Oosterschelde sailing ship

Historic sailing ship visits port

2 June 2015

A historic sailing ship made an unexpected visit to Stornoway after running for shelter from an incoming storm.

The Dutch-flagged, three-masted topsail schooner, 'Oosterschelde,' stayed in harbour until the spell of very unseasonable bad weather improved late Monday night.

Heavy swells prevented the Oosterschelde - with up to 24 guests and seven crew on a sailing expedition around Scotland - from anchoring at the tiny islet of Sule Skerry, off Orkney.

The 40-metre long ship - which is nearly 100 years old - later found a brief respite at North Rona allowing the voyagers to explore the island with its wild bird species, grey seals and the ruins of the 8th century St Ronan’s Chapel.

Faced with a rising wind and bad forecast, her captain decided to make for harbour.

Running ahead of the wild seas was an exhilarating experience for her adventure-seeking passengers who work alongside her professional crew to sail and navigate the ship.

The Oosterschelde’s owners describe the former cargo vessel as the “last remaining representative of the large fleet of schooners that sailed under the Dutch flag at the beginning of the 20th century.

“As the largest restored Dutch sailing ship the ‘Oosterschelde’ is a monument for Dutch shipbuilding and maritime navigation under sail.”

The vessel was launched in 1918 as a sail freighter, trading between northern Europe and Africa.

She was converted to engine power in 1937.

In the 1990s, a charitable foundation restored her to masts and canvas again.

She registered as a 'historic national monument' by the Dutch Government and the income from carrying passengers and corporate charters help pay for her never-ending maintenance.

English is the ship's working language as there are a mix of nationalities onboard.