Our latest newsletter gives an update on our National Lottery Heritage fund application; news of recent visitors and our new visit schedules; a return visit to the Tall Ship Glenlee; new volunteer arrangements; local Outreach work and plans to extend this to include Explorer’s foreign ports; updates to our website and social media; the latest news on developments in the Port of Leith and details of the ongoing restoration projects on the vessel.   

Marta Maria Cecchetto who joined us as a Trustee last year is a Postdoctoral Associate at The Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and Technology at Heriot-Watt University. She has written a short report about her most recent survey trip – which sounds very similar to the Explorer trips from many years ago:

On Friday 19th April, we hosted a successful Launch event for the Conservation Management Plan for Explorer at the Port of Leith Distillery.

Around 40 people attended the event in the Quality Control Room of the Distillery which provides a beautiful view over Leith Docks with Explorer visible in the distance.

Our Volunteers have completed the works on the Monkey Island and removed the tent, so Explorer is looking much more like her old self. They have continued the routine maintenance, along with some chipping and painting and they are about to start a project to remove the boards on the side decks and clean and paint the main deck in these areas. A recent highlight has been the installation of a toilet on the vessel for our visitors.

A new status of Heritage Harbours was launched last month to help safeguard the harbourside, buildings, facilities and businesses that are vital to support our working maritime heritage vessels.