Törn: 136.13
Datum: 11.07.2019 – 12.07.2019
Mittagsposition: Fredrickstad Harbor
Das Wetter: Mostly blue skies and comfortable days
The Tall Ship Festival in Fredrickstad
Bright and early I was up on deck to watch our entrance into Fredrickstad and get my first clear look at Norway. The rounded rocky ridges of the coast topped with trees and spangled with red and white cottages nestled into the cliffs look so tidy and comfortable you want to stay awhile. You could even spy swans paddling around the marsh. Ahead as the roofs and steeples in town emerged you could also already the masts of other tall ships already tied alongside the wharf.
We slid beautifully into our spot rafted to our old friend the Eendracht- Becksi the green rubber duck was waiting to greet us. I was impressed by how close our rigging was to theirs- you could practically walk off one of our yards and swing into their shrouds- and nothing was damaged coming in. We got the ship settled and then sat down to a delicious Captain’s Brunch to celebrate a succesful voyage.
The merriment continued as we explored Fredrickstad. The town is essentially in three sections, divided by a swiftly flowing river. The dance of the ferries and the little motor boats was fascinating to watch the few days we were there. Old Town is a lovely fortified town, and there’s another island with an ampitheater, and then the city center. That first night we visited other ships and got to know other crews.
Then on Friday we decked ourselves head to toe in green for the crew parade. The Alex II crew puts on a great show, posing for pictures, chanting, running, dancing, always doing something the whole parade route. You should go look up pictures, or better yet find a chance to witness it yourself. We are a small ship with big traditions.
Exhausted as we were after the parade, we pulled ourselves together to enjoy the crew party, knowing that tomorrow it would be time to go our seperate ways again. The main deck of Alex II stayed crowded late into the night, as we made the most of our time together.