After the short visit from the Lord Nelson, West India Dock welcomes another tall ship with the arrival of the Swedish Navy training ship, the HMS Falken.
The Falken, sails with 9 officers, 19 midshipmen and 5 crew members and is 132 ft long. Like many naval training ships, the Falken is used to train cadets to give them a high degree of practical seamanship and navigation. Cadets are also assessed for leadership and team building skills.
The Schooner was built from a Tore Herlin design in 1947 at the Naval Dockyard in Stockholm. Sail training has a long history in the Swedish navy dating back to the 17th century, this tradition is carried on by HMS Falken and HMS Gladan.
The visit is a bit of a surprise to West India dock watchers, therefore little is known about how long the schooner will be in dock and whether she will be open to public visits.
Isle of Dogs Life 