Lennox Family.

Festival-goers should watch out for the opportunity to learn a shanty or two and perform a ‘maritime work song’ on stage on the Sunday.

For more information about the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival and to buy tickets visit www.stbfportsoy.com.

Dylan Winter talks in London, 11th March

Dylan Winter

Keep Turning Left’s Dylan Winter is a thought-provoking and very funny raconteur among his other talents, and is to speak at a Hope and Homes for Children charity fundraiser in London on Monday 11th March.

The event is said to be a get-together of the world’s top explorers and daredevils for one night only to share their experiences with a live audience. Each speaker will be limited to 20 slides, and each slide will scroll forward automatically after just 20 seconds.

I’d say speaking to a schedule like this must be quite a challenge, but this appearance will be in the nature of an update, because he’s done it before, and very effectively.

The event is organised and hosted by adventurer Alastair Humphreys, who recently walked 1,000 miles across the Arabian Peninsula in the Rub’ al Khali Desert. Other speakers include Mike Hall, who holds the world cycle record in 2012 after taking 91 days to cover 18,000 miles, adventurer Ian Packham, who became the first person to travel solo and unsupported round Africa by public transport.

Matthew Atkin photographs Mumbai’s fishing port, its boats and community

Photographer Matthew Atkin in Mumbai 16

Once again, my photographer brother Matthew Atkin has gone out with his Fuji camera and brought home an oustanding set of photos, this time from Mumbai, India – and once again he shows how timber built boats remain supreme in many parts of the world.

Thanks Matt – this collection is jaw-dropping! I guess I don’t really have to add that these beautifully balanced photos remain very much his copyright, but they are.