Home » Posts tagged 'Morgenster'
Tag Archives: Morgenster
Morgenster Tall Ship on the Thames
Walking near to Westferry Circus, I saw the unmistakable sails of a tall ship and hurried to see which ship it was. To my surprise it was the Morgenster which reminded me of one of my great experiences from last year.
Morgenster was one of the ships taking part in the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta and I was fortunate to be invited to take a trip on the Morgenster from Woolwich to Greenwich.
Whilst I have seen a lot of Tall Ships in West India Dock and at Greenwich and occasionally been on board to have a look around, actually sailing on a ship down the Thames was a wonderful experience.
There was something special about being under sail even in the safe confines of the Thames, before I get carried away it is worth mentioning that for the crew it is more hard work bringing down the sails and carrying out various duties. It did give me some insight into how much work would be involved sailing one of these ships across the Atlantic.
The Morgenster or (Morning Star in Dutch) is a sail training ship based in the Netherlands. She was originally built, as a herring lugger under the name De Vrouw Maria, in 1919. In 1927, she was converted into a motor fishing vessel. She was renamed Morgenster in 1959 and continued to be used as a fishing vessel until 1970. After a period of use for sport fishing and a pirate radio station, she was converted back to a sailing vessel in 1983. She made her maiden voyage as a sail training ship in 2008, having been refitted as a brig.
She certainly looked a magnificent sight as she meandered her way along the Thames on her way to Tower Bridge.
Sail Greenwich Highlights by L Katiyo
Photo – L Katiyo
Whilst I have been watching the activity in West India Dock over the last week, regular contributor, L. Katiyo has been watching the river and especially the Tall Ships who returned to London to take part in cruises on the river Thames.
Photo – L Katiyo
These cruises went from the Greenwich Heritage Centre and Woolwich Royal Arsenal Pier past many of the historic landmarks on the Thames up to Tower Bridge.
Photo – L Katiyo
The night cruises ended with spectacular fireworks displays.
Photo – L Katiyo
As L. Katiyo’s photographs show, the sight of Tall ships going around the Island up to the centre of London is a great spectacle and was enjoyed by many.
Photo – L Katiyo
This year there was around ten tall ships taking part including Gallant, Iris, J.R. Tolkien, Jantje, Mercedes, Morgenster, Oosterscheld, Thalassa and Zephyr.
Photo – L Katiyo
Many of the ships will be familiar to regular Thames watchers having taken part in many events before.
Photo – L Katiyo
This year’s Sail Greenwich is a taster for the Transatlantic Tall Ships Festival in April 2017, when a number of tall ships will be anchored at two festival sites in Greenwich and the Royal Arsenal Riverside in Woolwich. The finale of the festival will be a huge Parade of Sail on 16 April, when around 40 tall ships will sail down the Thames.
Sail Greenwich – 15th to 18th September 2016
From 15 to 18 September 2016, a number of Tall Ships will return to London to take part in cruises on the river Thames. These cruises will take you from the Greenwich Heritage Centre and Woolwich Royal Arsenal Pier past many of the historic landmarks on the Thames up to Tower Bridge. There will be day trips and night cruises which end with fireworks displays.
West India Dock has regular visits from Tall Ships, however the sight of Tall ships going around the Island up to the centre of London is a great spectacle and is enjoyed by many. This year there will be nine or ten tall ships taking part including Gallant, Iris, J.R. Tolkien, Jantje, Mercedes, Morgenster, Oosterscheld, Thalassa and Zephyr. Many of the ships will be familiar to regular Thames watchers having taken part in many events before.
It has been a couple of years since the spectacular Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Regatta Parade of Sail but there is news that a large number of Tall Ships will be in Greenwich over the 2017 Easter Weekend for the start of Transatlantic Tall Ship Regatta.
The Regatta will start from Greenwich in April 2017 calling at Sines, Portugal before crossing the Atlantic to the USA, various ports in Canada and the Gulf of St Lawrence before reached Quebec City in July; the fleet will return to Europe in early September 2017.
It is expected that from 13 to 16 April 2017, ships will be anchored at two festival sites in Greenwich and the Royal Arsenal Riverside in Woolwich. The finale of the festival will be a huge Parade of Sail on 16 April, when around 40 tall ships will sail down the Thames.
As a reminder of what the Thames looks like when full of Tall Ships, I have included some photos from the 2014 Parade of Sail.
For more information about Sail Greenwich 2016, visit their website here
Isle of Dogs Life 