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It sure seems like it has been a while since we have
experienced calm while moving around the Baltic Sea. It is both a blessing and
a curse. We are consuming fuel that we might need for the run from Copenhagen
to Portsmouth, England, next week. But, there is no question the crew are
reveling in the friendly conditions. For me, the blessing is the hope that
conditions will remain benign all the way into Copenhagen, because tomorrow we
start at 0800 with preparations for two back-to-back events with the Maryland
Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) and the Maryland Office
of Tourism.
From Odense, Denmark to Gothenborg, Sweden
 When
we left Odense last Sunday evening after a full day's work, weather predictions
permitted me the feeling that we could afford to anchor for the night after the
exit parade and get a full night's rest before sailing on Monday. After
breakfast Monday, we got underway on a misty rainy morning with southeasterly
winds of about 12-16 knots which would put the wind on the beam for the run to
Gothenborg. I decided it was best to set only the foresail and the staysail.
Wind of the strength we had that morning (or even stronger) is fine for setting
the topsail and/or jib and main, in addition to the fore and staysail. However,
the weather report talked of wind from 8-13 meters per second which equates to
15 to 25 knots, which is a wide range of possibilities and suggested to me the
range could merely be an approximation (remember the violent run to Odense?).
So we did not set any extra sail and we were soon experiencing 25-30 knots and
making 10 knots of speed. We did this all day and made the entrance to
Gothenborg
outer harbor area by 2200 hours, after a rough and jerky 130 mile ride in 13
hours with lots of spray on deck in between periods of rain. Even though we
were ahead of schedule by quite a bit, I decided it was best to get into the
dock right away. I stood everyone down from any further responsibilities at
0100 Tuesday. We were up and at ship maintenance at our usual 0800.
 The
work the crew can do in any given day, when weather is cooperative, is nothing
short of amazing. Still, with the mountain of work wanting to be done, there
was no way they could put more than a dent into the list. So, after a very
productive day, we called it quits between 1500 and 1600 and everyone took off
for the big city lying right at our doorstep. Or I should say ãthe foot of our
gangway.ä
The Gothenborg III Project
 Gothenborg
is the home port of a majestic maritime sailing history replication project
which was nearly 18 years in the making by the Swedish East Indiaman Company
(http://www.soic.se). The GOTHENBORG is an accurate reproduction of a 1700s
Swedish East Indiaman cargo vessel. The original vessel sank in Gothenborg
Harbor in 1745 as she was returning from a two year trip sailing the world's
oceans. Sadly GOTHENBORG, was out of port on "sea trials" during this visit.
But I had the chance to see her in 2000 when PRIDE II visited here. This
project has a reputed cost of 350 million Swedish Kroner. With a current
exchange of 7.5 Kroner to the US Dollar, that makes the project $33 million! It
is true the ship is big. But, she is not as big as Baltimore's own USS
CONSTELLATION, which was rebuilt to non-sea going standards for between $9 and
$10 million USD a couple of years ago. I wonder what the builders of GOTHENBORG
spent their money on. My suspicion is salary. Even with volunteers, skilled
labor in Europe does not come inexpensively. Eighteen years can explain a lot
of things as well. But, there is no question the GOTHENBORG is a handsomely
done job with very laudable research on how to assemble a truly "period"
traditional rig using traditional materials and techniques.
Gothenborg
Receptions
  
PRIDE II's mission in Gothenborg this visit was to host a Maryland Port
Administration (MPA) reception. Gothenborg is home to Volvo, as well some
shipping and freighting companies that send goods through the Port of Baltimore
deep into the United States. The MPA has for years made affective use of PRIDE
II by taking advantage of the fact Maryland and Baltimore are unique among the
world's States and Cities for having a traveling display of maritime history to
use for promotion of successful and new business relationships. With the first
burst of real summer to accompany yesterday's reception, the onboard presence of
goodwill to go with the good food, drink, and community, was rather measurable.
The good weather made it possible for me to say to the crew that we would not
have to get underway after the reception in order to be on time in Copenhagen.
In fact, as I write, the weather has become more benign than I anticipated from
the weather reports, and we could have slept in to regular time this morning,
instead of getting up at 0530 to get underway at 0600. We are making good time
economically, speaking of fuel. I now wonder if we will be having to heave-to
for a while, or will we go on into the outer harbor and tie up temporarily, or
maybe go to anchor to kill some time. Isn't weather wonderful? So
unpredictable! At least this time it was beneficially unpredictable. That will
change again. But, what we have now is indeed quite welcome.
Cheers,
Captain Miles |
