Large Scale Central

Tall Ship Sailing

As a teenager, I was interested in square-rigged sailing ships and avidly read the adventures of the Alan Villiers and Eric Newbys who had sailed on the last commercial square rigged ships from the 1920’s to the commencement of WWII in 1939. So on retirement, I looked at my bucket lists -inspired by the deaths of friends much younger of cancer- that perhaps I should try to live a little and still within my retirement budget. I had planned one big trip with my wife. On trolling the internet, I was stunned to find that a Dutch barque, the Europa, sailed annually from Europe to South America, with accomodation for 48 ‘trainees’ and fourteen professional crew. From South America, she sailed in the warmer winter months down there to Antarctica and the South Georgias for travellers to experience the unique and isolated islands and land with thousands of penquins, seals, whales, birds etc.
After a discussion with my wife, and with her joining me in Argentina and Uruguay for a joint month of travel after-the compromise for me was to take a night school Spanish class- I booked a 75 day voyage from Rotterdam to Montevideo as a trainee or as we preferred to call ourselves, voyagers. The Europa’s office via internet was delightful and very helpful. By booking several segments which had ports along gthe way, I received a discount. Then the studying of knots, trying to get the ship’s lines placing memorized and physically preparing. On leaving Rotterdam, after rough weather in the Channel, it was a delightful experience with watches, lookout duty, team sail handling on the deck-up to you if you wanted to climb and handle sails, and learning to helm a three masted square rigged ship in various weathers was great. With nature determining your day, although a couple of war surplus diesels helped when the wind deserted us, it was a fabulous if not spiritual connection with the sea. Whales, porpoises, sea birds and sealife were a daily expectation fulfilled. Did I enjoy it?
I just finished a second 74 day voyage on the Europa from Cape Town to Perth across the Indian Ocean, in company with two other smaller sailing vessels. A bit rougher and colder as expected after the warmth of Reunion and Mauritius were left behind. My wife joined me in Australia where she had a relative unseen in years so a good holiday for both. And of course, narrow gauge railways in Western Australia still exist…Do it again? If I win the lotto only but yes!
Myron

See their website if curious www.barkeuropa.com

Sounds like a once in a life time experience. good for you.

Damn, that looks like a blast. I’ve got a thing about heights, but working the rigging on a tall ship would have me up there in a heartbeat.

Fancy sailing the Great Lakes?

http://www.schoonerdenissullivan.org/index.html

http://www.discoveryworld.org/exhibits/s-v-denis-sullivan/

Thanks, Alan for the websites. I have an internet friend (never met) who lives on Malta who does several trips on schooners and ketches in the Med or English/French ports each year. He was a great source for the first trip of encouragement and enthusiasm. The Europa has actually sailed in the Great Lakes in the past. But I am like an Aster snob, I would only want to sail on the saltchuck…lol

Bob, the professional crew are very keen on teaching you to go up the ratlines and climb the mast. They spend a fair amount of time showing you the safe way to connect your harness to the stays and climb the mast to yard and higher. On the first day of my 2011 trip, I was volunteered by a cabinmate to climb as we went down the Channel. The view from the mast then and after was fabulous…the initial feeling of height disappears with the view and appreciation of where and what you are on.

Myron

I can remember many, many years ago when I was a youngster (and I am now approaching 81)…, seeing the PAMIR and the PASSAT together.
They were NOT sister ships though.
What a sight!

I really would have liked to see the old 1930’s J-Class yachts racing …bit before my time tho…BUT, there are modern versions now ,so see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irmfc3uDGTs

Magnificent…you get the flavour (except in the 1930s no hi- tech gadgets!

Thank you for the video of the J’s, Ross. A gorgeous video and to my mind more attractive vessels than the more modern version in the America’s Cup.

The Passat has, for an unknown emotive reason, been my favourite square rigged ship since teenage years, so your post amazed me. There was a Cinerarma movie called Windjammer in the 60’s, I think, that was about the Norwegian training sail ship Christian Radich and it showed the Pamir before she got caught in the hurricane and sank when her cargo shifted…I even treated myself to a large plastic kit of the Passat for Christmas. As soon as I finish painting and decaling some O gauge UK ng goods wagon kits from thirty or so years ago-last summer, I put in an O gauge line inside my G one using 1980’s Peco track-I intend to repaint and rebuild a teenage built Revell kit of a much house moved and battered Thermopylae and then the Passat kit. It would have been wonderful to see those two ships. The Pamir, under New Zealand flag, made a couple of voyages to Vancouver after the war, but I did not have the chance to see her, much like missing the years of steam on the railways here.
Myron

Have seen the Sørlandet in Kristiansaands, South Norway…Here in the UK we have the Tall Ships gathering in August/Sept. . It will be an amazing sight of 35 of them.

TALL SHIPS NEWS.

http://www.sailtraininginternational.org/news/article/read_schooner-helena-will-be-renovated-in-poland_item_100646.htm

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