Sail Harlingen benefits now that tallships do not visit US
The Tall Ships Races in Harlingen are taking advantage of US President Donald Trump’s fickleness. Extraordinary ships forego participation in festivities around the 250th anniversary of the US and come to Friesland.
The tallship event in Harlingen, featuring the largest sailing ships in the world, is from 3 to 6 July. At the beginning of July, the US also extensively commemorates 250 years of independence. Among other things, this happens on the water, also with tallships. In Boston, for instance, there is a big maritime party (Sail Boston), as well as in Philadelphia.
What is certain is that the Zr.Ms. Urania will not make the crossing to the US this summer, say chairman Sjaak Smeding and project director Lieuwe Krol of Stichting Harlingen Sail. That was the plan at first, the two said. The Urania is a training ship of the Royal Netherlands Navy. This 27-metre-long ship is used to train naval officers who will be given a sailing position, so-called sea officers.
It looks very much like the Dar Młodzieży, a well-known Polish training ship with a length of no less than 109 metres, is also coming to Harlingen. For the same reason: the unpredictable Donald Trump. This so-called A-class ship has a deep draft and will have a prominent place. It can only enter Harlingen port at high tide.
Unaccountability of Trump
According to Sjaak Smeding, the Urania is not going to the US anyway. “The ambiguity created by Trump is the cause. Possible hassles with papers and possible tariffs and demurrage and so on. You don’t know where you stand. It’s just too erratic, the Navy thinks.”
At the navy itself, after some urging, a slightly different tune sounded on Tuesday. The reason the Urania is not sailing to America has to do “with the recent crew change”, a spokesman said. “They are not yet sufficiently attuned to each other to make the crossing to the US.” The new crew is using ‘Harlingen’ to gain experience.
The arrival of the Dar Młodzieży, called “a huge eye-catcher” by Smeding, is not yet entirely certain. “It would be very nice for us,” Smeding says. “It is a big ship. Harlingen will benefit from it.”
Source: an article by Robert Jan Speerstra in the Leeuwarder Courant (subscribers only).
Image: the Dar Młodzieży.
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