Adventure under Tall Ships' Sail

Six youngsters from Klaipeda participated in the 50th Anniversary Tall Ships' Races 2006 sailing from Saint Malo, France, to Lisbon, Portugal.

During the Sail Training International annual conference, a vision of cooperation between Klaipeda and "Ocean Youth Trust Ireland" representatives was borne. The vision developed into a reality and the Irish invited ten Lithuanians to sail on their training vessel : "Lord Rank".

The first group from Klaipeda and other Lithuanian towns embarked "Lord Rank" in Saint Malo, France. Their adventure ended up in Lisbon. From there, the fleet with another group of Klaipedians cruised in company from Cadiz to La Coruña, Spain.

Monika, a first timer-trainee, remembers that her sailing adventures started during the first minutes in the open sea. She was caught by sea sickness. A number of her young colleagues soon joined her. She kept asking herself, how she dared to set on a voyage like that. Yet, she was simply overwhelmed by the experience and wished to register for the next year, too.

Real sea challenges appeared, when together with a UK crew, they had to learn, work, clean, cook, eat, rest, sleep, and live on the boat for eight days. Without a shower, in damp clothes and beds, struggling with the high waves all the time. Algirdas, a boy from Klaipeda, explains that "watches" were the funniest. This was the time when their group was responsible for the whole ship and her success in the race.

Algirdas says, he enjoyed taking the log of the ship the most. However, taking up and off the sails and learning sailing knots was also very interesting. Night watches were the most romantic, yet - the hardest, especially when there was little action at sea and one just had to sit and stare at the distance.

"Lord Rank" reached the finish line sixth in her class.

Lithuanians spent four memorable days in Caiscais and Lisbon, sightseeing, shopping, making friends, attending boat parties and having a splash during the traditional water fights among the Tall Ships' teams.

During the flight back home, the youngsters were somewhat more silent than on their way to Saint Malo. Wonder why? In their heads they were scheming a new sail training project with "Ocean Youth Trust Ireland" and The Tall Ships' Race. This time in Klaipeda and the Baltic Sea.