Twelve - some of them former - students from Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel said goodbye to friends, family and their lives ashore on Saturday to make their way to Greenwich. For some it is a farewell for a long time, others are only there in stages. Greenwich is the first of nine destinations in the Tall Ships' Race. On the way there they made stops on Heligoland and Amsterdam, currently they are in Queenborough. They report on their experiences on their blog "Peter goes Tall 2017".
Five sections of the route must be sailed, including Sines, Bermuda, Boston, Summerside (Prince Edward Island Province, Canada), Quebec, Halifax and Le Havre. In Canada, they will attend the ship parade to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Canada's independence.
The approximately 7,000 nautical miles of the regatta course are sailed on the 55-foot cruiser "Peter von Danzig". The ship has been in use for the Academic Sailing Association (ASV) since 1992 and has already been on long voyages several times: it has sailed once around the globe and several times across the Atlantic.
The crew of the "Peter von Danzig"
The mayor of Kiel, Peter Todeskino, as well as the chairman of the ASV Heiner von Maydell and Wolfgang Wicker, the main organizer, gave a speech at the farewell to the sailors.
The organization Sail Training International (STI), which organizes the Tall Ships' Race, wants to promote international understanding among young people.