Breathtaking to see the old lady as if more than 20 years went by without change, she is looking better then ever! Thank you for the video! I was on board 1988, from Rio de Janeiro to Capetown, 34 days across the atlantic ocean on the ocasion of the First Fleet Reenactment Voyage to Sydney. Unforgettable experience to stand at the stearing wheel crossing the waves. Wonder where Captain Jay is now, first mate Bruce, John, Jim... Big hug to all the sailors that have been on the "Our Svanen"!
@voncranenburg Wow, you sure took part in a piece of history there, doing just what the lady was built for- crossing oceans. You're correct that she has managed to find new owners and commanders who love her enough to keep her maintained, and she's still a regular fixture on Sydney Harbour. When I sailed with Jay in '92 (see my "The Oceania Project") he was worried that he'd been at sea too long and missing out on life on land... but whether he's actually left the sea is another matter!
It seems like everybody knows somebody who's worked or sailed on Svanen- I feel like starting a game called "Six Degrees of Svanen"! Yes, John was great. I still remember this wonderful dinner he prepared for us on day one, which due to seasickness hardly any of us could eat, so all this beautiful cooking just got dumped to the fish. I still feel guilty. Glad to hear he remembers Svanen's galley fondly!
Doesnt look like the old girl has changed much.... I was a Sea Cadet on the trip from Skagen Denmark to Bermuda in the spring of 82. Brings back some interesting memories seeing her here.
The longer this video sits here, the more it feels like a Svanen reunion! Thanks for your information, Augustus: it must have really been something to cross the Atlantic aboard her.
In 1983 I was a Sea Cadet on Our Svanen, sailing from Bermuda to Digby, N.S. (by way of N.Y.C. and Mystic, Connecticut).
As 2ndlegionaugustus says, everything was much the same back then; good to see that some things don't change. It's been many years since I last saw those baggy wrinkles!
I stand corrected on the nomenclature, Biplane. In any case, you sure confirm our favourite barquentine's been around- it must have been quite something to sail up the whole east coast!
I too was a Sea Cadet aboard her. Summer of 82 from Lisbon to Vigo to Southhampton to Poole. I ended up joining the Canadian Navy and served for 22 years. Its good to see the old girl again.
Little by little, I'm getting a picture of the travels this ship- er, barquentine- has made around the globe. Why just today, one of my college classmates revealed she'd sailed aboard her back in '92 like me (whale watching on Hervey Bay in Queensland). Thank you, twakfer, for filling in another piece of the mosaic. She clearly marked the start of a life at sea for you!
shiver me timbers....I did some work on Svanen in Sydney back in 1999, tarred up some ropes, oiled blocks, rubbed down some woodwork, that kind of thing. She's a wonderful vessel. God bless you
Hi, Thanks for this. I turned 17 years old on Svanen when I was a sea cadet. Celebrated by being thrown overboard (but we were at anchor off Nova Scotia). Great video and reminder of a great 1 month voyage when I was a teenager in 1985. Thanks. Danette
My God, the soul that old girl has after the number of individuals who've sailed aboard her! Thanks for your story there, Danette. You just reminded me of a saying:
"Ships of wood- men of steel. Ships of steel- men of wood."
Breathtaking. I'm just waiting on Captain Jack jumping on board and saying "Remember this day as the day Capain Jack Sparrow ...." he usually falls or something after that part haha Excellent *******
i sailed on her in aug 1982 in tall ships race
spiretownboy 10 months ago
@spiretownboy The old girl truly is a citizen of the world. Thanks for sharing your story- all the way from the UK!
videowilliams 10 months ago
Comment removed
voncranenburg 1 year ago
Breathtaking to see the old lady as if more than 20 years went by without change, she is looking better then ever! Thank you for the video! I was on board 1988, from Rio de Janeiro to Capetown, 34 days across the atlantic ocean on the ocasion of the First Fleet Reenactment Voyage to Sydney. Unforgettable experience to stand at the stearing wheel crossing the waves. Wonder where Captain Jay is now, first mate Bruce, John, Jim... Big hug to all the sailors that have been on the "Our Svanen"!
voncranenburg 1 year ago
@voncranenburg Wow, you sure took part in a piece of history there, doing just what the lady was built for- crossing oceans. You're correct that she has managed to find new owners and commanders who love her enough to keep her maintained, and she's still a regular fixture on Sydney Harbour. When I sailed with Jay in '92 (see my "The Oceania Project") he was worried that he'd been at sea too long and missing out on life on land... but whether he's actually left the sea is another matter!
videowilliams 1 year ago
I know John, the chef on your voyage! He spent many happy years working on the ship and it holds a special place in his heart!
csqcarol 2 years ago
It seems like everybody knows somebody who's worked or sailed on Svanen- I feel like starting a game called "Six Degrees of Svanen"! Yes, John was great. I still remember this wonderful dinner he prepared for us on day one, which due to seasickness hardly any of us could eat, so all this beautiful cooking just got dumped to the fish. I still feel guilty. Glad to hear he remembers Svanen's galley fondly!
videowilliams 2 years ago
Doesnt look like the old girl has changed much.... I was a Sea Cadet on the trip from Skagen Denmark to Bermuda in the spring of 82. Brings back some interesting memories seeing her here.
Thanks
2ndlegionaugustus 3 years ago 2
The longer this video sits here, the more it feels like a Svanen reunion! Thanks for your information, Augustus: it must have really been something to cross the Atlantic aboard her.
videowilliams 3 years ago
In 1983 I was a Sea Cadet on Our Svanen, sailing from Bermuda to Digby, N.S. (by way of N.Y.C. and Mystic, Connecticut).
As 2ndlegionaugustus says, everything was much the same back then; good to see that some things don't change. It's been many years since I last saw those baggy wrinkles!
P.S. It's not a ship, it's a barquentine!
Biplane11 2 years ago
I stand corrected on the nomenclature, Biplane. In any case, you sure confirm our favourite barquentine's been around- it must have been quite something to sail up the whole east coast!
videowilliams 2 years ago
I too was a Sea Cadet aboard her. Summer of 82 from Lisbon to Vigo to Southhampton to Poole. I ended up joining the Canadian Navy and served for 22 years. Its good to see the old girl again.
twakfer 2 years ago
Little by little, I'm getting a picture of the travels this ship- er, barquentine- has made around the globe. Why just today, one of my college classmates revealed she'd sailed aboard her back in '92 like me (whale watching on Hervey Bay in Queensland). Thank you, twakfer, for filling in another piece of the mosaic. She clearly marked the start of a life at sea for you!
videowilliams 2 years ago
shiver me timbers....I did some work on Svanen in Sydney back in 1999, tarred up some ropes, oiled blocks, rubbed down some woodwork, that kind of thing. She's a wonderful vessel. God bless you
Spacemal 3 years ago
Ah, she's absorbed the sweat of hundreds, maybe thousands, over the years. So glad to meet another member of the Svanen brotherhood!
videowilliams 3 years ago
me mate worked on svanen when he was younger beautifal ship
jellynights 3 years ago
She's a high maintenance woman all right, and anyone who's crewed aboard her has my respect. Good on ya for watching!
videowilliams 3 years ago
Dave , this is very nice video , I liked it very much ,I would love also to draw or sketch "Svanen"
kargilieyup 3 years ago
I'm not surprised you'd like to draw her. She attracts a lot of artists. She's the prettiest 86 year old I know!
videowilliams 3 years ago
Very nice. Great shot looking up at the, I don't know the word, rigging.
combaton 3 years ago
I'm glad you liked it, combaton. Yes, rigging's the word. As one of Svanen's captains once told me, for a filmmaker, that ship is "a great prop".
videowilliams 3 years ago
Hi, Thanks for this. I turned 17 years old on Svanen when I was a sea cadet. Celebrated by being thrown overboard (but we were at anchor off Nova Scotia). Great video and reminder of a great 1 month voyage when I was a teenager in 1985. Thanks. Danette
danettebeechinor 3 years ago
My God, the soul that old girl has after the number of individuals who've sailed aboard her! Thanks for your story there, Danette. You just reminded me of a saying:
"Ships of wood- men of steel. Ships of steel- men of wood."
I'm glad you liked it, woman of steel.
videowilliams 3 years ago
Breathtaking. I'm just waiting on Captain Jack jumping on board and saying "Remember this day as the day Capain Jack Sparrow ...." he usually falls or something after that part haha Excellent *******
marymo75 4 years ago 3
Actually, Adrian our captain was a little bit like that... but he steered us home OK. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
videowilliams 4 years ago