As we all went about our main jobs Jan still looked for a future for Wilhelmine and tried advertising her on different venues as well as Juha promoted her to local charterers. There was tremendous interest in her and people from all over the world was in touch with Jan regarding her sale and delivery.
One Finnish shipbreaker basically quoted for Gretacargo to pay for breaking her up so that was a no-brainer. We already had a better offer from Denmark.
There were funny instances of some fellow that advertised her for sale multiple times the asking price before even the deal was done. Another chap promised to come and inspect the vessel but never made it due to covid or other reasons. Another was very keen but then didn't have the money but wanted to pay by diamonds from his mine in Brazil. The common line was that once it was time to sign the dotted line they all vanished into thin air. Even a Finnish shipowner was very keen but then could not produce the funds but still wanted her, after being sent the sales document it was radio silence ever since, another one with his head in the cloud calling the shipbreaker in Denmark if he'd sell the ship to him whole.
As for her future with Gretacargo Jan tried to offer her as a complement to Greta 950t + Wilhelmine 650t for larger consignments and there was a genuine interest with contracts on the table until the Gov't threw these plans out of kilter by freezing all infrastructure projects in the archipelago until further notice. It appears all money has been spent on disinfectant and facemasks instead.
As last option Hannu Vartiainen heard of our little project and offered to ask the Finnish museum authority if they'd be interested in preserving this last mohican from the scrappers. There was interest and the authority even said they would fund the annual maintenance for her but first the local museum in Turku, Forum marinum, would need to get their act together and secure the funding for her purchase and refit. After a lot of wrangling they also fell through for some reason unknown to us but fact remained that she was now a burden to Gretacargo and decisions had to be made as there simply was not enough cargo on the market to support the refit of Wilhelmine. Pretty ironic as the sand trade had been lucrative in the past and now today one coaster can manage all the charter needs for the whole of southern Finland that was before a fleet of domestic freighters. Goes to show how much sustainable transport is supported by the powers that be.
Jan then asked a new offer from Fornaes shipbreakers in Grenaa and they upped their ante considerably. As Jan was on his vacation and running out of days an ETD was set and various parties informed. I was signing off a ship in Italy and made quick travel arrangements to Pargas in order to be able to join Wilhelmine on her last voyage. As last ditch effort there was still a benefactor interested in saving her for the Forum marinum museum after reading about her in the newspapers but they could not get an agreeement of how to go about it and as such her fate was sealed, the voyage was taking place. Pretty poor show from the folks at the museum, they could've been the first to preserve a cargo ship that was the last of her kind and would have brought years of work to restore her. As they say "when there is a will there is a way", I think in this case the will was missing.
On 29th July I started from Nice towards Helsinki via Riga and went through so many checks where it was more important showing my covid inoculation card and wearing a mask, kind of license to pirate. Finally I arrived after midnight to Greta that was tied up alongside Wilhelmine and fell into the bunk, I was probably asleep before my head hit the pillow.
Next morning started easy with breakfast and we commenced preparations on Wilhelmine. Bunkers had to be topped up so 5000ltrs was arriving during the morning. Then the generator needed a looking over which was good as we discovered she had quite a dirty fuel tank. Then the empty aft peak needed to have the leaking grease pipe sealed up for the propeller shaft, some lengths of bicycle tire and few jubilee clips fixed that nicely. Fresh water had to be filled up as well, 1000ltrs was bunkered below the bridge. 40 ltrs of drinking water was also taken in separate containers to the galley.
Our summer helper Fred, now full OOW, had done a grand job of polishing her interior up as much as possible for visitors, she was now spick&span inside. New bedding had been gotten so we could sleep. Then as the last item we had to load Gretas hatch covers into her from Wilhelmines deck and then we needed to ballast her so the propeller would go deeper and give us better speed and seakeeping.
We filled up the no 5 starboard tank as she was having a port list, probably due to some ballast in other tanks we weren't aware of as well as I pumped water into the aft peak after closing the manhole tight. We checked our spares for filters, impellers, tools and other miscellaneous items that could be needed during the trip.
Juha had installed a chart plotter on the bridge that would make navigation easier. The steering gear needed hydraulic oil topping up and airing out. The tiller had given up the ghost but we could still turn the rudder from the autopilot and manually from the wheel. As last item we needed a Swedish and Danish courtesy flag, Wilhelmine had not been abroad in past 20 years. The owner of Pargas marina came over and checked us out to verify that we were leaving, at the same time we showed him around the vessel. He also expressed his disappointment that such a quaint coaster was going to her demise.
By the end of the day we were ready but we decided we'll sleep on it and leave the next day so we would get daylight in the archipelago. Sauna onboard Greta and dinner at Kamu restaurant we slept until next morning. Come morning 31st July it was time for last checks and to transfer provisions and our personal items onboard from Greta. About 10.00hrs Juha said "lets go". Main engine was started and without much further ado or any ceremony the lines were let go and we were on our merry way. Jan set the AIS to read as our destination Grenaa RIP.
The weather was great with an occasional light shower but otherwise great visibility for miles on end. I took the helm to start with and we weaved our way towards sea of Aaland where we were going to enter the Swedish archipelago early next morning. We did not test the autopilot in the congested waters and went all the way on handsteering. After departure we had a slight drama in the engine room with a leaking fuel hose that we then jury riggd with some bicycle inner tire and again jubilee clips. Juha then cannibalized the Komatsu of a similar fuel hose in case it would fail again. Late afternoon we were already passing Degerby, doing a steady 6kts and having mostly met only sailing yachts out and about in the prevailing winds. By evening we were in open waters after passing Ledskär heading for the shelter of the Swedish archipelago and early morning 1st Aug we entered at Möja, it more or less looked like the Finnish archipelago, only the villas were more opulent and larger. I wonder how much use they get per year.
Again we headed for the shelter of the archipelago and late evening we exited the archipelago as the route ahead was not something we preferred to hazard in the hours of darkness and the weather forecast was looking promising now. By midnight we passed the lights of Oxelösund in the distance, the wind had died down but there was still a bit of sea that kept Wilhelmine pitching, at least speed was up to 4-5kts.
Morning 2nd Aug we were north of Öland island going as close as possible the outlying islands off the mainland, heading in between towards Kalmar port, we needed a pitstop there so we could action the fuel line and get some provisions. The fridge onboard refused to cooperate and was cooling only on the outside eventhough we put it upside down for a few hours it didn't help. I guess it was ready for the shipbreakers. As we entered the Kalmar strait we had no seas anymore and it appeared we had the current with us as Wilhelmine picked up speed and was going almost 8kts. Jan had arranged with Owners of m/v Olof Trätälja permission for us to moor aft of her, the worlds oldest working cargo ship.
There was good stern current as we approached Kalmar but we managed that well and tied up in good order behind Olof Trätälja. As Wilhelmine looked a bit rough in her current condition she attracted some attention of bypassers but all in good spirit. As we shut down engines an systems we rewarded ourselves for a good start of the trip by a shot of Jaloviina, now the other half remained and ahead of was still the notorious Hanö bight, also known in Finland as "Effoa's Biscay" named after a now defunct shipping company that used to have a lot of small black tramps plying the Baltic in their heyday.
Having refreshed ourselves we headed out on town for dinner. The Swedes were out en masse and as it was Monday a lot of venues were not open and those that were had massive queues. Having tried to gain entry to half a dozen restaurants we finally got into the "freemasons restaurant". There we enjoyed a fabulous meal and then it was time to head back to Wilhelmine after finishing a shot of Lagavulin as a night cap.
3rd August started very sunny and as Juha went to tend to the main engine I went and bought some tins of food, bread and ice for the coolerbox so we'd survive until Denmark. Our fresh water was down to 20ltrs and fuel consumption had been estimated to roughly 30ltrs/ hour so we had an ample amount of motion lotion to get us there. Then again having visited Olof Trätälja, changed the filters & fuel hose on main engine and provisoned it was time to go. Jan was at the helm and he executed a gracious full turn in the basin and headed out of the wave breaker for open seas. I was again at the helm and was going close to the shore and heading south to the corner of the Hanö bight.
All night we crossed the bight but it was mirrorlike, no wind at all so we were lucky by all means. Aug 4th morning brought us to Öresund, or "The Sound" where we reported to the VTS and took the Flintrännan fairway and passed East of Ven Island. There was little traffic going on in the sound but as we were only doing 6-7 kts most ships were faster and overtook us all the time, very convenient.
At one point the VTS pointed out to us that our AIS heading was wrong and that we should check our equipment. We replied that after tomorrow it does not matter anymore as we're heading for the breakers. The operator apologised.
In evening we had passed through the sound and by sunset we set to the old tradition of doing the "Kullen shot" (apparently forbidden by law since mid 1600's). We poured 4 shots of Glenmorangie in crystal beakers on the bridge and then poured one on the steering wheel for Wilhelmine after we saluted her for bringing us so far and then we ourselves poured the elixir of life down the hatch.
Our ETA to Grenaa was showing as 0700hrs next morning so we divided up the night in 3h turns and as I was on the 1st duty I got to turn her on her final course leading to the approach channel. By this time everyone was accustomed to hand steering as we had noticed that when we turned on the autopilot the hydraulic oil would slightly leak out of pipejoints so we decided to keep handsteering until the end as it would be easier on Wilhelmine and also minimise any possible breakdowns. Besides having the ability to fine tune the rudder angle so acutely she'd at times go straight for minutes on end.
Morning 5th of August came and we were approaching Grenaa and looking at the shore side from the binoculars they appeared very busy at the breakers with multiple hulls lined up there. As we got closer guys appeared on the jetty and we saw where they wanted us and Jan again at the helm executed a 90 degree turn bringing us port side to without incident. As lines were made fast Wilhelmines main engine was turned off for the last time and we received the breakers onboard. To ease the pain Kjell brought 12 cans of Tuborg in true Danish fashion that the clock is always somewhere beer o'clock. We handed over tank details and where there is water and fuel as well as Juha showed them around all spaces.
After the initial introduction Jan then went to the office to finalise paperwork and as they were signed we were free to go. Initially we had planned to stay the night and visit a local museum but our ride to Hamburg turned up on our arrival so our plans changed as they sometimes do. We then had our last bucket shower on Wilhelmine and packed our stuff, after having loaded everything in the car we gathered in the saloon for a last goodbye with Glenmorangie and Tuborg.
We then headed out of the vessel and had a last look at the ship that had brought us here so easily all the way, we all felt sad to leave her there but we had no other options despite all the plans. At this we packed ourselves into the car and headed off. Juha was dropped off in Vejle where he then made his way to Finland and I followed Jan to Hamburg where he headed home and me to Italy. This was the story of Wilhelmine.
