Tall ship finds safe haven

ANCHORED between Icart and Petit Bot last Wednesday morning was the Gulden Leeuw, a 1937 Danish sailing yacht seeking shelter before returning to Amsterdam.

Pic by Adrian Miller 22-04-20 Gulden Leeuw Dutch schooner moored on the south coast picture taken at Icart St Martin's- sailing boat ship - scenic calendar. (28102513)

Originally named Dana, she served as a research vessel until 1980 and was eventually sold to P&T Charters in 2007.

Now she is often used as a charter vessel or training ship and regularly participates in Sail Training International’s Tall Ships Race.

Screen Shot on 22 April at 10.53am of the Gulden Leeuw anchored near Icart. (28100969)

On this journey she was returning to Amsterdam from Mexico having dropped students home early due to the pandemic.

Gulden Leeuw co-owner Mirjam Postuma said: ‘Every school year, students indulge in sailing her all over the world and they had been many places before ending in Mexico. They started in September last year. The student programme wasn’t over yet, but we had to end the school year in Mexico and leave the students there.’

Pic by Adrian Miller 22-04-20 Icart Cliffs St Martin's south coast scenic with Gulden Leeuw schooner anchored up in background. Calendar. (28103024)

As a charter vessel she was in use by a Canadian sailing school.

GPS tracking of the voyage shows she stopped in Alderney at around 6pm on 10 September when the Gulden Leeuw first embarked on the programme.

Similarly, on the return she sought shelter off Guernsey’s south coast.

‘She was there to escape north-easterly winds and had 11 crew on board. I don’t believe she has had a visit scheduled in Guernsey before.

‘She was due to arrive back here [Amsterdam] on 25 May after stopping in Bermuda and Canada.’

The 1937 Dana succeeded a 1921 Dana which circumnavigated the world.

Pic by Adrian Miller 22-04-20 Gulden Leeuw Dutch schooner moored on the south coast picture taken at Icart St Martin's- sailing boat ship. (28102493)

She was in dry dock at Copenhagen Harbour during the Second World War. Vital engine parts were removed while Denmark was under military occupation to stop the ship being seized by the Germans.

Upon purchase by P&T Charters she was renamed Gulden Leeuw, refurbished and rigged as a three-masted topsail schooner.

Characterised by luxury and quality, equally it is a functional ship built to sail.

On day sails she can take 200 passengers, or 60 trainees and 24 permanent crew on longer voyages.

By 4pm last Wednesday she had left the shelter of Guernsey’s shores and was beginning the return to Amsterdam.