Rain showers sweeping over our course where last night’s change over the sunny and warm day. But soon in the early morning skies cleared up and sun shone on our decks and rigging for the day. The foul weather gear used during the dark hours gave way again to t-shirts and shorts when we joined our watches on deck. By then, most of our canvas was set already catching the fair breeze pushing us on our Southerly course along the Dutch coast.

As a Tall Ship, EUROPA was made to spread her sails and find her way with the elements, from the sun scorched tropics to the Antarctic high latitudes. And now, after a liftover and refurbish for a year, she hosts her firsts trainees since. For many as their first experience at sea, for others as a reminder of old times spent on board, and yet a great return to the ocean for the salty sailors of the permanent crew, for many months in a row now missing the feelings that the sailing, the seas and the sharing of experiences and knowledge offer.

All on a trip where elemental sailing skills are to be taught to our guests, Friesland College students, alongside with the teachings of life itself on a small world that is 56 meters long, over 7 meters measured atwarth and about 30 meters high.

Students develop their knowledge through several school projects and others proposed by our guides and crew. All side by side with training their muscles, growing callouses on their hands and fighting their fears aloft, first getting their first climbing instructions, then even some of them giving a hand to the permanent crew and their doings up the rigging. In the meantime taking responsibilities on board like keeping a sharp lookout and steering the ship at the proper course set by Mate and Captain.

But getting acquainted with the sailor’s life, it also comes to realisation that this doesn’t just involve the excitement of pulling on sheets and halyards, spreading the good ship wings to the winds, or climbing the rig wether is in fair weather or the worst storms. Household duties are on the daily planning, from the cleaning of the ship to digging hands in potato baskets to get them ready for dinner.

A meal that was followed by further climbing instructions and the preparation or the trawling lines, so hopefully we can collect some plankton samples from the sea tomorrow and study them with the trainees.
Eduardo and Jordi