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Sheet music for 'The Sugar Boat'
Includes three versions of the tune: The sheet music, bagpipe notation and the tune with chords |
Video of the tune taught by Eilidh
plus the sheet music Includes three versions of the tune: The sheet music, bagpipe notation and the tune with chords |
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About the ship and this project:
On the 27th of January 1974, the MV Captayannis (Greek for ‘Captain John’) and known better as ‘The Sugar Boat’ sunk in the Clyde. The ship was anchored off Greenock waiting to unload its cargo at the James Watt Dock for the Tate & Lyle sugar refinery but a severe storm caused the anchor to be dragged.
Captain Theodorakis Ionnis immediately attempted to move the ship up the Gareloch to a more sheltered spot but the ship collided with the huge anchor chains of a BP tanker, the ‘British Light’ causing damage to the hull below the waterline and letting in water to the port-side. The captain sent out a mayday and opted to beach the ship in the shallow waters on a sandbank near to Ardmore Point. A number of boats came and successfully rescued the 30 Greek and African members of crew. Sadly though, the next morning the ship had fallen on its side and this is how this 4,576 ton ship has remained since.
This ship is part of the landscape to thousands of people around this area on both sides of the Clyde and a talking point for many visitors who wonder what it is. The wreck is home to many seabirds, and often seals, dolphins and porpoises can be seen close to it.
In 2024 traditional musician and composer Eilidh Steel had the idea of composing a tune to mark the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the ‘Sugar Boat’ and approached her friend, photographer and drone videographer Gordon Russell to see if he would be interested in trying to get out to the Sugar Boat to make a video to go with the music. He was equally excited about the idea and they managed to get out to the wreck on a perfectly calm and beautiful day in the summer.
Eilidh wrote the tune while sitting on a rock on the shore at East Bay, Helensburgh looking out to the shipwreck. She composed a pipe march as she thought it to be appropriate to the style of traditional music from this area. Kindly, Pipe Major John Low and Colin Smith of the Helensburgh Clan Colquhoun Pipe Band played pipes on the recording as well as Eilidh on fiddle.
It is believed that due to Storm Éowyn in January 2025 the ship has been further damaged and may have sunken a little deeper, meaning it was good that Gordon captured the ship in this detail when he did. It is hoped that this tune can be learned by local musicians and that the video and tune will be a legacy for people to enjoy for years to come.
Many local people remember waking up after the storm in 1974 noticing the ship being a new focal point of the landscape and debris on the shoreline. If you have memories of this time that you would like to share, please record a voice recording on your phone or write some text and email it to: [email protected]
A huge thank you to Donald and Anita McLaren, The Helensburgh Clan Colquhoun Pipe Band, Mark Neal (audio engineer), Helensburgh Community Council who gave support from their 'Music In The Square' fund and to The National Library of Scotland for all their help with this project.
On the 27th of January 1974, the MV Captayannis (Greek for ‘Captain John’) and known better as ‘The Sugar Boat’ sunk in the Clyde. The ship was anchored off Greenock waiting to unload its cargo at the James Watt Dock for the Tate & Lyle sugar refinery but a severe storm caused the anchor to be dragged.
Captain Theodorakis Ionnis immediately attempted to move the ship up the Gareloch to a more sheltered spot but the ship collided with the huge anchor chains of a BP tanker, the ‘British Light’ causing damage to the hull below the waterline and letting in water to the port-side. The captain sent out a mayday and opted to beach the ship in the shallow waters on a sandbank near to Ardmore Point. A number of boats came and successfully rescued the 30 Greek and African members of crew. Sadly though, the next morning the ship had fallen on its side and this is how this 4,576 ton ship has remained since.
This ship is part of the landscape to thousands of people around this area on both sides of the Clyde and a talking point for many visitors who wonder what it is. The wreck is home to many seabirds, and often seals, dolphins and porpoises can be seen close to it.
In 2024 traditional musician and composer Eilidh Steel had the idea of composing a tune to mark the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the ‘Sugar Boat’ and approached her friend, photographer and drone videographer Gordon Russell to see if he would be interested in trying to get out to the Sugar Boat to make a video to go with the music. He was equally excited about the idea and they managed to get out to the wreck on a perfectly calm and beautiful day in the summer.
Eilidh wrote the tune while sitting on a rock on the shore at East Bay, Helensburgh looking out to the shipwreck. She composed a pipe march as she thought it to be appropriate to the style of traditional music from this area. Kindly, Pipe Major John Low and Colin Smith of the Helensburgh Clan Colquhoun Pipe Band played pipes on the recording as well as Eilidh on fiddle.
It is believed that due to Storm Éowyn in January 2025 the ship has been further damaged and may have sunken a little deeper, meaning it was good that Gordon captured the ship in this detail when he did. It is hoped that this tune can be learned by local musicians and that the video and tune will be a legacy for people to enjoy for years to come.
Many local people remember waking up after the storm in 1974 noticing the ship being a new focal point of the landscape and debris on the shoreline. If you have memories of this time that you would like to share, please record a voice recording on your phone or write some text and email it to: [email protected]
A huge thank you to Donald and Anita McLaren, The Helensburgh Clan Colquhoun Pipe Band, Mark Neal (audio engineer), Helensburgh Community Council who gave support from their 'Music In The Square' fund and to The National Library of Scotland for all their help with this project.
