The European Tall Ships ports were good for the ship and crew. Pretty interesting weather, ship handling and various other challenges as well. It was good for the European ships to see the Picton Castle and good for our gang to see them – whole thing ended up being a sort of love fest. The …
It’s coming up on late August here in the southern North Sea and we are beginning to feel it. Frequency of lows rambling across hereabouts is picking up ever so slightly but enough, enough. These European Tall Ships festivals have been pretty good for the gang but it is hard to see how having gone …
We raised the anchor at Terschilling and headed off past these low lands of Holland. Of course that’s what Netherlands means, “low lands.” They are sure enough low, can barely see them they are so low. We had a good push to get to Den Helder in time to join the fleet there assembling, but …
The afternoon found the Picton Castle under full sail, sailing south in fresh winds in the North Sea. We were about 40 miles off the island of Karmoy, Norway steering SSW. The sky was clear, seas a dark blue-green and not so big. The wind was cool and from the north. It was good to …
Steaming through fjords of Norway We could figure out why there are so many pretty veteran steamships along the coast of Norway. You can get anywhere by boat and you can’t get anywhere without one. Picton Castle sailed from Kopervik at the crack of dawn and we had been advised to take the inside route …
When we sailed from Kristiansand we had fresh headwind which eventually died out to calm. Morning found us motoring along in light winds as we entered the fjord that would lead us into Stavanger. Soon enough breezes became fair and the Picton Castle was under full sail slipping along in a beautiful Norwegian fjord. Nice …
Along the Coast of Norway- Stavanger and Kopervik Read More »
Marstrand is a pretty spot on the west coast of Sweden, a little island that was once an important military fortress and herring fishing port. The herring have swam away and the Danes and Norwegians do not threaten so much these days so now it has become something of a yachting destination, perhaps along the …
Copenhagen – Navy Town Copenhagen was an important navy town with the barrier islands protecting the city from the sea, also a martial bulwark. This naval base has now been largely turned over to civilian use for flats and the very famous Christiania, a sort of free city taken over by the hippie movement in …
Starting the race “Fyn-Rundt” and sailing for Copenhagen Before the start of the Fyn-Rundt race the skippers of all the ships gathered at 0700 at the Naval Association club-room at the old Navy Base (and by ‘old’ I mean early 18th century- before the days when Nelson was sacking Copenhagen and Denmark had a large …
This afternoon finds the Picton Castle under full sail, every sail set apart from studding-sails, sailing south in fresh winds in the North Sea. We are about 40 miles off the island of Karmoy, Norway steering SSW. Skies are clear with radiant white clouds, seas a dark blue-green and not so big. The wind is …
