Three historic Bristol Channel pilot cutters will be setting sail in Swansea Bay this weekend including Olga (pictured above).
Alpha and Mascotte will be joining Olga on Swansea Museum‘s pontoon in the marina before they all take to the open water. The pilot cutter was developed from the need for a fast boat to take maritime pilots from harbour to large trading vessels. Olga, owned by Swansea Council, was built in 1909 and recently restored as part of a multi-million pound scheme to make Swansea Bay a Watersports Centre of Excellence. The scheme was funded by the Wales European Funding Office and the Welsh Government through Visit Wales and the Regeneration Area programme. A grant towards Olga’s conservation was also received from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport through the Museums, Libraries and Archives PRISM foundation.
Swansea Council has worked with the Bristol Channel Pilot Cutters Association to bring the vessels to the city on Friday (May 24). There’ll be a chance for visitors to step on deck and talk to the owners of the vessels from 11am to 3pm. Then, from 3.30pm to 7.30pm, there’s a chance for people to sail on the pilot cutters with crew. Another pilot cutter called Dolphin will also be at Swansea Museum’s pontoon for people to have a look around.
Cllr Nick Bradley, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said:
“The sight of three historic Bristol Channel pilot cutters setting sail in waters off our coastline is going to be pretty special, but this event means visitors can step on board and test their sea legs too. It’s a fantastic chance, weather permitting, to experience how maritime pilots in years gone by would’ve found their way to huge vessels located as far away as the Scilly Isles. “Olga is an important feature of Swansea Museum‘s maritime collection, and we hope this event will appeal not just to fans of maritime history, but also to anyone who wants to step back in time or make the most of what could be a superb photo opportunity.”
Sailing places on the vessels are limited, so anyone who’s interested should pop into Swansea Museum as soon as possible or ring 01792 653763. The pilot cutters will be leaving for Fowey and Falmouth on Saturday (May 25) for the annual Pilot Cutter Review race meeting.
