The 'Shtandart' visits San Miguel marina
Buses: the 470 or 483 to the Medical
Centre, Golf del Sur. 10 minute walk down to the Marina. Catch the
same buses back to Los Abrigos or Los Cristianos from any of the
stops around Golf del Sur.
I had seen a fully rigged sailing ship
in the distance and had also observed what looked like the top of a
mast with flag flying above all of the other structures in San Miguel
marina from my apartment window. Perusing one of the free papers over
a coffee in the cafe one morning I came across and article about the
visit of the 'Shtandart' so I decided to go and have a look.
It was a pleasant day so I walked down
to the marina from the bus stop by the Medical Centre as I thought
that this would give and interesting view of the marina as I
approached. Stopping for coffee and scrambled egg on toast, haven't
had that for ages, at a little pool-side cafe on the way down
fortified me for the rest of my visit. I walked around the marina
shore opposite the frigate to get some long distance views of the
whole frigate before walking back around to approach the vessel from
the front. This shore has been landscaped since I last visited and
afforded an easy walk. The marina itself is as busy as ever with a
wide variety of boats moored and grounded for maintenance. Tracie
Emin and her unmade bed pale into insignificance against the natural
backdrop of the detritus strewn around a boatyard.
The 'Shtandart' was a frigate
commissioned by Peter the Great, Tzar of Russia as part of his fleet
to defend the Baltic Sea. It had a crew of 40 when it put to sea in
1703. The ship you see in the photographs was built as a training
vessel some ten years ago from the original plans and documents
pertaining to the construction, fitting and equipping. The carvings
and paintwork have been carefully recreated and the rigging is
authentic. The only changes are those additions required by current
seafaring regulations. If I remember correctly it now has a
permanent crew of five.
The vessel shows how uncomfortable the
conditions were for sailors at the time. Even the Captain's aft cabin
would have the partition between his sleeping and living quarters
removed when the frigate when into action. Climbing into the rigging
to change sail at the height of a storm takes some bottle or, as was
often the case, and even greater fear of the cat-o-nine-tails! I
hope you enjoy the tour.
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