Sailing on a tall ship

Tall ship under sail in the Caribbean

Tall ship under sail in the Caribbean

Sailing on a tall ship

The posts below attempt to capture some of the impressions and experiences following a long journey on a tall ship. It started with a trip from St Lucia to Grenada and back – a gentle introduction to the art of sailing in a tall ship – in pleasant weather for a couple of weeks (with regular land stops).

After returning to St Lucia Pelican then started its home bound journey, on 8th February, heading north to next dock in Bermuda. This was the start of the trip across the Atlantic to the Azores – a journey that was accomplished entirely by sail, there being very favourable sailing conditions. From the Azores the ship continued north and first hit landfall in Falmouth. From there it was a relatively short hop to Weymouth – the Pelican’s home port – arriving on 22nd March. The trans-Atlantic journey entailed 33 days at sea and the ship covered 4577 nautical miles.

The posts are less of a diary of the trip, more a selection of various incidents and experiences along the way. Through such a recording of the trip it is hoped that a greater understanding of what life is like living and working on a tall ship can be achieved.

For me it was the first time in such a vessel and to date has been the only time I’ve travelled such a long time on a sailing ship. It is hoped it will not be the last.

Sailing on a Tall Ship for the first time

Rum shacks in the Caribbean

A typical night at sea on a tall ship?

The joys of sailing in the rain

The start of the day on a tall ship?

A storm in the Bermuda Triangle in February 2013

Working on the helm of a tall ship

Sailing the western Atlantic

Celebrations on a tall ship in Mid-Atlantic

Climbing the shrouds of a tall ship

Gale in the Atlantic on a tall ship

A tall ship under sail