Soren Larsen Australia New Caledonia Tallships still sailing in worldwide

SHIP SOREN LARSEN

After 200,000 nautical miles of world-wide voyaging, Søren Larsen adopted the South Pacific as her ocean and Sydney Harbour, has become her new home. After completing a six year circumnavigation by way of the Cape of Good Hope, the Indian Ocean, Australia, Cape Horn and the Caribbean it was decided to return to the South Seas in 1994.

Nowhere else offered such exciting sailing through such a variety of unspoilt islands, romantic lagoons and isolated bays. An adventure voyage aboard Søren Larsen is first and foremost a holiday, where your enjoyment is of paramount importance. Participation in sailing the ship is central to that enjoyment. You will be signed as voyage crew and will become part of the ship's crew for your trip. However the level of involvement is up to you. The ship requires authentic seamanship to sail her yet she runs along fairly relaxed lines - a far cry from the regime of cadet and youth sail training vessels and Soren Larsen's level of comfort and facilities reflect this.

To visit this corner of the Pacific in a traditional square rigger offers a historical perspective that no other type of sailing can offer. To see Søren Larsen lying at anchor in a remote and deserted bay, with local villagers paddling out to greet us in outrigger canoes, recreates a scene straight out of an 18th century engraving of the early European voyages of exploration. For those interested in the voyages or Cook, Wallis and Bougainville we get a unique insight into an amazing period of discovery. With just 22 guest voyage crew onboard there is time and space for everyone to enjoy the magic and charm of the ship under sail. You can join this graceful ship as she explores the beautiful islands of Polynesia and Melanesia for a single voyage of two or three weeks - or link several trips and sail with her for a few months. The accompanying Voyage Notes will help you choose the sort of holiday that best suits you.

Length : 145 ft sparred overall (44.2M) - 105 ft on deck (32M)
Beam : 25ft 6in (7.8M)
Draft : 11ft 3in (3.4M)
Mast height : 98 ft (29.9M)
Sail area : 7,000 sq ft (650 sq. M)

History
The Soren Larsen is one of the most magnificently restored and adapted Tallships still sailing in worldwide survey and is one of the most illustrious wooden vessels of her type in the world.

  • 1948 - 1949 - Built in northern Denmark in by Soren Larsen & Sons at Nykobing Mors. Constructed entirely of oak she was massively built with oak outer planking on double oak frames with an inner hull planking of oak,
  • 1949 - 1972 - Traded throughout the Baltic, British and European ports carrying general cargo, timber & grain.
  • 1978 - Saved from destruction by family owners in Colchester, England. There Captain Tony Davies assembled a team of skilled shipwrights to commence the restoration work. New decks, masts, yards and spars were made and she was entirely rerigged as the graceful late 19th century brigantine she is today. "The Onedin Line"onedin star: much of the funds required for her early restoration work were earned by filmwork and the Søren Larsen achieved international fame as star of the classic BBC television series
  • 1978 - 1982 - Other film work followed, including "The French Lieutenant's Woman", "Count of Monte Cristo" and "Shackleton" - which involved sailing north to the Arctic Circle into the pack-ice of Greenland.
  • 1982 - 1985 - Chartered to the Jubilee Sailing Trust UK, she help pioneer a programme of sail training for the physically disabled. This successful scheme led to the commisioning of the Trust's Lord Nelson and the Tenacious.
  • 1987 - Invited to be the Flagship for the Australian Bicentenary re-enactment voyage of the First Fleet. Led a fleet of eight Tallships on a 22,000 mile voyage from England to Australia via Rio de Janerio and Cape Town, arriving to a tumultuous welcome in Sydney in January 1988.
  • 1989 - Sailed to New Zealand for the first time, to represent Britain 1990 Sequestry celebrations. Explored the superb New Zealand coast and magnificent Waitemata Harbour.
  • 1991 - Homeward round the Horn project - Australia to Europe voyage with 'Eye of the Wind'. Became the first British flagged tallship to round Cape Horn since 1936 during Southern Ocean voyage back to Europe.
  • 1992 - Won her class in the Transatlantic Tallship Race via New York and Liverpool during the Columbus Grand Regatta. It was a fitting way to complete the ship's first circumnavigation.
  • 1992 - 1993 - Extensive refit and further restoration work in Britain. Return voyage to her home Pacific waters via the Caribbean, Panama and the Galapagos. Today she is the only square rigged is have rounded Cape Horn, in New Zealand.
  • 1996 - Major resheathing of hull with native totara to preserve the original oak planking. Each southern hemisphere winter she cruises the romantic and barely accessible islands of the South Pacific, giving many first time sailors and adventurers of all ages a genuine 'experience of a lifetime'. From November to April she sails the beautiful New Zealand coast, giving individuals the chance to enjoy a glimpse of traditional square rig sailing and providing groups and companies with an opportunity to stage spectacular events aboard this unique ship. The ship wins the Tourism Auckland Hauraki Gulf Development and Protection Award at the inaugural tourism awards.
  • 1998/1999 - Soren Larsen sails the entire coast of New Zealand, visiting Napier, Wellington, Christchurch and Stewart Island and is the centrepiece of Dunedin's 150th Anniversary celebrations. The ship is honoured at the Tourism Auckland Annual Awards winning the 'Adventure and Experience' Category
  • 2000/2001 - To celebrate the new Millennium Soren Larsen undertook a world voyage, the Global Odyssey 2000. Departing Auckland in March she sailed 30,000 miles to Britain via USA, Canada and Europe. She set out on the return journey via the Canaries, Caribbean, Panama Canal, Galapagos, Easter Island, Pitcairn and across the South Pacific returning home to Auckland New Zealand in October 2001.
  • 2002-2009 - Ship works from her home base in Auckland New Zealand during the southern hemisphere summer and explores the tropical waters of the South Pacific from March to November.
  • 2011-2012 - Soren Larsen relocates her base of operations to Sydney, Australia, doing charters and daysails on Sydney Harbour over the summer months and voyaging through the South Pacific from April to November.