Schiff Classic article

Schiff Classic edition Nov/Dec 2024 came out with an article about Anny von Hamburg, I have below translated the article for those whose German might be a bit rusty. 

Front page

Anny von Hamburg in media

Below are translated articles of Anny in Finnish media that build some sort of a political narrative of how things move along in the corridors of power, click the links for related pictures and original text in Swedish.

Anny in the background alongside GH Fyren

Anny von Hamburg calling Vålax

Article 7th October 2024 by YLE (Finnish national broadcasting company), click link for pictures and the original text.

The 110-year-old beauty Anny von Hamburg was on a return visit to Vålax in Borgå

Text and pictures by: By Jonas Sundström

Today everything shines and is in excellent condition

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

Vacation in Finland

Having gone on vacation it was scorching in Mediterranean and so I booked flights to Finland to go visit my family and various places as seen from the pictures below:

The moomins were as usual welcoming me at Helsinki airport

Daycruising Anny von Hamburg

"Anny von Hamburg" alongside GH Fyren

Having visited Anny von Hamburg in Ekenäs (Tammisaari) I was invited by Captain Juha Pokka to join (and assist) her for a daycruise in a couple of days time. It is always pleasant to go out to sea, especially in the Finnish archipelago so I was keen as mustard. *)

Spar for Anny von Hamburg

Having arrived Kustavi to stay with my sister she expressed her wish to have an old larch tree felled as it was growing too close to another spruce and was anyway making a mess every autumn when it dropped its needles on the ground. It was also taking up precious sunny area on the lot next to the garden so one morning I decided to put the felling in action. Originally it had been planted by our father but he doesn't visit Kustavi anymore these days so thought it was no problem.

Felling tree

Archipelago boating

My longtime friend Heidi called on 6th September and asked if I was interested to join her on the 7th for a day of boating going to the old naval fortress of Katanpää from Uusikaupunki where her boat was moored. I agreed and we set out from our house in Kustavi early in the morning by car. Arrived about an hour later and set to prepare Heidi's boat for the trip, it was already fueled so it wasn't much more than a bit of snacks and drinks.

Getting local pilot knowledge whilst Cheche is photobombing us

Refitting Anny von Hamburg

In 2023 my friends and colleagues, Captains Jan Rautawaara & Juha Pokka managed to procure another old lady as a project for the future. It was s/y "Anny von Hamburg", a 29m historic three-masted schooner built in Germany. 

Anny von Hamburg postcard (1980's)

History of Anny von Hamburg

Anny von Hamburg is a historic three-masted schooner, originally built in 1914 by Conrad Lühring at Hammelwarden yard in Germany. Initially named "Anny," the vessel was designed as a cargo ship. Throughout her extensive history, she has undergone several name changes and transformations, reflecting her diverse roles from cargo schooner to cadet training ship to passenger sailing vessel.

Anny von Hamburg complimentary postcard (1980's)

Vacation in Finland

Last look down the valley before heading to Nice and my flight to Finland

Sail training ship Fennia

Having visited Falklands I came over the information by accident in a pub that a Finnish sailing vessel, FENNIA, had in early 1900's limped into Port Stanley jury rigged after having been partly demasted in a severe storm. 

Poster of shipwrecks around Falklands

Captain Arthur A Soderlund

As I was visiting Tristan da Cunha a colleague of mine had told me there is a Finn buried over there. Before the port was the local cemetery so I requested to stop there to have a look.

Eventually I found the grave after some walking about the graves and the stone said Arthur A Soderlund had been buried there after an accident working on the South African fishing vessel Frances Repetto.

 

Lawhill print by robertcarter.com

Wilhelmine in media

As Wilhelmine was resuscitated and moved about she broke the news barrier and below are few articles published by Finnish papers that I've freely translated below in chronological order. 

Kimito nyheter 24.11.2020:

Main picture of article in Kimito news.

Upper box: "Wilhelmine departing for new waters 24th nov 2020"

Wilhelmine in history

Obviously as Wilhelmine was built in 1953 and sailed 30+ years under German flag in Europe before she was bought to Finland in the 80's a lot had time to happen to the people that sailed her and to Wilhelmine herself.

Waalhafen 1970's, courtesy of Shipnostalgia by "oktoon"

Rescue of Wilhelmine - the end

Team selfie

Rescue of Wilhelmine

So on the 9th Nov we headed from Helsinki towards Kimito Island, more exactly to Pederså commune. It was a few hours drive and enroute we tried to find lodging and finally when all options on the Island were exhausted for one reason or another we settled for renting a house in Ekenäs, the drive from there was a mere 45mins.

Just arrived 

Rescue of Wilhelmine - prologue

My ex colleague Jan sent me in mid Oct some pictures of a small coaster that looked very quaint. At same breath he asked if I'd be interested in kicking her alive after 10 years of cold lay-up at a beach in Kimito Island and tentatively deliver her to shipbreakers in Denmark. Yes, I said, I'm always up to a challenge, especially one like this, one of a kind adventure.

As I was soon due leave I made plans to travel to Finland. With the pandemic raging in Europe it was all a bit touch an go so I took the train from Liverpool to Harwich and then the ferry to Rotterdam where I continued across Netherlands and Germany to Luebeck where i boarded the Finnlines ferry to Helsinki. 

On the ferry I coincidentally bumped into an old acquaintance, Capt Fredrik, who had finished his contract with Saga cruises newbuild and was returning home together with his wife. The mood was pretty festive to say in the least. 

Likewise Captain Pekka of Finnlady was an old classmate of mine that I hadn't met in years, it was nice to exchange news. The crew on the ferry was minimal due to covid cuts. Anyway, I arrived in good order to Helsinki on 28th Oct and headed for Loviisa where I was to meet Jan and Juha onboard the 92yr old m/v Greta where she was to be first put into winter condition before heading over to m/v Wilhelmine and her startup operation.

Sahaniemi pier

Return to India

After the morning rituals it was time to stuff my luggage in the back of the car and head for the Helsinki-Vantaa airport. I was flying back to India with same Turkish airlines flight I had arrived with. Jari dropped me off at the terminal and we wished to see soon again and not 6 years later on as it had now happened. Well, only time will tell. 

Early morning in front of the Taj

Last dinner

This morning we had time with Mia to open up the attic of the old barn and explore the contents. Everything as covered in dust worth years. There was some really old stuff that some people would pay a fair amount of money to get their hands on. Just to mention there was some old hand blown glass bottles, one officially stamped 100+ year old potato measure, old furniture and so on...

Me in front of the old barn