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Post by bjd on Jun 16, 2024 9:07:16 GMT
Several times I posted pictures of the ship Belem because I booked a trip from June 11 to 13th, from Santander in northern Spain to Bayonne. I'm not a sailor but have always liked boats/ships/ferries and don't get seasick -- or so I thought. Anyway, the Belem is a 3-masted sailing ship that celebrated its 128th birthday on June 10, the day we boarded in Santander. It is steel hulled but inside there is a lot of beautiful wood, some of which dates from the period around WW1 when the ship was bought by the Duke of Westminster and later by Guiness of the brewery family. Originally, the ship was built in 1895-96 for a chocolate tycoon, Menier, to bring cocoa beans from South America to France. At the time, it was a cargo vessel so the ship was quite empty except for space for the sailors. Inaugurated on June 10, 1896, the ship had several adventures (fire in Belem, Brazil; just missed being destroyed by the eruption of Mt Pélée in Martinique in 1902 because another ship was moored in its place, but the main reason it was sold was competition from motorized ships and the general demise of sailing ships. Most of them were scrapped but a few, like the Belem, survived. So it changed hands several times and eventually ended up being a training vessel for Italian orphans of sailors and it was moored in Venice.But upkeep was too expensive and the ship was just rotting when a retired French naval officer was on holiday in Venice in the mid-1970s and spotted it, realized that it was the Belem and organized its return to France and raised money for its restoration. This ship was bought by Caisse d'Epargne, a French bank, and with money raised by the officer. It was named a Historical Monument in the early 1980s and has been sailing ever since. The captain told us that running the Belem costs 3 million euros a year, so not only do they take on people like me for short trips, but also the foundation that runs it rents it out to companies for private occasions, for national ones like the recent bringing the Olympic flame from Greece to Marseille, and by selling items like clothes, mugs and bags with Belem written on them. Last year the ship had big repairs made -- part of the steel hull had to be removed and replaced -- and that cost 2.3M €. I didn't get a good picture so here is one from the internet: ![https://media.ouest-france.fr/v1/pictures/MjAxNzA4MzJmZDQ4OTJlZTNkNjJjNjgzZjUyZDZjZWRlNjk0OGE?width=1260&height=712&focuspoint=50%2C25&cropresize=1&client_id=bpeditorial&sign=9ce555fbba29ea428c2dee834d9e6a9abebf79030210050690e6a381631a4c0a](https://media.ouest-france.fr/v1/pictures/MjAxNzA4MzJmZDQ4OTJlZTNkNjJjNjgzZjUyZDZjZWRlNjk0OGE?width=1260&height=712&focuspoint=50%2C25&cropresize=1&client_id=bpeditorial&sign=9ce555fbba29ea428c2dee834d9e6a9abebf79030210050690e6a381631a4c0a)
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Post by bjd on Jun 16, 2024 9:24:43 GMT
It was not a cruise. Kerouac joked that I would be a swabbie, and indeed one morning I was part of a group that scrubbed the decks. Otherwise, we were divided into groups and did watches (mine were Tuesday evening from 8pm to midnight and Thursday morning from 4 to 8), took turns setting the table and serving meals. When the ship is rocking, it's not that simple to carry trays of hot food down narrow stairs, especially since we were told to go down backwards since it's safer. We also took turns looking out for other ships and reporting anything unusual to the helmsman, steering and mostly pulling on ropes to unfurl or furl the sails as necessary.
We were really lucky with the weather with only a bit of rain as we left Santander, then it cleared and it was pretty nice. Some wind but not too much but enough that the sails could be raised and the motor turned off. We pootled along because there was not much wind but it also meant that there were not huge waves.
Those who wished could climb up to the level of the top of the lowest sail, the front rectangular sail on the picture above. I didn't because I"m scared of heights. The sailors go right up to the top in order to detach or roll up the sails as necessary. There were 9 men and one woman, all friendly and ready to answer questions and explain what to do.
And since the trip was not that far, we turned around and sailed west for a while before heading to Bayonne. On Thursday morning, they put an inflatable boat (Zodiac) into the sea and we could get in and go around the ship in order to see it from a distance and take photos. I only had my cell phone in my pocket, under the life vest, so didn't take any.
And the nicest thing were the dolphins that followed the ship (and the Zodiac) going around, coming to the surface and diving down again in pairs or groups.
My other great memory is the night sky at 4am on Thursday. Absolutely clear -- we could see the Milky Way and thousands of stars and constellations.
As we came into the Adour River to the port of Bayonne, small boats came out to meet us, people stood on walls to wave. In fact, any fishing boats we met came close and took photos. A ship like the Belem is beautiful to see.
The two cooks were from Ivory Coast and Senegal. I didn't expect to get seasick but did miss the first lunch. Well, I started eating but quickly went up to the deck and threw up. I was alright after that. One poor woman was green for 3 days. The food was good and plentiful.
My pictures are not exciting but I will post a few later.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jun 16, 2024 9:28:38 GMT
Definitely looking forward to that!
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Post by onlyMark on Jun 16, 2024 10:17:24 GMT
Beautiful ship. I think the age of making beautiful things has gone by.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jun 16, 2024 10:25:48 GMT
Hasn’t it just.
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Post by bjd on Jun 16, 2024 14:08:30 GMT
Most of us (48 passengers -- or a full ship) arrived on the Monday evening in Santander. Boarding was at 9pm so I went for a walk and supper with a couple I met at the bus station. These are statues right along the shore showing boys, los raqueros, who typify kids at the beginning of the 20th century. ![](https://i.ibb.co/RDDsgs3/20240610-180233.jpg) I took a few pictures, mostly of ropes and masts seen from the bottom. ![](https://i.ibb.co/vJLYDK6/20240610-214205.jpg) ![](https://i.ibb.co/VHzyw3h/20240610-213349.jpg) ![](https://i.ibb.co/QmpPBWX/20240611-142114.jpg)
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Post by htmb on Jun 16, 2024 14:19:40 GMT
What an experience, bjd! It is certainly a beautiful ship.
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Post by bjd on Jun 16, 2024 14:21:28 GMT
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Post by bjd on Jun 16, 2024 14:29:29 GMT
The lieutenant/helmsman correcting paper maps and plotting the route. The cabin contains both computerized equipment and some old instruments. ![](https://i.ibb.co/BV0sRYC/20240612-103828.jpg) ![](https://i.ibb.co/vLtGKnL/20240612-103837.jpg) We could also keep watch from the front or steer from the back. There is an instrument just in front of the person at the wheel telling what the course is. ![](https://i.ibb.co/NZ660mC/20240612-103844.jpg) Every morning we were divided into small groups and had to do some maintenance: cleaning the decks, polishing the brasses or cleaning the bathrooms. ![](https://i.ibb.co/PjZf0Zg/20240613-085456.jpg)
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Post by bjd on Jun 16, 2024 14:36:08 GMT
Getting ready to furl the masts for the entrance to the port of Bayonne. The wind dropped and it got really hot. ![](https://i.ibb.co/KWgBhGr/20240613-123012.jpg) ![](https://i.ibb.co/txvV9NY/20240613-132948.jpg) ![](https://i.ibb.co/Rb60Ff3/20240613-135431.jpg) My granddaughters waiting to meet me. ![](https://i.ibb.co/4PzZ0HH/belem-1-of-5.jpg) A little speech by the captain thanking us and then we shook hands with the entire crew and said goodbye.
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Post by Kimby on Jun 16, 2024 15:50:52 GMT
Wow, great report, thanks! I have sailed on 2 masted boats but nothing like this.
PS Ropes on a sailing vessel are called sheets, I believe.
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Post by bjd on Jun 16, 2024 16:47:56 GMT
Ropes on a sailing vessel are called sheets, I believe. In French they are called "bouts". Everything was in French but the sailing vocabulary was a whole other language.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 16, 2024 16:49:22 GMT
What a fabulous experience, Bjd, and a wonderful report. I have missed your photos on anyport. Gotta say -- you've still got the ol' stuff! The Belem must have been built under a lucky star. It was built fairly late in the sailing era, so was still newish when sailing ships were being phased out. It survived dramatic near misses. It was acquired by two different wealthy owners, so got maintained and enhanced. And finally, when it seemed all was lost, the French naval officer saved it. Did prospective passengers have to fill out a questionnaire about their willingness and ability to carry out the tasks that would be required of them aboard? So impressed that you did this & even more impressed that you conquered sea sickness. It's great that there was such lovely weather for the voyage. the nicest thing were the dolphins Indeed! I've done my stint on the water (39' trawler), but am prone to that awful, all-over sea sickness. Still, it's a very special experience and seeing dolphins is always a thrill. Ropes on a sailing vessel are called sheets In my experience, boat ropes are "lines". But I have zero experience with sailing.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 16, 2024 16:58:01 GMT
What an adventure! I'm terribly impressed, like Bixa I get very seasick so I'm restricted to those huge passenger ships where one might as well be on land (and still have to take seasick meds and wear bands). Wonderful report bjd. (International woman of mystery)
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Post by fumobici on Jun 16, 2024 17:00:31 GMT
I would love to do that! I'm into sailing, and that's a proper square-rigged iron bark. I know some people here who run an ex-America's Cup racing schooner and I've sailed on that, but it only has a square-rigged fore tops'l. Even in Summer, bring a warm coat.
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Post by fumobici on Jun 16, 2024 17:02:12 GMT
Wow, great report, thanks! I have sailed on 2 masted boats but nothing like this. PS Ropes on a sailing vessel are called sheets, I believe. Lines, actually. Sheets are lines (ropes) that control the lower corners of the sails.
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Post by bjd on Jun 16, 2024 17:03:03 GMT
Thanks, Bixa. We didn't have to fill out a questionnaire but were informed that we were not passengers but trainees and that we would participate in running the ship. There were also conditions like not being pregnant, not having heavy physical disabilities or heart problems.
From what I gathered, most of the people on board had done a fair amount of sailing, several were doing repeat trips on the Belem. The woman whose bunk was beside mine was on her 28th trip. She said each one was different. But there were a few newbies like me. And one poor woman whose trip was her 50th birthday present from her family felt sick nearly all the time. Most of the others who were seasick were like me -- early on in the trip and then were fine.
Another condition that they probably can't include but should is that people can't be overweight. Those bunks are narrow! And the toilets and showers are really tight too. All the sailors were thin and not too tall.
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Post by bjd on Jun 16, 2024 17:06:59 GMT
Even in Summer, bring a warm coat. We were told to have very small bags so couldn't have too much stuff. I didn't have a warm coat but used layers. Fumo, the Belem doesn't advertise abroad because it would imply that everyone would have to speak English. The sailors have some "maritime English" but aren't necessarily fluent. Anyway, they manage to fill the ship just with French people.
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Post by Kimby on Jun 16, 2024 17:32:32 GMT
Here’s the whole list of nautical terms in English. Sheets are a subsets of lines, apparently. The boats I was on were small enough to have only sheets, and haul ropes/cables to raise the sail. www.nomadsailing.co.uk/learning-zone/glossary.html“Three sheets to the wind” would seem to refer to sails rather than lines.
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Post by htmb on Jun 16, 2024 18:16:24 GMT
Fabulous photos, Bjd, and I loved the cute one of your granddaughters waiting for you. Priceless, and what an impression your adventure must have made on them!
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Post by whatagain on Jun 17, 2024 6:59:50 GMT
Beautiful pics ! Lovely text and a great report to share. Thanks I really enjoyed it.
Ps : I don’t even know the terms in French - I learned them in Dutch when I was young.
Yet some terms are beautiful like choquer les voiles or les affaler.
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Post by lugg on Jun 17, 2024 19:22:40 GMT
This is just so great to see and read ; the ship really is a beauty and your photos and descriptions really help me to get a sense of her. I can quite understand how much it must cost to keep her afloat but really those numbers shocked me. Did you pay your way by doing the jobs you describe ?
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Post by bjd on Jun 17, 2024 19:31:18 GMT
Did you pay your way by doing the jobs you describe ? No, you pay for the trip but knowing that it's not a cruise but a "working" holiday. Actually, we didn't work that hard -- there was a lot of just enjoying being on the ship, talking to people and looking at the dolphins and the sea. And the food was good. One of the ways the Fondation Belem gets funds is by selling these trips.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jun 17, 2024 19:36:03 GMT
I'm really glad you were able to make this trip, bjd. Even though it did not require tremendous stamina, I can't help but compare it to my cargo trip to Finland. Even though I did not swab the decks, there were so many stairs to climb, which was not a problem for me two years ago. My recent bout of tendonitis would have made things extremely difficult, and since I had to provide a medical certificate, it is far from certain that I would be allowed on such a ship now. I still hope to take another trip, but the age factor is definitely becoming an issue.
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Post by lugg on Jun 17, 2024 19:39:20 GMT
No, you pay for the trip but knowing that it's not a cruise but a "working" holiday. Actually, we didn't work that hard -- there was a lot of just enjoying being on the ship, talking to people and looking at the dolphins and the sea. And the food was good. One of the ways the Fondation Belem gets funds is by selling these trips. I would love to do this too ... off to do some research ,
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Post by bjd on Jun 18, 2024 5:29:26 GMT
Kerouac, I too would gladly take a trip like your cargo to Finland.
We did have to provide two certificates: one from a doctor and another that we filled out about what kind of condition we were in. Since I almost never go to the doctor, when I showed up to have the certificate signed (mostly stuff about whether you have a heart condition and what medicines you take), I gave him the paper, he said, "What is it for?" I answered, "A trip on the Belem." "Cool." And he signed and stamped it. Not very serious I guess but I wouldn't have gone if I had thought I had serious health issues.
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Post by mich64 on Jun 19, 2024 16:58:48 GMT
Wow! What an adventurous trip! A beautiful ship. Will you do this again?
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Post by bjd on Jun 19, 2024 17:29:45 GMT
No, not on the Belem. I enjoyed it but don't feel I have to renew the experience. But I would go on another ship with no problem.
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