Ringö returned to Vålax as Anny

The local newspaper in city of Borgå published an article about Anny von Hamburg after a cruise to her old trading waters when she was named Ringö, pictures by Kristoffer Åberg and text in Swedish by Jannika Lindén.

Anny von Hamburg

Borgå: Ringö returned to Vålax as "Anny"

The coaster Ringö, that today is called Anny von Hamburg, sailed from Helsinki to Vålax after a hiatus of nearly 50years.

The bow is turning majestically from "Vedkajen" jetty in Helsinki. The engine is running nice and smooth whilst Anny von Hamburg is gliding past islands in the inner archipelago. She has reached the respectable age of 110 years but is newly renovated and is in a magnificent condition.

Anny is on her way to Vålax and she has done this trip numerous times before. Back then she was called Ringö and half a century has passed since she last cast off her lines from the jetty in Vålax.

He renovated an old schooner - BBL got to join her on a nostalgia trip to Vålax

After half a century Ringö got to revisit her port of the past.

Captain Juha Pokka is one of the part owners of Anny von Hamburg. During the nostalgia voyage it was a bit complicated to get the fireplace going in the windy weather but he fixed it alright.

When it was the busiest and in it's heyday there were dozens of coasters running between the sand on Vessö island and Helsinki or Sköldvik. It is said that at times in the 1960's there were more than 70 coasters waiting for cargo on Vålax roads.

It feels safe to travel on "Anny". Half of the guests onboard would be able to navigate the route like  Captain Juha Pokka. They're all ex coaster owners/ skippers and now on this nostalgia trip.

"I have sailed this route 140 times a summer when I was shipping sand", says Guy Granqvist.

This entails 70 loads of sand to Helsinki. When Helsinki was growing fast after the war a lot of sand was needed and it was available in eastern county of Nyland.

"The coasters could get alongside anywhere there was building going on. To bring sand by ship was the fastest method as the trucks were so small in those days", says Juha Pokka.

The sailing vessel Anny von Hamburg made this same trip numerous times previously - from Helsinki to Vålax. Captain and owner Juha Pokka steered her comfortably through the archipelago. Mr. Tomppa Korttila keeps him company. 

Anny von Hamburg was originally launched as a sailing vessel carrying cargo and during her years she has operated as everything between sand transporting coaster to luxury yacht.

Today she's a 3 masted schooner and the only thing that looks new on her are the masts, other than that she has been restored to look exactly like she was originally. The three masts are from Finland, and the trees, are said to be about 150 years old, they were felled a couple of years ago.

Captain Juha Pokka is mirrored in the ships compass. Today "Anny" is also equipped with modern navigation aids.

Nostalgia

For Mrs Gun Grönqvist the voyage is especially nostalgic. Every nook and cranny onboard is familiar to her.

"Ringö was our ship, my husband acquired her in the 1960's".

"Here was the cargo hold. I used to sit often in the saloon and do handicrafts when I was onboard for the trips. When our daughter was very young we often used to travel onboard". 

The Grönqvist couple sold Ringö in the 1970's.

"We sold her to Sweden, and from there she went onwards to Germany" Mrs Gun reminisces.

Mrs Gun Grönqvist, Ms Mary Gustafsson and Mr Ralf Anderson enjoyed the trip.

Life circled around sand shipments.

"I recall when I kicked off over the ice with a foodbasket on a snowsled with provisions for Bore and the crew. They were going to Helsinki and back but if they had to wait in port, or something broke, it could take a much longer time".

Mrs Gun's friend Ms Mary Gustafsson has before departure taken seasickness tablets just in case.

She says, "My father owned the yacht Alexandra. I was always seasick when I was joining her for voyages".

According to estimates we will reach Vålax by dusk and tie up next to the new "Alexandra".

Ms Mary Gustafsson says "Before one used to calculate that the trip takes about 5 hours. Although, Alexandra had only sails, so sometimes it was longer" .

"Anny" is also available during winter. - Even if we're stuck in ice one can still enjoy the atmosphere onboard. The fireplace down in the saloon will make sure nobody is cold or freezing, says Juha Pokka.

This trip takes seven hours and it is not sailing weather so we're motoring all the way. Now we're in the beginning of October, the day is slightly overcast and grubby and the archipelago is so beautiful so one gladly stands by the railing in a wide stance and lets the soul rest. On this old ship surrounded by coaster skippers it is easy to imagine how life was before.

During the nostalgia trip "Anny" departed from "Vedkajen" jetty. She is also now sitting there as long as the herring market is going on.

Mrs Gun Grönqvist knows the ship. Many things have changed since Ringö provided a living for them.

"Back then there was only 2 cabins and a saloon. Also the deck wasn't this wide as now. The galley was upstairs and one went down to the saloon from there".

Mr Svante Johansson, that lives on Kitö island, is one of the experienced coaster skippers onboard "Anny". He used to own another coaster, "Greta".

Many years at sea

We're passing Kalkbruket and the day is starting to wane towards dusk. Mr Hasse Wickholm is looking ashore.

"I've grown up on Kalkstrand and seen coasters pass by during my whole adolescence. I started working at sea when I was 16years old and I pensioned myself the same day I turned 60, I was at sea a total of 44 years".

Like being taken back in time. The messroom in "Anny" has been renovated to represent her era.

In the saloon is served creamy soup of salmon accompanied with archipelagic rye bread, in the corner the fireplace is crackling homely. It is the perfect setting for this rugged autumn weather. As the temperature rises - also inwards - several memories are awakened from the time of the sand coasters heyday. The coasters were like colleagues and they're called by their names.

Those who never experienced this era can be a little confounded when the old sailors talk about their coasters lovingly, like they were family members.

Mr Tomppa Korttila is serving salmon soup that the crew has helped to prepare.

Mr Svante Grönqvist has at least equally long experience of shipping sand. The name Grönqvist combined with Vålax usually gets most of the older generation of Borgå residents to associate it with sand transporting. He knows the islands, the underwater rocks and shoals on the trip like the back of his hands.

When the vessel is entering the sound to Vålax, he says, "That lateral mark (green starboard lateral mark) is totally unnecessary, one can just go near those cliffs, there is plenty of deep water".

Over half of the guests could have navigated the ship. In the front Mr Svante Grönqvist.

Mr Roger Wickholm has also been at sea his whole working career but not on a coaster.

"Originally I got a temporary assignment for 2 months on Viking Line but it became 35 years. I was working as an Officer of the watch and I was onboard the ferry, m/s Mariella, for 28 years cruising to Stockholm in Sweden".

He looks around and says "A year ago I saw a ship ready for scrapping lying in Sveaborg. It is very difficult to believe that this is the same ship today".

Mr Sven "Putte" Lindroos enjoyed the trip.

Also Mr Sven "Putte" Lindroos has a long career at sea. His father had a coaster when he was growing up and the son then followed in his fathers footsteps. The route is also very familiar for him too, "I have traveled this way many times before"

He says, "I was at sea for 40 years".

The schooner Anny von Hamburg

She was built in 1914 in Germany. She was at first a sailing cargo vessel and had no propulsion. It was intended to trade to South America but her maiden voyage was to St Petersburg.

Whilst Anny von Hamburg was lying in St Petersburg the first world war broke out and the vessel was  confiscated and integrated into the czar's royal navy. She functioned as housing for soldiers. She was renamed "Briz". Later on she was taken over by the Soviet Union.

In 1924 the vessel was returned back to Germany. She was taken over by a new Owner, propulsion was installed and she was also renamed "Hanna". She was then carrying freight on the Baltic and North sea and later on she was again renamed "Kurt Both".

After the war her rig was taken down and "Kurt Both" was extended in 1954 by 8 meters so she could carry more cargo.

In 1957 "Kurt Both" was sold to Sweden and there she was renamed "Ringö", in 1967 she was sold to Borgå, Finland where she was put to trade between Vessö Island and Helsinki transporting sand.

In 1979 "Ringö" was sold back to Sweden and the new owners started to refit her for trade in Africa. Unfortunately a fire onboard destroyed her interior almost totally.

"Anny" was recognized by a German ship historian during a trip to Sweden when he saw the nearly totaled ship. Then a German shipowner wanted to rebuild her to a passenger ship. The hull was shortened to it's original length. She also got a new main engine and other modern amenities. The cabins were upgraded to staterooms with luxury standard.

From 1982 onwards Anny operated as a luxury yacht for 10 passengers and sailed between the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

In 1985 she was flying the British ensign and the name was set as "Anny von Hamburg". Some time later she changed ownership a couple of times and the flag was changed back to Germany.

In 2022 the schooner was acquired by Juha Pokka and Jan Rautawaara who then set to restore her to her former glory. Work was finished by the 6th June of 2023.

Only sand and gravel

When we motor through the "Kungasundet" sound between the islands of Sandhamn and Sveaborg and enter into open waters the ship starts to roll in the waves. The oncoming drizzle nor the wind can  manage to spoil the exhilarating atmosphere onboard.

Anny von Hamburg majestically splits the waves . She is robustly built and even if one is not as used to sea, as compared to others onboard, can notice it. Otherwise she has been endeavored to be restored in as original condition as possible.

At the long table Mr Reijo Nieminen has finished his soup. Mr Nieminen has seen coasters from another angle, he used to work for "Rudus Ltd" that managed the sand and loading of it.

"I started in 1973 working for Rudus and later on we started shipping sand to Nordsjö, Sörnäs beach and to Gräsviken. Sand was still shipped to Busholmen well into the 2010's ".

He doesn't have any specific memories of "Ringö".

Captain Juha Pokka on the rudder is having chats with Mr Guy Granqvist (to the right) and Mr Joakim Grönqvist.

Mr Nieminen reminisces, "I knew most of the Old men that were in the trade during the time, it was I who negotiated the freight deals. We also took clients out on the sea".

"They were often quite colorful characters. Sometimes the coaster was left alongside a few days when the skipper was in the bar. It was also usual that we offered clients sauna and restaurant dinners. Albeit it was finished quite abruptly after the 1990's depression".

He remembers those times with fondness.

"Those were happy times. Skippers and crews in the 1970's were people who had experienced war. They could really work hard".

Today Anny von Hamburg can offer comfortable staterooms with their own ensuites.

Green of pollen

Captains Juha Pokka and Jan Rautawaara purchased the vessel in 2022 when it was just a floating hull in the port, almost ready for the scrapyard.

"There was a hiatus in grain transports in Germany and for once I had a weekend off. I found Anny that was demasted and totally covered in pollen, giving her a greenish tinge, the vessel looked slimy all over". 

Mr Ralf Andersson had inner warmth to offer during the cruise.

When Mr Pokka had familiarized himself with the ship and ascertained the condition of her as repairable then both partners got together and bought her.

Mr Juha Pokka hails from Rovaniemi.

"My father liked fishing and when we moved to Helsinki he bought a share in the ship "Ingeborg", it was at that time my interest for seafaring was awakened".

Mr Pokka purchased his first ship when he was 23 years old and he is still on the same route.

Captain Juha Pokka is satisfied where he stands in the wind behind the wheel and steers his ship with a steady hand towards Vålax. In front of him he can follow the ships position off an electronic screen which is of considerably younger age than the ship itself.   

Anny von Hamburg moored at the "Bruket" jetty in Vålax, next to s/v "Alexandra". Both ships are now in Helsinki for the herring fair.

"Anny's" homeport is in Ekenäs and besides Mr Pokka and Rautawaara there are two other investors from the city in the venture. Owner's have invested considerable sums in reconditioning Anny. Just how much they do not want to disclose.

Mr Pokka says, "She is now a private yacht available for charter. We can sail or anchor somewhere if some potential client wants to arrange an event onboard".

Today the ship has her original name but during her lifetime - usually when she has changed owners - she has been renamed several times.

Article freely translated to English from Swedish original text.