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We are in the North Sea, motor sailing in very light winds from the east. We all are reveling in the benign and very summery weather. It seems my decision to wait out the weather, as well as our perseverance of the tempestuous spring time European waters that we experienced during the first three weeks of June, has been rewarded.

If you have been keeping up with the Captain Logs, you will note that I decided to stop Tuesday afternoon, at the west end of the Kiel Canal and bide our time for heading into North Sea's German Bight. I watched the weather all day Wednesday, while the crew got into some major maintenance. It was not blowing hard, about 20 knots. But, it was blowing from the northwest and later from the west; the directions that we had to go to make our way out of the Elbe River, into the North Sea, and along the Frisian Island Coasts of Germany and Holland. If we could wait a bit, the wind was predicted to continue backing around to the southwest and then die out, as it shifted to the south and southeast. So, I watched for the best time to start on our way. That was 0100 this morning.

To be ready for 0100, I had to reserve a Kiel Canal pilot to guide us into the locks that would permit PRIDE II to make her way into the Elbe River. The minimum time allowance for reserving a pilot is one hour. I made the reservation at the three hour mark, and woke the crew at 0030 hours. I called the pilot station at 0105, as no pilot had shown up. I was told that there was no record of a pilot request. But then I was told that a pilot would be along "as soon as possible". After another delay for an incoming vessel to clear the lock, we were into it and soon on our way down river with an early dawn light creeping over the northeastern sky. It was 0230.

Our stay in the Kanal was at the German town of Brunsbuttel. It is a small country town. When the crew got a little time to look around, they found the town had inexpensive ice cream. However, with clear skies all around, nearly all of the time waiting for favorable weather was spent on maintenance.

We were, however, prevented from doing all that could have been accomplished. It seems the dust being made by the crew, as they power sanded parts of the hull in preparation for new primer paint and a finish coat, is viewed as "verboten". So we had to stop. Too bad, as there was a natural waterline-level work platform for the crew to stand on while working (it is really a wooden fendering "camel" between ship and concrete canal wall). Still, they got a great deal of work done on deck and in the rig. They scraped and oiled pin rails, slushed the exposed wire of the standing rigging, spot painted the inside of the bulwarks, dived on the propellers to grease them, and much, much more.

We are on our way to the big celebration honoring England's Admiral of the Royal Navy, Lord Horatio Nelson. It has been 200 years since the Battle of Trafalgar, and this year is designated as a full year of celebrations throughout England. In Portsmouth next Tuesday, there will be an International Ship Review in the Solent by Her Majesty The Queen, followed by an evening time "re-enactment" of the battle.  A spectacular fireworks display will cap everything off. The next four days will be the International Festival of the Sea where the land-bound public will be able to come down and view the ships – both modern naval vessels as well as a vast collection of tallships. I am looking forward to this stop. It will provide an opportunity to see many interesting vessels and probably meet old acquaintances from past voyages to Europe. We will also be able to hobnob with our friends aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter EAGLE. She made the trip across the Atlantic last month. Between EAGLE and PRIDE II, we may be the only traditional American sailing vessels to pay our respects. EAGLE is a German design, built by the Germans before World War II. PRIDE II is a purely Chesapeake-style vessel built in the U.S. Maryland makes yet another international statement of friendship and maritime respect on behalf of the citizens of Maryland AND the USA.

Cheers,
Captain Miles