Traditional Boats & Tall Ships Magazine

Discover the Balearics on a Tall Ship sailing holiday

Experience the Balearics from the deck of a tall ship.

Choose from one of four, 7-night voyages on board the square-rigged, 60 metre brig, Stavros S Niarchos, that will depart the historic port of Mahon in Minorca from 12th April (the final voyage departs on 7th May).  Prices are currently on offer for £449 per person, including full board and training (connecting return flights extra).

Depending on the prevailing winds, voyages will take in a sample of the rugged and picturesque north coast of Minorca, Majorca and the port of Alcudia or the island of Ibiza and it’s Old Town. In between there will be chances to see some of the stunning wildlife - including land and sea turtles - and drop anchor off sandy coves for a barbeque.

As part of the crew everyone gets the chance to take the helm, handle the ropes, keep watch and learn how to navigate – as well as climb the two masts to set the sails, 120 feet above the sea. The sails are open to anyone aged between 18 and 75, even complete novices.

For more information contact Tall Ships Adventures on 023 9283 2055 or visit www.tallships.org

 

 

Spirit of the Mystery to visit Maritime Museum Cornwall

The sailor and adventurer Pete Goss will be bringing his replica vessel Spirit of the Mystery to the pontoon at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall from 15th to 26th September.  For the duration of the fortnight, Pete and his crew will be sharing their incredible adventures with a number of schools from across the county.  The hundreds of Cornish school children will also encounter an 'original member' of the 1854 crew, thanks to a theatrical workshop.  Supported by HSBC, these workshops will teach the pupils about local maritime history, food, navigation and Cornwall's boat-building heritage. 

Pete, his crew and Spirit of the Mystery set sail for Australia via Cape Town in just a few weeks. The 37ft wooden lugger follows in the wake of seven Cornishmen who made a heroic journey from Newlyn to Australia more than 150 years ago.  Leaving Newlyn in November 1854, the Mystery travelled 11,800 nautical miles in 116 days before arriving in Melbourne in March 1855.  The only break in the voyage was a week in Cape Town for repairs and replenishment before heading into the Southern Ocean.  Pete will be re-enacting this journey in his Spirit of the Mystery in the most authentic ways possible: the replica boat is built by Chris Rees using local wood to the original drawings.  There is no engine and the crew will navigate only by the stars and the sun. 

After the schools' fortnight in September, Spirit of the Mystery will return to the Museum from the 16th to the 19th October, during the Falmouth Oyster Festival, where again people will be able to see the boat on the Museum’s pontoon.  Pete will also be giving a talk about his latest voyage in the Museum’s lecture theatre on Friday 17th October at 6.30pm. 

It's not just the kids who get treated to the boat, by the way - visitiors will also be able to get close to the boat and her crew from 3-5pm every weekday from the 15th to 26th September (excluding the 19th), and she’s also available for viewing from 10am to 5pm at weekends.  Have a look at the Museum website for more details - this is one of the finest opportunities this year to see Cornwall’s maritime heritage come to life.  

St.Maarten-St.Martin Classic Yacht Regatta 2009

The St.Maarten-St.Martin Classic Yacht Regatta is now inviting all tall ships to sail in the Caribbean in January 2009.  A special course for those large vessels has been added in the fourth classic regatta, due to be held in the third week of January, and tall ships will not have to pay a fee to participate in the Regatta. 

Ships like the Stad Amsterdam and the Star Clipper ships have shown interest in participating, while the 75m Canadian barquentine Caledonia, pictured above, has already registered.  The organisation hopes to attract many more!  

The fourth Invitational St.Maarten-St.Martin Classic Yacht Regatta 2009 kicks off on Thursday January 22nd with a skippers' briefing and official opening ceremony.  Effective sailing starts the next day from Great Bay to Marigot, where the yachts will be hosted at Fort Louis Marina.  Saturday will be a special Tall Ships Day, when all classics and the tall ships will sail back towards the finish line in Great Bay. 

Organisers received the authorisation from the Saint Maarten Port Authorities to dock the Tall Ships at the Pointe Blanche cruise ship pier so that passengers can disembark and an onboard VIP reception can be held after the regatta that Saturday evening.  It may also be possible for the general public to visit the ships on Sunday morning while they are in Great Bay. 

The regular schooners, vintage, 'spirit of tradition' and classic yachts in the regatta will set sail again that Sunday morning for the last regatta day towards Anguilla and return to the finish in Great Bay in the afternoon. 

Have a look at the Classic Regatta website for more details. 

Adventurers wanted for Atlantic odyssey

Have you ever dreamt of experiencing travel from a bygone age?  Do you yearn for the creak of the rigging and look up to huge white sails billowing in the wind?  Have you enjoyed watching Master & Commander or Pirates of the Caribbean and wonder what it would be like to actually sail these mighty ships?  Or perhaps you’ve seen round-the-world yacht races, and wanted the opportunity to crew on a truly epic voyage?  Here is your chance!

Ships taking part in the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge are now seeking adventurous trainee crew members to join them on this odyssey around the North Atlantic in 2009.  Tall ships, racing yachts and traditional boats will be competing together in an epic voyage that starts in Spain on April 2009, travelling across the Atlantic to Bermuda, then up to the US and Canada before returning to Europe with a final stop in Belfast in August.

The event is being organised by Sail Training International, the organisers of the annual Tall Ships’ Races.  While many Tall Ships competitions have age restrictions, the Challenge legs from Vigo to Tenerife, Tenerife to Bermuda, Bermuda to Charleston and finally Charleston to Boston do not, meaning anyone can join a crew, from the age of 15 upwards with no upper limit - as long as you are fit and healthy and ready for a challenge! 

Ships from many different nations will be taking part, and many are now actively seeking trainee crew members for the Challenge.  To find out more visit Sail Training International website.  What are you waiting for? 

Angele Aline is sailing again to save lives

It’s not often that you can really be a part of history… but the Angele Aline is a little ship that allows you the feeling that you truly are!  Joining her for part of her charity voyage this autumn gives you the opportunity to sail a Dunkirk veteran with an impressive pedigree. 

Launched at the birth of the Jazz Age, she survived the Depression and rescued countless Allied troops during the famous evacuation in 1940.  Her latest voyage will also save and improve lives, raising money for two diverse, but equally important charities: East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices and the Vila Maninga project in Mozambique. 

In autumn 2008 the Angele Aline is sailing the east cost of Britain, navigating the Caledonian Canal and Loch Ness, visiting the Scottish Western Islands, returning through the Canal, stopping at Inverness, Edinburgh and Whitby, and finally returning to the home berth in Woolverstone. 

There are still a few vacancies to crew the Angele Aline between 6th September and 1st November – whether you are an experienced sailor or a novice.  There is a very special price offered for these late places: just £275 per person for one week, or £500 for two. 

The Angele Aline has been fitted out in style: retaining all the originality of her early history, she is now comfortable, with a feeling of spacious intimacy.  If you want privacy, there’s the option of the 'Owner Cabin', with en suite toilet, at £775 per week (double occupancy).  And you will not be expected to crew on an empty stomach – there’s a well stocked galley! 

Time is getting short and the Angele Aline needs to know that you will be joining her soon!  Bookings should be confirmed (and payment made in full) by 3rd September - so get your skates on! 

Go to the Angele Aline website for further details, send an email this way, or call Jean (daytime only) on 01284 728792 or Ray (evenings only) on 01284 723205. 

Greek archaeology, the Star Clipper and wine

Here's an intriguing holiday idea cobbled together by Andante’s Travels in Archaeology and Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours.  Sailing aboard the tall ship Star Clipper, the voyage will be made in the wake of the heroes of legend, visiting many of the greatest sites of antiquity.  Covering more than a millennium in a single week, expert guides will piece together the jigsaw puzzle of the past - whilst forging a new a voyage of discovery through the extraordinary renaissance in Greek wines. 

During the day a flexible programme enables passengers to mix and match activities.  According to their interests, they can choose from winery visits, archaeology lectures and excursions, swimming, snorkelling, wind-surfing, water-skiing, sailing, even diving, while others may prefer to pass the time people watching on a harbourside.  On board, passengers can also make use of the two swimming pools, a well-stocked library and the relaxing piano bar.  Throughout the night, the Star Clipper gently cuts her way through the waves onto the next destination and guests wake up to new landscapes and fresh discoveries.  Which sounds pretty cool. 

The ultimate holiday for 2009 takes place between June 6th and 13th – and booking for the voyage is now open.  The ports of call include Crete, Santorini, Samos, the Cyclades islands, Athens and Monemvasia. 

Seven nights aboard the Star Clipper in an en suite cabin starts from £2,799 per person, based on two sharing, including return flights from London to Athens, transfers, all meals with 3 or 4 course dinners served with wine, free use of onboard water sports equipment (though diving costs extra), all port taxes, onboard gratuities, all onboard archaeology lectures and wine tastings. 

Check out Andante’s Travels in Archaeology - contact 01722 713800 or AndanteTravels.co.uk - or Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours - 01730 263111 or WineTours.co.uk 

Speak in tongues with last-minute languages...

Thought you’d left it too late to pick up the basics of the lingo before your next trip overseas?  Don’t worry: this month sees the launch of seven new languages in the Berlitz 'In 60 Minutes' range.  Until someone clever invents the Babel Fish, pictured here, travellers who fail to get their act together can leave it to the very last minute – or 60 minutes - and still pick up those important foreign phrases - even while driving to the terminal or waiting in the airport lounge.  Published this August at £4.99, you can choose from Croatian, Czech, Dutch, Latin American Spanish, Norwegian, Danish and Turkish - with more titles doubtless due to be added to the existing range, this could already be a good time to start brushing up for next year's Tall Ships' Races around the Baltic...... 

'In 60 Minutes' is an all-audio course, specifically designed to provide a quick and easy start to learning basic, everyday words in a foreign language.  Each title covers 250 of the most commonly used words and phrases covering a range of subjects - from making friends to eating out and much more.  The phrases are repeated to aid easy memorisation and encourage correct pronunciation, while an accompanying booklet lists the same material as the audio, the better to help associate the written language with the pronunciation. 

Listeners will be able to kickstart their language learning and begin speaking a new language in just one hour.  You shouldn’t expect to speak like a local after only the first whirl, but this is exactly the sort of headstart that will make travelling a much more fun experience. 

The CD is compatible with iPod and MP3 devices, so the 'In 60 Minutes' series is perfect for those on the move.  Other languages available include Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Swedish.  Most are available from bookshops or online at BerlitzPublishing.com

Come Sailing in the Caribbean

Island-hopping and Antigua Race Week for nautical novices and seasoned seafarers.

Set sail for sunnier climes this winter with an adventure sailing trip to the balmy islands of the Caribbean. NONSTOP Sail offers a range of holidays perfect for fair-weather seafarers of all ages and abilities on board a brand new Dehler 47 yacht.

This is the perfect holiday to brush up on your sailing skills or learn from scratch, improving your nautical know-how under the watchful eye of a professional skipper while enjoying clear waters and perfect trade winds.

As well as superb sailing experiences, there are plenty of other ways to pass the time in paradise. Visit the beautiful islands, absorb the unique sights and sounds of this sublime spot, bask in the sunshine on deck or stroll along the white sandy beaches. Try your hand at snorkelling and fishing or take a day trip to see volcanoes, waterfalls and rainforests before a rum punch sundowner and  seafood beach barbeque.

NONSTOP Sail is running several Caribbean circuits for the coming season, all starting and ending in Jolly Harbour, Antigua. Highlights include: -

Caribbean Christmas - the perfect antidote to a traditional festive fortnight, this two-week trip visits a selection of islands around Antigua, including the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, Barbuda, Guadeloupe and St. Kitts and Nevis. Running from 22 December 2007 to 5 January 2008, the price is £1,550 pp*.

Four and six-week Caribbean Circuit - combine the Windward and Leeward circuits for a four-week island-hopping holiday that’s sure to banish all thoughts of a British winter. For those with even more time to spare, why not extend your stay to six weeks, adding on a Caribbean Christmas experience or the Antigua Race Week for an ultimate winter sunshine trip? Trips run from December to April. Price is £2,900 pp* for the four-week trip while six weeks of sunny sailing costs £4,250 pp*.

* Prices include RYA tuition, airport transfers, all food and soft drinks on board and a welcome or leaving supper. Flights extra.

For further information, visit www.nonstopsail.com or call NONSTOP Sail on 01803 833 399