The Norwegian training ship had moored this Sunday, February 5 in the port of Galisbay. Accessible to the general public, young and old came in droves to tread the deck of this mythical boat thanks to the Caribbean Sail Training association.
The majestic three-master square, each mast of which is rigged with square sails, takes its Norwegian name, Sørlandet, from the literal translation of the Southern Country which is also a region of southern Norway where its home port is located, Kristiansand. Financed by shipowner Skjelbred, the A-class vessel began her career at the Norwegian Merchant Navy School in 1927.
Soon to be 1933 years old, it made its maiden voyage to Oslo with King Haakon of Norway and Crown Prince Olav on board. After a first crossing of the Atlantic in 1940, the Sørlandet participated in the Universal Exhibition in Chicago to represent its country of origin. Seized by the German army in 1947, the sumptuous boat was transformed into a military prison. Sunk by a Russian bomb, the training ship was restored for rearmament in 1973 in order to resume its initial functions until 1977 when the naval school separated from it. In 1981, the grandson of the original patron, Kristian Skjelbred-Knudsen, donated it to the city of Kristiansand. After a renovation in 64,15, the training sailboat 8,87 meters long and 15 meters wide with a crew capacity of 17 people now welcomes up to 1236 trainees from the merchant navy for initiation trips and trainers on the North Atlantic and in the North Sea. For its third visit to Saint-Martin waters, the Sørlandet, whose sail area is XNUMXm2 spread over 27 sails, delighted visitors during the Sunday afternoon organized by the Caribbean Sail Training association. 698 visitors, adults and children, as well as 49 guests and 9 people from the organization walked the boards of the boat which is reminiscent of the most beautiful ships in certain films. The little ones did not fail to take themselves for pirates by proudly holding the helm, creating unforgettable memories. Created in 2004 and currently chaired by Jan Roosens, the charity Caribbean Sail Training offers young people the opportunity to train in sailing, young people of all nationalities, religions, cultures or social positions combined, with a focus on Caribbean youth . With 83 trainees and trainers, the association has 72 member ships of the Caribbean Sail Training: sailboats, yachts, freighters and even racing boats. Another member training vessel made its appearance in the port of Galisbay on Thursday February 9, the Morgenster. A large two-masted brig sailing ship dating from 1919 and of Dutch origin, the 50-meter Morgenster with a steel hull and deck was not accessible to the public for lack of time. After her short resupply stop, she left the port of Galisbay the next day, taking the navigation trainees out to sea for a new adventure. _VX
Info: www.CaribbeanSailTraining.com
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