Clipper Sails the Tall Ships World Peace Cup in Antigua by Burchenal Green
T
his is Matt's fifth sail on
large sailing ship demands skills that he works to maintain as he trains crew and passengers participating in the sailing experience. in between hauling lines On board, crew and "apprentices" learn to hand, reef, and steer. last April. He used to own a Captain Pruesse and his crew introduce basic seamanship such as sailboat and always dreamed of knot tyi ng, helmsmanship, piloting, and celestial navigation, all making a transAtlantic crossing. while racing other sailing ships. He admitted, however, that his T he international make-up of crew and passengers adds to the boat was too small and his off- experience. Captain Pruesse's homeport is in Germany. His shore experience inadequate. officers hail from the Ukraine, India, Switzerland, England, Italy, When he learned that a modern and Scotland. Passengers embark from countries aro und the sail ing ship transits the A tlantic in 21 days, h e signed on for his wo rld to take advantage of this unique opportunity. Public first Star Clipper cruise. Underway, he fell down a f1 igh t of stairs announcements are made in English and German. and broke two ribs. Captain Pruesse is building interest in the Tall Ships Undaunted, he was Race and he anticipates that it will establish itself as a tended to by a ship's yearly event. The race last year only attracted one other physician , allowing tall ship, but he is hopeful other ships will make it a regular him to recover in time part of their spring schedules once it becomes more to return for the Tall known. Of course, the backdrop for the Tall Ships Race is Ships Race and the the famed Antigua Clashands-on sailing. The sic Yacht Regatta-one sailing crew proved exworth a from row seat in cell ent, patient inany year. T he easy odds structors and readily hardly diminished the shared their passion ffi passengers' enthusiasm. ~ for sailing with their ~ Twoshipmatesweremarnew trainees. With each cruise, Matt increases his 3 ried on deck one after;: ,.. noon, and later the bride knowledge and has developed a camaraderie with the :'.l other passengers who return each year. "It is the only ~ won the knot-tying convacation I take," he stated. 8 test making her a double It was Lynn's first vacation in the Caribbean and on Captain Uli Pruesse explains sail tactics. wmner. a sailing ship. From England, armed with a willing In addition to comattitude, she actively participated in most sail operations. The task peting in the races, Star Clipper island-hopped between Antigua, proved more strenuous than she had anticipated, hoisting sails Isles des Saintes, Barbuda, Montserrat, and St. Barts. Our stop larger than she had imagined. "O ne of the best b its, aside from the at Montserrat was a sobering one. Star Clipper was the first ship sailing was in making new fr iends outoffellow to bring tourists there afte r the volStar C lipper heeled to starboard cano erupted in 1995. Today, less shipmates," she said at the end. Sailing on a ship of this size gives you a great feeling. More than half of the 11 ,000 inhabi tants still reside on the island after having so, it gives you a better perception of seagoing life during the age of sail, albeit without the evacuated the capital city of Plymouth hard tack, forecastle berth, and floggings! to safety in the north. Montserrat's volcano still blows rourinely-coatStar Clipper is a 360-foot four-masted barquentine, wh ich sets 36,000 feet of sail. ing the southern half of the island with ash and smoke. From sea you This modern, steel luxury ship with 85 staterooms preserves the spirit of the great clipper can, at times, see the red, burning embers shooting from the volcano's ships that raced across the oceans during the age of sail. Its captain, Uli Pruesse, dedicates crater at night. Montserrat was a fascinating port of call, although each himself to keeping these traditions alive. year Star Clipper changes her itinerHis was the inspiration to include a tall ary. In addition to Antigua, the 2004 ship race as part of the Antigua C lassic Yacht cruise plans to visit Virgin Gorda, Regatta held out of Falmouth Harbor one week each April. Captain Pruesse hopes to Norman Island, Jose Van Dyke, and promote the best of sai ling ship life: character Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, development, discipline to the ship, and cacransit the famo us Si r Francis Drake maraderie amongst shipmates of different naChannel, then alter course for Sc. Martin/St. Maarten and St. Barts. ,t tionalities working toward a common goal. A
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Star Clipper, he told me
SEA HISTORY 105, AUTUMN 2003