Yesterday we spent a whole day on board the sailing ship Gratia, which belongs to the Swedish Cruise Club Sailing School Foundation. There were many hours out in the fresh sea air. We hoisted and salvaged sails, tied knots, cruised, pumped water with the bilge pumps, slept on deck and had fun with the crew over good food in the mess hall. So what is life on board a sailing ship from 1900 really like?
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ShareMorning routines at Utö
Around seven o'clock yesterday morning we woke up in our bunks. It may look a little crowded, but after a long day at sea, I promise that you still sleep well! The morning started with a porridge breakfast, some morning toilet and cleaning of the ship. Then it was just to hoist the flag and set off!
Tasks on board
There are always tasks on board a sailing ship like the Gratia. Sails have to be hoisted and salvaged, you have to cross between islands, you have to pump the bilge (wooden boats always leak and will do so, we have learnt), and when nothing is urgent, there are always a few ropes to be "quailed" (twisted together and hung up, if I understood the word correctly ...).
All the time we're told about gaff sails, pike halyards, claws and cleavers. You don't understand half of it, of course, but the instructors still manage to put us to work. When you don't understand how something is connected, it is always said that you have to look up - because there are the answers!
Why can't pigs sail? Because their necks are too hard and they can't look up.
Evening in Träskö-Storö
In the evening we docked at a cliff on Träskö-Storö. Fantastically nice to be able to stay here in the middle of the archipelago! After a long day at sea, it was nice with a good meal (super good meat stew, red wine and later some cheese and biscuits) and a lot of talk and laughter in the mess hall. Today, Sunday, it is time for our last sailing day!
This sailing event was organised in cooperation with the Swedish Cruiser Club Sailing School Foundation. The texts, pictures and opinions are as usual our own.
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Matts Torebring says:
But what fun! What a long voyage you have made in that short time, this must have been really exciting and you are lucky with the weather. Very nice beds, compared to sleeping in the truck in the early 70s. Have a nice trip.
07 May 2017 - 8:01
Helena says:
Yes, it was a real sailing! Many hours at sea 🙂
07 May 2017 - 10:23
Lena - good for the soul says:
Hard but wonderful work, I can imagine. Understand that you slept well after such a day!
Hug Lena
07 May 2017 - 8:03
Helena says:
It's a lot of work, but also a lot of opportunity for rest in between! 🙂
07 May 2017 - 10:24
Lennart says:
Cool!
Keep up the good work!
07 May 2017 - 8:55
Helena says:
Really cool experience! Wishing you a nice Sunday!
07 May 2017 - 10:24
Henny says:
We went on a "tourist sailing trip" in Mariehamn on Åland a few years ago. It was with a nice old sailing ship that gave an insight into how it was once upon a time. Really fun - even for a landlubber like me. So I understand that you had a cool and different experience this weekend. Looking forward to your next adventure.
07 May 2017 - 9:33
Helena says:
Fun to be on board nice ships! 🙂
07 May 2017 - 10:25
Lena says:
Nice old boat seems to be a lot of work for many people says a novice who hates when it tilts and you get too close to the water surface ? Long trip you had in the nice surroundings looks nice despite the gusty breeze ???
Have a nice weekend ⚓️
07 May 2017 - 10:12
Helena says:
You can sail this ship with fewer people really (although of course it takes a bunch!) but when many are students, it is good to be many 🙂 .
07 May 2017 - 10:27
Ama de casa says:
WOW! What a fantastic ship and wonderful pictures from the sailing 🙂 .
However, I think that "gloves" should have been included in the packing list. It's hard on the hands to pull all those sailing strings. When we have travelled on a canal boat, I have brought those nice, floral gardening gloves with "plastic studs" on the hand part itself. Both chic and practical 😀
I hope Peter didn't suffer from mouse army 😉.
Have a great Sunday!
07 May 2017 - 10:14
Helena says:
We've learnt that we shouldn't wear gloves when working with "sailing lines" ... I'll check out Peter and those musings, haha.
07 May 2017 - 10:30
Ditte says:
I understand that you have been bitten by the sailing life and it is certainly nice to have the opportunity to dock where it is not already full of other boats.
We have been involved in sailing, but not, as I said, in husbills or camping. But there are clear similarities. The freedom! And of course big differences.
It's nice that you also practised navigation because I think it's great fun, in Träskö we know and have been here many times.
Wishing you a nice sailing towards Stockholm and good winds, of course!
07 May 2017 - 10:45
Helena says:
To dock at a cliff on an island in the archipelago like that was really lovely! Glad that you know Träskö 🙂
07 May 2017 - 17:57
Marina says:
So much fun and what an experience it must have been! And I am very fascinated that you have learnt which "strings" you should pull and everything else that kind of follows that with sailing 😉 So do you think you have been bitten by sailing for real now?
07 May 2017 - 11:37
Helena says:
It was a really cool experience! But to say that we learnt which "strings" to pull is an exaggeration, I can say 😉 We had two instructors helping us all the time.
07 May 2017 - 17:59
Ruth in Virginia says:
Enjoyed reading yesterday's post as well.
Unbelievable what beautiful weather you have; clear blue skies!
and enough wind to sail,
but it looks hard.
Last photo - advertising for a Sweden summer !!!
07 May 2017 - 12:25
Helena says:
We are glad that you enjoy reading our posts about sailing! There will be some more actually 🙂 Sometimes it was heavy work, but there were also long periods when we could just sit and relax on deck.
07 May 2017 - 18:45
Husis blog says:
What an exciting adventure this sailing trip seems to have been. Lucky with the weather and hopefully the wind too, but miss those swimming pictures...?
07 May 2017 - 13:43
Helena says:
Really! A real adventure! 🙂 There was not much bathing ... or yes, there were some who bathed, and they also bathed 🙂
07 May 2017 - 18:46
Emma, sun like sun? says:
It's a good thing there was a picture with the text "Peter is musing" and it's a good thing the picture came first because otherwise I would have really wondered if I would have wanted to see the photo ...
(Of all the things you can react to when you see your beautiful photos and all the interesting things you've done. Sorry!)
07 May 2017 - 16:08
Helena says:
Haha, there really are sooo many different terms on board a sailing ship. I have learnt a few (like musing!), but there are very many that I haven't learnt...
07 May 2017 - 18:47
Goatfish says:
I'm a bit jealous, sailing ships have always attracted me, but it takes strength and it's a bit thin here now 😀 with me.
Really cool lovely pictures!
However, I have been around inside the Brig Tre Kronor, when she was in Borgholm, a few years ago, and it was powerful. Then we actually thought about going on a short sailing trip, my late husband and me.
Signage Sunday hug ?
07 May 2017 - 16:27
Ruth in Virginia says:
Imagine if it had been the Three Brothers Brig;
you know the one that the girl from Backafall sang about,
but it cruised in the Caribbean Sea and not around Borgholm (Öland?).
07 May 2017 - 17:45
Goatfish says:
Interesting, Ruth! I have been to Backafall, it is on the island of Ven or Hven between Sweden and Denmark.
Borgholm is located on Öland.
/Gerd
07 May 2017 - 21:08
Helena says:
Cool with the brig Tre Kronor! During the school sailing trips, there are so many in the crew that everyone does not have to be so strong actually 🙂 .
07 May 2017 - 18:49
Veiken says:
Wow, how cool! I love being at sea, although I have no knowledge of sailing! Great. One more memory to add to the memory bank!
07 May 2017 - 19:48
Helena says:
Really cool! I also didn't know anything about sailing before this weekend (still don't know much, but a little more anyway ;)). Surely this will be a memory for life! 🙂
07 May 2017 - 20:22
Daniela / Discovering The Planet says:
Oh how exciting. But looked a bit cold 🙂
07 May 2017 - 19:59
Helena says:
Really exciting! Yes, the wind is a bit cold on the lake! Then you are outdoors many, many hours too! Nice with a hat and long johns even if it's sunny 🙂.
07 May 2017 - 20:23
Role o Carina says:
Seems to be a nice sailing boat but cramped bunks!
Then we probably prefer the camper van 🙂
Take care.....
07 May 2017 - 20:19
Helena says:
The campervan may be more comfortable, but this was also an exciting experience 🙂 ).
07 May 2017 - 20:23
BP says:
What an adventure and what canoooon weather. As for the activities and sleeping with outerwear on in these "huts" - no, that wouldn't have been for me to be honest. Was there a shower on board? Probably not:-))))))
07 May 2017 - 21:27
Helena says:
In this picture I posed a bit in the middle of the day. That is, you did not have to sleep with outerwear! 😉 There were blankets and you had to bring either sheets or sleeping bags. There was no shower on board, but the first night we stayed in the harbour in Utö and there were a few more facilities 🙂.
07 May 2017 - 21:38
Cathinka - On the move! says:
I am unfortunately not a seafarer, every single ripple on the water gives me seasickness (yes, it's probably partly in my head??) but I still have to say that this sounds really cosy!
07 May 2017 - 21:53
Helena says:
Sorry that you get seasick! It is so wonderful to experience the world from the sea! You can stop by our houseboat sometime and start practising very gentle rocking! 😉
08 May 2017 - 7:19
Anki says:
Wow ... what a wonderful sailing trip! Fun to follow it through your pictures - thanks for that!
08 May 2017 - 7:07
Helena says:
Really a wonderful and cool trip! We have come home now, but still have a lot to tell, so there will be some more posts about the sailing trip! 🙂
08 May 2017 - 7:20