The smallest
vessel in the Regatta fleet, Butterfly (Poland), the 9.5m Bermudan sloop,
arrived in port yesterday evening in the height of the storm after a three-day
250 mile passage from Szczecin.
Butterfly had
been delayed having gallantly towed another Bemudan Sloop, Endorfina (Poland), into Szczecin
following her engine failure at the end of the summer Tall Ships Race.
Unfortunately
Endorfina’s engine problems could not be fixed in time for her to join the
Culture 2011 Regatta fleet however Butterfly, with her eight crew, has arrived
just in time.
“The winds
starting to increased yesterday morning and reached storm force by noon, so it
was a relief to get into port here in Klaipeda, but we look forward to getting
back out to sea for the race start tomorrow” said second Captain Joanna
Stainik. “Some of the seven women and
one man crew have not sailed before and as a sail training vessel we very much
look forward to teaching them.”
Conditions are
forecast to ease very much overnight and prior to the fleet undocking from
10.30am local time.