More than 100 former students from a popular sea school are expected to arrive in Moray at the weekend – more than 40 years after the classes stopped.
Between 1949 and 1976, thousands of youngsters got their sea legs by learning to sail small craft from Burghead.
However, nothing remains of the Moray Sea School in the village for graduates returning to the coast to reminisce at.
Now a special reunion of students, instructors, staff and members of the Outward Bound Trust has been organised, where two commemorative plaques – one next to the harbour and one where the school had its base on St Aethans Road – will be unveiled.
Ed McCann, who lives in Hopeman, is a former instructor at the school and has been instrumental in creating the tributes.
He said: “The school ran for 27 years and during that time had more than 28,000 students, which is quite incredible really.
“I know people have come back though and have there’s nothing to see to remember it. The main site is a housing development now.
“It had such a profound effect on people, they have all sorts of memories tied up with it. It just seemed right to put something up.”
The sea school was launched by Gordonstoun founder Kurt Hann as a counterpart to The Outward Bound Trust’s operations in England.
Teenagers who graduated from the course learned to sail in group’s boats the Prince Louis and Prince Louis II, which remained in operation in France until last year, and took part in other rock climbing and mountaineering courses.
The school was closed in 1976 when the trust decided to relocate to Loch Eil on the west coast of Scotland.
Money raised from last year’s Boxing Day swim in Burghead has contributed towards raising the cash required for the plaques.
Mr McCann added: “The school was such a big part of the village at the time. It will be nice to see so many of the former students together again.”
A ceremony will take place at Burghead Harbour at 12.30pm on Saturday to unveil the first sea school plaque before another is revealed at St Aethans Road.
