After a new ballast tank was installed at the top of the St Ola III, which gave her a more violent roll in heavy seas, local dialect entertainer Harvey Johnston penned the song The Roly Poly Ola

ROLY POLY OLA
(To the tune of Polly Wolly Doodle)

I wis gan doon sooth, fur to see my girl
I wis goan on the Ola by the way
If it’s coorse I don’t mind tellan, that I’m no that keen on sailan
But it really wis a fairfull bonny day.

I met two lads on the pier, and they said ‘boy, just look here’
These sponson things hiv wrecked the boat, they cried
And they showed these great bumps, two great big ugly lumps
That looked just like a rupture, on her side.

Hid wis dead flat calm, so I thowt I’d hiv a dram
At the bar ,as we went steaman oot fur Hoy
Then the ship, it seemed tae list, and I thowt I must be ****** (drunk)
Fur I’m no that big a drinker fur a boy.

Then she rolled near oot o’sight, first tae left and then tae right
I wise lookan at the sea and then the sky
Kids were spewan Pepsi-Cola, on the ROLY POLY OLA
And other bruck, like tattie crisps furby.

I hid a look among the crew an’ more than half o’ them wis spewan
And the rest o’ them wis lookan pretty green
And ye couldna’ tak a stroll along the ROLY POLY OLA
Fur the ROLY POLY deck wis far fae clean.

All the way across the Firth, there wis very little mirth
Folk were hingan on for grim death by the rail
Some were lyan deathly still, some wis writan oot their will
And I wisna’ feelan all that great mesel.

So, look here, Mr Turner, you can tak yer boat and burn her
For I’m never gan to sail on her again
You can hiv me return ticket, and you ken whar you can stick it
For I’m booked me passage on the plane.

Fair thee well, in a gale
Or flat calm I don’t care
For I’m never gan tae go aboard the ROLY POLY OLA
No, in future I’ll be gan by Loganair.

Harvey Johnston