Sailing Adventure on Lord Nelson

This summer a group of young people with disabilities from Klaipeda had a wonderful ten days' project on board of a grand ship LORD NELSON which took part in the world regatta "The Tall Ships' Races 2008". LORD NELSON is the only sailing vessel in the world that is especially equipped to enable sailing for people with various physical disabilities.

Next year Klaipeda, as well as other UBC cities Gdynia, St. Petersburg and Turku, will host the large international fleet of the Tall Ships' Races. The city is to send young people as trainees to the ships of other countries. In this way, the organizer of "The Tall Ships' Races, Sail Training International (STI), promotes international friendship. In 2006 STII was nominated for Nobel Peace Prize.

Five people from Klaipeda found themselves on board of LORD NELSON I - the first people ever from the Baltic States on this ship. The ship had a professional crew of ten people, and the remaining forty on board were trainees. Among the duties there were hoisting the sails, mooring or unmooring the ship, helming it, filling the log, working in the galley, working at the so called "happy hour" when one cleans and brushes every corner of the ship. The youngsters enjoyed going aloft the most. But when large white sails obey your setting, when you overcome your trembling knees and can see the beauty of the ship and the sea I water from above - it I is so rewarding... It I was possible even for I the disabled people I in the wheelchairs -I there is a special safe I equipment to do so! I Blind people can sail I this ship and even try I helming it, for there is I a sounding compass I to set the course of I the ship. People were I grouped in the so I called "buddy-system", I when a disabled person is paired with an able bodied.

We sailed the so called cruise-in-company. This part of the regatta is not racing, but sailing just for pleasure, calling some other ports with outstanding sightseeing places. The route of the cruise-in company this year was in Norwegian fjords from a small port of Maloy to Bergen.