Sankt Erik alive again!!

After months of hard work, the Sankt Erik--my former floating home--is ready to ride again!

Last weekend, two of her four mighty boilers were lit for the first time in years, sending a pall of greasy black smoke swirling up from her funnel. After two days of heating, there was a good head of pressure built up in the boilers and Sankt Erik (or rather, Bengt on the whistle rope) snapped the harbor to attention with a tremendous roaring wail and a hissing billow of steam that boomed from her bronze steam whistles! What music!

Sankt Erik is being readied for operations as an official welcome boat--and possible starting gun platform--for the 2007 Tall Ships Race in Stockholm. Sailing ships from all over Europe and the Americas will be rallying here for the summer-long Baltic and North Sea race.

It is also hoped that Sankt Erik will become a mobile flagship for the Swedish National Maritime Museums travelign to various festivals and events as well as possibly running a 90 minute passenger tour around Stockholm Harbor from the Vasa Museum.