Gdynia - the first day and the fleet arrives

Thursday 2nd July 2009 , 17:36 BST, Gdynia, Poland

The Pegasus is now safely moored in the basin in Gdynia. We arrived yesterday, ahead of most of the fleet. The organisation here is superb with a very friendly welcome. Wednesday night felt like locals night. Many people wandering around looking at the boats but not too busy (yet...). Much of the infrastructure for the event was still being built. Gdynia is a working port and harbour and has some of the facilities year around. Some of us found a nice cafe/restaurant playing a mix of soul/blues/popular music and we chilled out. The lads explored the port area. They found both the playground/funfare and the beach, and began to appreciate what it is like to find yourself in another country.

We had an easy morning. Everyone helped do a clean of the boat then it was time off. The opening ceremony was at 2pm local time. Being on ships time, one hour behind, we missed the start and were greeted by sound of all the ships klaxons as we walked to the Dar Pomorza. She is the pride of the Polish tall ships. A brass band played and the sun shone.

Everyone is very friendly here. Clearly, the Tall Ships event brings a lot of people into Gdynia. Both a lot of sailors and also very many people who come to look at the boats and just wonder around - to see and to be seen.

During the morning, more of the Tall Ships arrive. The Lord Nelson stands out, as do the boats from the UK, Norway, Denmark, Russia and of course Poland. The Mir, from Russia, is perhaps the grandest of them all. To a newcomer, it is all so very impressive.

The basin now resembles a large village fete - very many stalls, the best sell food but many sell tat. There is a real coffee bar just down from our boat which we managed to miss in the crowd!

Tonight is the Captains Dinner. As a reward (?) for getting us here, and coping with all the bureauracy (sp? = paperwork and officialdom!), Amy and Diggs get a dinner along with all the other ship captains. This is part of the formal side of the Tall Ships and will happen in each port. Out comes the suit and frock (ah! but which frock?).

More ships arrive, the John Laing joins us, moored conveniently (!) just behind. We have a large boat from Guernsey between us and the quay; a Danish boat outside of us until just now when another, larger, Danish boat arrived and they changed places. The smaller Danish boat is, quite appropriately, also a pilot cutter. She was built in 1929 as a recreational boat and used to put pilots onto freighters. She is also wooden, with two masts.

It is now dinner time, then another stroll around, in the continental evening warmth, light and atmosphere.

to be continued...