Today through Sunday, there will be a 100th birthday party in Travemünde, Germany, for one of the last of the true windjammers, the four masted barque Passat. One of the F. Laeisz Flying P-Liners, she was in launched 1911 at the Blohm & Voss shipyard, Hamburg. She carried commercial cargoes under sail until 1949, rounding Cape Horn 39 times. In 1951, she was converted to a school ship and in 1959 was purchased by the Baltic Sea municipality of Lübeck.
Happy birthday to a grand old ship!
What an amazingly beautiful ship! I love all of the history behind it and that it’s withstood the test of time! Speaking of which, I’m thinking about joining yachtdates in the hope of finding my very own “captain” who would truly share my love of ships and the ocean! If anyone is interested in creating their own story, you can check them out on FaceBook at http://on.fb.me/jQumi7
In 1949, I was living in Penarth, South Wales, UK. During the summer, this strange (to a ten year old) arrived at Penarth Docks with a cargo of grain from Australia. A few days later, her sister ship, Pamir arrived too.
After discharging their cargo, these two barques were opened to the public. Passat was the first ship I ever boarded, Pamir the second. During their stay in Penarth I visited these vessels whenever I could. The Sailors always made me welcome and allowed me to explore places not open to most.
Top of my list of things to do – visit her again!
Sounds like an amazing experience. I would have loved to seen these ships is service. Thanks for the comment.
Picture of The PASSAT, loaded, leaving the Tropical Port of Vitoria, ES, Brazil, circa 52-54. Image engraved in fire of me, young and green, in awe with her beauty as a Lady of the Seas, putting new new ships, puny and bare, to shame.Congratulation Luebeck, to save this masterful windjammer, which survived of two major world wars,and 47 years of Battle with Neptune, impervious to time, a true depository of memories, worldwise. I will do my best, now old and grey, to see her once more.
Passat Passing in My Past:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=618244181545970&set=pcb.618244728212582&type=1&theater
Rick would you happen to know if it is possible to get access to the log books of these ships?
My grandfather sailed on at least two of these ships, I believe the Passat and the Pamir (I need to double check) but he died towards the end of WWII and I have very little informatioon.
If you have any thoughts they would be greatly appreciated!
Dave
That is an excellent question for which I do not have an answer. I have looked around a bit and cannot find a good source for the logbooks. I imagine that a lot would depend on when you grandfather sailed. Did he sail as a cadet in the school ship days? I recently met a retired captain who wanted to sail on either the Pamir or the Passat as a cadet because sailing ships required less sea time than steam ships. He was scheduled to sail on the the Passat when the Pamir sank.
You might want to drop an email to the “Save the Passat” Association in Lübeck. Their email is rettetdiepassat@googlemail.com.
The story i have of this ship is back in the late forties/early fifties it came to avonmouth docks in bristol england where my father was a stevedore,his claim to fame was he dived from the mast for a bet,I my self worked as a docker (cranedriver) from the early seventies and was told this story by a lot of the older dockers who witnessed it.
I am coming to travemunde to see this beautiful vessel on 3rd july, i have pictures of her when she was berthed at avonmouth in the fiftiess.
regards
francis cummings.
Have a look at my website about Penarth Dock where ‘Passat’ and ‘Pamir’ were in 1949 – 1951. I also have a section on the ‘Passat’ at Avonmouth Docks in 1948 but no photos of anyone diving off!
There are two sections to look at:
http://www.penarth-dock.org.uk/08_02_000.html
http://www.penarth-dock.org.uk/08_09_000.html
I also have a friend who has an interesting website at http://pamir.chez-alice.fr/
Happy viewing and regards from Ratty