Sailing school has Orkney in its sights

An imposing Dutch tall ship is becoming an increasingly familiar sight in Orkney waters.

The three-masted barquentine, Thalassa, called unexpectedly in Stromness last Thursday morning before leaving for Scrabster on Friday.

She then returned to the county calling in at Kirkwall on Monday night.

The Stromness call came during an eight-day wildlife and photography voyage from Oban to Scrabster, where passengers were given tutorials from French-based, Scottish-French photographer James Alroca.

Passengers aboard the 47-metre long ship are not simply carried from port to port.

They are encouraged to help sail the ship, learning from her professional crew as they travel.

With 16 sails, covering an area of 800 square metres, the Thalassa is an impressive sight and can reach 13 knots.

Her summer programme includes themed cruises centred on hillwalking, cycling, wildlife and whisky.

Captain Joost van Berkel said the trips helped to meet the substantial cost of maintaining the vessel, which he described as an “expensive hobby”.

He said the photography themed cruise was a new venture, but reasoned, with a smile, that wildlife and beautiful views were not hard to come by on the Scottish coast.

The 43-year-old, Amsterdam-born sailor has worked professionally at sea for 19 years and has been a captain for 14.

His career has taken him throughout northern Europe and into the Arctic, including Svalbard and the far north of Norway.

He said the Thalassa’s size and weight, as well as the way she handles, made her particularly enjoyable to command.

“She sails like a tank,” he said. “As a captain this gives you a lot of confidence — it is a really pleasant feeling to have.”

Captain van Berkel, a freelance skipper who often joins the Thalassa for her summer season, said he had particularly enjoyed sailing around Scotland and Orkney.

In winter, the pleasure cruises give way to a very different undertaking when the Thalassa becomes a floating school.

Each year, the Dutch School at Sea programme takes around 37 pupils, aged 16 and over on a winter voyage from the Netherlands to the Caribbean and back.

The young people complete a curriculum set by their schools while also learning to navigate, maintain and eventually take responsibility for the vessel.

The organisation is also exploring how it could accommodate pupils studying for the International Baccalaureate.

School at Sea president Bart van Nunen, whose own children have taken part in the programme, with one still working aboard the Thalassa, said its value extended well beyond academic skills.

He said pupils often began the voyage shy and unfamiliar with one another. Tension and conflict can emerge but the group gradually bond and grow in confidence.

As voyages continue, the young crew learn new skills and are able to take charge of running the ship, from running the mess themselves, and electing a captain from their midst.

The programme remains expensive, although participants are expected to raise funds themselves, with dedication and enthusiasm more likely to win them a place onboard.

Financial support is available to supplement the money raised, and while expensive, Mr van Nunen said the organisation tried to make it as accessible as possible.

The vessel was originally built in 1980, but sank in 1985 before being completely rebuilt and refitted.

She was relaunched as the Thalassa in 1995 and competed for the first time in the Tall Ships Races in 2004.