Boat Name

Details

Published: 28 April 2010

After looking through hundreds of suggestions from the pupils of Law Primary and whittling them down to a shortlist of six, North Berwick's community boat builders and future representatives of the town in rowing races against their neighbours have chosen the name "St Baldred" to be given to their first "St Ayles skiff", a four oared coastal racing rowing boat which is nearing completion.

Baldred was the first inhabitant of the Bass Rock. He came to East Lothian from Lindisfarne in the 8th century to convert its heathen inhabitants to Christianity. He used the island as a retreat for prayer and meditation.

By reputation Baldred is North Berwick's strongest oarsman.  Legend has it that there used to be a rock midway between the Bass and the shore, which caused many vessels to be wrecked.  Baldred got a buddy to drop him off on the rock (might have been Chris Marr), and he then proceeded to row the rock in towards the shore, and left it safely out the way, just to the East of the South Carr rocks. 

The rock, now known as "St Baldreds Boat", can still be seen today but is no longer a hazzard. 

For many years a passenger launch called "St Baldred" took tourists on trips from North Berwick, in the way that we are all used to Sula doing nowadays.
Thank you to the pupils of Law Primary who came up with many and varied names, all of which made an impression on the members of the community involved in the build.  In particular thank you to several pupils who suggested St Baldred, and to the pupil who suggested "Fidra Flyer", which came a very close second. 

Now we need to take inspiration from Baldred, and show his determination and strength, when we meet crews from Dunbar, Port Seton and futher afield this summer, in the first ever St Ayles skiff Coastal Rowing races.