Tall Ships, Day 2: Shtandart arrives

Day 2 started rainy and cool, but absolutely thrilling as the gorgeous Russian frigate Shtandart came sailing down the channel.

The Shtandart is a replica of an identical frigate built in 1703, the first ship in Peter the Great's modern Navy. A piece of elite technology in her time, she was championed as an icon of the new, modern Russia that was stepping onto the stage of European trade and politics.

The replica, launched in 1999, is also an icon of the new Russia, built and sailed by young Russians dedicated to establishing and showcasing the new, post-communist Russia.

But, my!....what a sight to see that fine ship come booming up the channel under full sail, right into the heart of Stockholm.

What made her doubly fascinating for me was that she has virtually the same rig as Vasa, complete with a spritsail topmast (the vertical spar with the red flag on it). There is only one other operational ship in the world with a spritsail topmast... mainly because they were phased out by about 1730. Most of the world's extant tall ships are of an early 1900's design with steel-hulls and modern square rigs.... nothing like incredible this 'blast form the past'.

Even though Shtandart is less than half the size of the Vasa, she gives a powerful sense of what it must have been like to see those grand ships sailing around in the 17th century with those steep bowsprits, woolded masts, and massive unsplit topsails.

Equally amazing was how easily the crew sailed her right into the harbor. Cuauhtemoc, Kruzenshtern, and the other mega-sailing ships would not attempt it in these tight channels, but the symbol of new Russia was not to be intimidated, sailing boldly through the rain and gusting winds with almost every scrap of canvas flying.

What a sight...and what an interesting choice of color....

Then, as Shtandart reached the harborfront, all hands fell on the pinrails and clewed up the sails, easing the ship to a stop right off the quay. Fantastic!


Then, at the center of one of the ornately carved wreaths along her side, a gunport lid opened....

KaPPOW!!!

A hefty cannon shot cracked the air, echoing around the harbor and down off the Södermalm cliffs. The crowd (several thousand by 10 am) gasped with delight as the cloud of black powder smoke drifted through the rigging. Shtandart had arrived!

Then the gunport lid flapped shut and all hands set to preparing the ship to come alongside the pier.

Despite the nasty rain squalls, the crowd continued to thicken.

Shtandart, radiant as the sun on such a grey day, eased toward the pier as her crews heaved the big, modern fenders over the side.

Once abeam of Stockholm's own brig, the Tre Kronor, the heaving lines were cast over and the hawsers hauled through. Taking hold of the heavy mooring lines, Shtandart's crew began hauling away, pulling the ship toward Tre Kronor. Ready and eager to help, the tug had to just stand by and watch; real sailors don't need no tug.

Inch by inch, she crept sideways under the strain of the lines until her crew slacked off the mooring hawsers and let her drift up along side Tre Kronor.

Meanwhile, part of the crew was back at the pinrails again 'cock-billing' the yards, tipping them from horizontal to a diagonal so they wouldn't get tangled in Tre Kronor's rigging--a real danger with tying up sailing ships together.

Secured and fast, a delighted crowd gave a whoop and a cheer and Shtandart's award-winning entry was complete.

What a fine pair those two ships were to see!

Rigs that were almost two centuries apart, tied side by side...

...and just a belaying pin's throw from the fore-and-aft schooner rigs that followed after them. Here in one shot could you see almost 300 years of sailing ship development.

How wonderous the Tall Ships Race is, bringing together such stunning examples of the craft that created the world as we know it. I love every moment of it!