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Hanse Sail Rostock 2023
The Hanse Sail in Rostock was once again a summer festival with beautiful highlights, sailing ships and sailing in storms or lull. It started with the cancelation of the Hajkutter Regatta, which has always been the first highlight before the Hanse Sail in recent years. Unfortunately, it wasn't the only sailing event this year that suffered from the weather. The wind was too strong to allow the ships to travel safely across the Baltic Sea to Nysted and to enable sailing with guests on the return to Rostock. It's a shame about the work done in preparation and the missed experiences, which would have been the reward for it.
Schooner Race and group photo of the herring loggers
Logger "Belle Amie"
Logger at the Hanse Sail Rostock
Logger "Iris"
Schooner Race at the Hanse Sail Rostock
Logger "Ryvar"
Schooner "Joanna Saturna"
Luckily for the Hanse Sail, the wind then died down. On the first day there was a little competition between the two Dutch
schooners "Catherina" and "Stortemelk" and the former herring logger "Iris" scheduled. I wanted to use the
start of the regatta as a "meeting point on the water" to take a "group photo" of the former herring loggers
taking part in the Hanse Sail. The aim: to conquer the front pages of the press and thus attract attention to these special ships.
We were able to identify 11 (former) loggers from the participant list. Despite a lot of preparation and effort in advance, it
didn't happen sucessfully. However, this action went wrong and showed how naive I was despite the many events I had experienced
with thousands of recorded photos when organising such a shooting. Of course I thought about the reasons for it and lessons learnt
that it works better next year. I have to hope for the weather, because as we all know, it can't be planned.
The former herring loggers, especially when they were still authentically rigged and operated with little additional superstructure
are definitely among the absolute eye-catchers of the Hanse Sail. These are the best conditions for next year to try again. I am in!
The Hanse Sail, a small meeting of medieval replicas?
As has often been explained, I like to think of the meetings of the replicas of medieval ships back to the Hanse Sail Rostock in 2006 and 2007 which were absolute viewing highlights. After the crossing from Wismar they ran in line up the river Warnow to the city harbour, moored at the former granaries and delighted Hanse Sail visitors with the roar of cannons and pirate costumes and all kinds of shenanigans in the matching pirate village. Sail visitors want to see such choreographies. There were cog ships on site in 2023 too. However, the actions shown here showed little coordination of action, or was it just hidden to me? The ships tended to travel alone. It would also be an experience for the guests on board, not just to enjoy a trip on a Hanseatic cog, but also in the immediate vicinity of another similar ship. It's certainly not easy to implement all wishes, but forming couples would certainly be an option. One requirement is that there is always a medieval ship in the harbour to support the image at the medieval market. In Rostock there were the "Hansekogge" from Kiel, which showed its new sail on the water, the Pommeranian cog "Ucra", and the "Wissemara".
Pommeranian cog "Ucra"
Hanseatic cog showing the coat of arms of Kiel
Sail training ship KRI "Bima Suci"
A stroke of luck for Hanse Sail 2023 was that the KRI "Bima Suci", the Indonesian Navy's new sail training ship, was on her European tour after commissioning in 2017/18 and also received and accepted an invitation from the German Navy to visit Rostock. Seafaring on board of the Indonesians always includes folklore, with costumes and music from their own band. With this design, the Indonesians were also able to steal "Gorch Fock 2" the show a little. As a good host, our Navy will certainly take this with a smile.
KRI "Bima Suci"
Square sailing ships at the Hanse Sail Rostock 2023
Highlight: farewell for "AIDAdiva" and lighthouse Warnemünde
"Gorch Fock 2", "AIDAdiva" and KRI "Bima Suci"
One of the big sponsors of the Sail this year was the cruise company AIDA. You can have different opinions about the cruise business, but I think the arrival or departure of one of these ships is a special experience. The ships are accompanied by many other ships and a concert of ship typhoon sends a little shiver down your spine. The Hanse Sail also benefited from this atmosphere. After leaving the port, many of the sailing ships immediately followed her, which then created a wonderful picture in the evening light off Warnemünde. I was a guest at the lighthouse in Warnemünde. This is also an experience on the Hanse Sail that should not be missed. Thanks to the active operating association! Luckily, the weather worked out too. Who'd a thunk?
Officially there were almost 150 participating ships from 7 nations. Around half a million visitors came specifically to Rostock, to celebrate them and to sail. There were 120 performances by artists on 15 stages, 7 experience areas, stretching from Warnemünde into the city center. The approximately 13,000 places for fellow sailors on the ships were almost completely booked. And about 140 helpers from the Rostock region made sure that the crews of the ships felt comfortable. They were provided daily with rolls, newspapers and everything that was important for their stay on the Sail. There were new and adapted event formats such as the beach sand cinema or the "Rosi" sing-along choir (Rostock sings). Also the organisers of the Sail themselves continued to form into a team, which was noticeable. By the way, they are optimistic about next year. Through the STI Race on the Baltic Sea at the end of July 2024, they hope to welcome even more sailing ships from August 8th to 11th, than this year.
Evening atmosphere before the Hanse Sail Rostock
Sailing despite the calm
Sailing ships ready to sail
Sailing ships in the city habour of Rostock
Catwalk for sailing beauties
I have seen and photographed most of the sailing ships on the Hanse Sail many times. However, at every Hanse Sail I particularly notice one, two or three sailing ships and see them like new or never before. Sometimes it's just a new sail stretched into the wind, a particularly dedicated crew that makes sailing special impressed, a coat of arms or a new coat of paint on a sailing ship. I like to interpret such statements as an request to take another and even better photo or video of a sailing ship. Of course you could also use it as an application for the title "Most Beautiful Sailing Ship of the Hanse Sail".
Schooner "Catharina"
3-masted schooner "Albert Johannes"
It is said that beauty is created in the eye of the beholder and thus expresses that beauty is a very subjective assessment.
Every viewer perceives something different as beautiful. It's probably the same with sailing ships. Many of the sailing ships
taking part in the Hanse Sail Rostock are former work ships. They shouldn't be beautiful, but rather functional, effective
for transport tasks, quick to travel, safe to use and safe in all weather conditions. Of course, they were often the pride
of an owning family, home and workplace for the crew or sometimes even a status symbol. It is clear that attention was also
paid to aesthetic appearance.
What I also admire is the maneuvering of these ships, be it in difficult weather situations or narrow harbour waters, during
small races or at sailing ship parades. When a sailing ship is kept sailing in a particularly authentic way, it reminds us
of our maritime heritage. But also new usage concepts, from sail training with aspiring sailors to charter trips with sailing
guests ensure that these ships are preserved and that is worthy of all honor.
Barkentine "Loth Lorien"
Ewer (barge) "Amazone"
Are there also ugly sailing ships? I believe that in such a case we want to use different terms and not be offensive. What do
you think of "shitty beautiful", "eerily beautiful" or of "weird beauty"? As we all know, beauty
can also be too beautiful and then we talk quickly from kitsch. Sailing ships with white sails against a blue sky with seagulls
or sailing ships against a red sunset are well-known examples. Some like it and capture the situation in photos. Others prefer
dramatic ones, i.e. sailing with foam at the bow, severe thunderbolts in the black sky.
At the Hanse Sail 2023 I had many opportunities to experience sailing ships in action. I was supported by the "Technisches Hilfswerk" (Federal Agency for Technical Relief),
who were there with several local associations in Rostock and gave me a ride on the water. A short video was created that
implements the idea explained at the beginning. Many thanks to all supporters, the ship crews and to you when you express
your opinion.