A piece of maritime history sets course for Bremerhaven: The "Eye of the Wind" is expected to arrive in the New Harbour today, Thursday, 30 April. An open ship is planned for tomorrow, the first of May: Visitors can view the brigantine free of charge from 2 pm to 6 pm. The berth is located directly in front of the German Emigration Centre.
Return to home waters
A good 40 metres long, seven metres wide, two masts and red-brown sails: the silhouette of the "Eye of the Wind" is unmistakable. The steel hull carries a teak deck and the rigging spans 750 square metres of sail. When the brigantine is under full sail, you can see traditional seafaring as it was over a hundred years ago. On 30 April, the ship moors in Bremerhaven - where its history began.
The ship was built in 1911 at the Lühring shipyard in Brake on the Lower Weser and entered the Hamburg shipping register on 19 July of the same year. On 19 July of the same year, it was entered in the Hamburg shipping register - at that time under the name "Friedrich", named after its owner, Captain Johann Friedrich Kolb from Fockbek near Rendsburg. Now the two-master is returning to its home region - and with a story that will make sailors' hearts beat faster.
On 1 May, the "Eye of the Wind" will open its hatches to visitors from 2 pm to 6 pm. Admission is free. The berth is located directly in front of the German Emigration Centre in the New Harbour. The crew will be on board to answer questions about the ship and its special history. Visitors can chat to the crew, find out more about the ship, learn about sailor's knots and collect an on-board stamp.
From cargo shipping to Hollywood star
The ship was originally designed for Atlantic crossings: It transported salt from Germany to the Río de la Plata in South America, bringing cattle hides on the return journey. After several sales - in 1924 to Sweden under the name "Sam", two years later as the motor schooner "Merry" - the ship cruised the Baltic and North Sea as a cargo ship for 30 years.
In autumn 1955, she ran aground on the Swedish west coast during a heavy storm. The wreck was salvaged, repaired and put back into service as the one-and-a-half-masted schooner "Rose Marie", temporarily used for drift net fishing off Iceland. The ship's new life began in 1973 when it was purchased by British enthusiast Anthony "Tiger" Timbs. Together with a group of enthusiastic ship lovers, he began to rig the ship as a brigantine.
The imposing appearance of the tall ship did not go unnoticed by Hollywood. The ship served as a backdrop in the adventure films "Blue Lagoon" (1980), "Nate and Hayes" (1983), "Tai-Pan" (1986) and "White Squall" (1996). Well-known Hollywood stars such as Brooke Shields and the two Oscar winners Tommy Lee Jones and Jeff Bridges have held the steering wheel.
Traditional sailing by hand
The sails, with a total surface area of around 750 square metres, are set and raised using only muscle power. Sailing is still done entirely by hand. This makes the "Eye of the Wind" an authentic testimony to traditional seafaring - and a special challenge for the crew.
Today, the traditional sailing ship is used worldwide for sailing trips and charter voyages. Private individuals can take part in holiday cruises to the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Canary Islands and the Caribbean.
More than just a holiday trip: Sail training on board
The "Eye of the Wind" is not just a passenger ship, but an active training vessel. The ship, which is registered with Sail Training International, offers structured training programmes ranging from practical seamanship to management seminars. On board, guests learn how to keep watch, how to handle lines and sails, navigation rules as well as helmsman and lookout duties.
Goals have to be set for various manoeuvres, procedures discussed with the crew and responsibilities allocated. Under the guidance of coaches and with the support of the captain and crew, the training participants practise tacking, gybing and man-overboard manoeuvres. Each manoeuvre is followed by feedback - from the seminar leader, the captain and the crew.
There is a special half-price programme for young people between the ages of 16 and 25. The aim: to keep traditional seamanship alive and pass it on to the next generation. Anyone following the ship's route on tracking portals will see the training in action: zigzagging courses in the fairway indicate that hours of manoeuvres were practised.
Excursion destination for families and boat fans
The date on the public holiday is particularly suitable for families, ship fans and day trippers. The New Harbour is centrally located, and the German Emigration Centre, the Zoo by the Sea and the Havenwelten are in the immediate vicinity.
If you want to learn more about maritime history, you should plan a visit to the German Maritime Museum. The museum is one of the most important maritime museums in Europe and offers a maritime journey through time from antiquity to the present day. The exhibits include a Bremen Hanseatic cog from 1380, which was found in the Weser in 1962. Another highlight is the "Greenland", a Norwegian seal catcher and coastal freighter from 1867, which is over 30 metres long and is now kept ready to sail as one of the exhibits.
The brigantine with its striking red-brown sails will be staying in Bremerhaven for three days. Visitors can try out sailor's knots on board and collect shipboard stamps - all free of charge.
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Ursula Meer
Redakteurin Panorama und Reise
