If you enjoy sea sailing then read this

Adventure Holidays

Why Not Go To Sea This Summer On A Tall Ship?

Do you fancy yourself on a tall ship this summer, perhaps climbing the ratlines, or out on the yard furling sail, or perhaps helming a three-masted ship as she goes through the wind? Then you should get in touch with a small club of dedicated people called Mariners International, who send their members on a variety of traditional ships in various parts of the world.

This summer M.I. are telling their members of berths on some of the Scandinavian square riggers that will be competing in the International Tall Ships Races. They are also supporting other traditional smaller ships, such as ketches and Thames barges, that their members like to sail on.

Tall Ships races this year will include the Garibaldi regatta and race in April in Italy and Sicily and the Historical Seas regatta and races in May in Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey. There will be many famous square riggers there, including the Russian ship "Mir" and the Jubilee Sailing Trust's three-masted barque "Tenacious", both of which have been crewed by members of Mariners International Club.

Other Tall Ships races that club members will be taking part in will be held in the North Sea and the approaches to the Baltic in July and August Ships will gather in Antwerp, Belgium, on July 13, Aalborg, Denmark on July 21, Kristiansand, Norway on August 1, Hartlepool, England, on August 7, followed by Sail Amsterdam on August 19-23.

Club members are looking for berths on the 676-ton Norwegian full-rigged ship "Christian Radich" and on the 368-ton British barque "Lord Nelson", owned by the Jubilee Sailing Trust, who provide half of their trainee berths for handicapped people. There will be berths available on many other ships of all kinds and M.I. members will join in with the crew of naval cadets or trainees.

The club tells members what's available and give the contact details so that you can book your berth alongside other members. You can go for a week, two weeks or a month, depending on your budget and the space available. There are also weekend trips with club members who want to try out a new ship and sail in a different area.

"Discounts on published prices can often be obtained for block bookings, " said chairman Tim Dodwell. "We look for the best opportunities for our members and pass on all the details free. All we ask is that they join the club, which costs only £10 for the first year, if you sign up to pay by standing order and £20 after that."

Information is sent out in the club's magazine "Windjammer", which is packed full of details of ships being fitted out, stories of famous sailing vessels and the logs of trips made by members. The club also has a website www.marinersinternational.org where there are details of ships and how to join and club events. In addition the club circulates emails with offers of berths available at short notice.

This spring, for instance, help is need on the barque " Lord Nelson", which is refitting in Southampton. Volunteers get a free berth and food in return for working on the ship. At the end of May a weekend break on the new three-masted mainmast barque "Pelican" is on offer.

In the past members have been called upon to crew the replica frigate "Grand Turk" while she was filming, they've helped to move ships from one port to another, and they've sailed on extended trips in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They also take part in traditional ship regattas in ports in the UK and France.

One newly-restored ship that the club are interested in is the traditional ketch "Irene", one of the last British trading vessels under sail, built in 1906, which burned to the waterline while in the West Indies. Her owner Leslie Morrish has lovingly restored the ship to her original beauty and is now looking for crew for some trips this summer. Another interesting vessel is the newly built replica pilot cutter "Amelie Rose" which sails out of Poole.

"Our members like to sail on a variety of traditional ships, " said Tim. "Some don't like the fairly tough life of a square rigger and prefer more gentle sailing on fore and aft rigged vessels like ketches and yawls. Others enjoy sailing on Thames barges, ex fishing boats and bawlies around the estuaries of East Anglia and the Thames estuary.

A number of club members are ships captains and owners, and are in the club because through "Windjammer" they can keep up with news of other ships being built and repaired. Others are retired seamen who like to go back to sea occasionally, but most are amateur enthusiasts, who like to get away from the land and enjoy the wind on their faces and work as a valued member of a hard-working crew.

You can join Mariners International through their web site, www,marinersinternational.org or by sending an email to their membership secretary, Anne Emmerson at shipmates@mailcan.com. After that you can sign on to the ship of your choice.