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The EssayA Circumnavigation of the British Isles in Five Traditional BoatsEpisodes

Back up to: The Essay

  1. The Essex Smack

    Malcolm 'Mac' MacGregor on the Essex Smack, boats he built and fished with under sail.

  2. The Coble

    Poet Katrina Porteous on the coble, the beach-launched working boat of the northeast coast

  3. Shetland Whillies, Yoals and Sixerns

    Brian Wishart in Lerwick on Shetland's traditional boats, still influenced by the Vikings.

  4. The Curach

    The poet Keith Payne on the curach, the ancient, but still used, Irish skin boat.

  5. The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Pilot Gig

    Annamaria Murphy on the gig, which rowed out to approaching ships to get pilots aboard.