|
In May and from mid-August to late September the Albanus often sails with camp schools, enabling the pupils to get to know the archipelago and its nature and culture, experience life at sea and to sail a traditional sailing ship. They also have time to have fun and enjoy themselves in an entirely new and exciting environment.
The camp schools may last three to five days. A longer period enables you to see more, of course, but shorter excursions with the Albanus may also be arranged if the school so wishes.
The camp school pupils are generally 12 to 16 years old. There is room for 20-21 people to sleep on board. If the class is larger, sleeping arrangements have to be made on land for those who cannot be accommodated on board.
What do we do?
Through a watch system (working schedule at sea) the pupils get to participate in all that needs to be done on board a galeasse. These tasks include for instance sailing, setting sails, basic navigation, basic sailor's work, knots, rowing and using the dinghy, cooking, washing up and cleaning.
The tasks are carried out in small groups, mostly together with one of the crewmembers or some other adult. The pupils are given the opportunity to get to know themselves as well as each other, under circumstances that are different from the usual.
Where do we sail?
The homeport of the Albanus is Sjökvarteret, in the Eastern Harbour of Mariehamn. This therefore constitutes a natural starting point and/or endpoint for the camp school cruises. They may also start and end elsewhere, for example Turku, Helsinki or Stockholm. If you use Mariehamn as your starting point and endpoint you will have a five-day cruise around the whole Åland and part of the Åboland archipelago.
During the cruises nights are spent in some sheltered natural harbour, or at the pier of some archipelago community. In the daytime you may stop to visit some interesting place.
The route will be planned and the harbours chosen in consultation with the class and their teacher in the winter before the cruise. The class may prepare itself for the visits by studying for instance:
- plants, animals, geology and ecology in the natural harbours
- history, culture, trade and economy in the archipelago and coastal communities
Where do we sleep?
The Albanus offers robust and cosy sailor's accommodation below deck. The galley (kitchen) divides the ships into a salon and a fo'c'sle, with ten bunks each.
The bunks are cosy ship's bunks which naturally follow the side of the ship. They are arranged two by two as bunk beds, and separated by sturdy bulkheads. You use your own sleeping bag or sheets.
The fo'c'sle and the salon each have their own toilet. There is no shower on board, but shower and sauna can often be arranged in the ports.
The fo'c'sle can be reached from the salon, but it has also its own entrance from the foredeck through the storage hatch. The galley is open towards the salon. The ship's attractive interior is beautifully lit up from above by skylights.
The two bunks athwart at the far back of the salon are reserved for crewmembers, but if needed they may be used by teachers/leaders. In the cabin there are two crew bunks and a space for navigation. The Albanus is equipped with central heating.
What do we eat?
The galley is well equipped with a refrigerator and a large restaurant range with an oven, as well as all other kitchen equipment. Breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and an evening meal are served. The class may plan the menu itself, or have menus and recipes proposed. Cooking (and washing up) is part of the daily routines, which the pupils take part in. In a suitable harbour, a barbecue by the shore may replace the regular evening meal.
Study material
Prior to the cruise, Albanus will send material for the class to study. This material contains information about the sailing trade and the Albanus, about the routines on board, about knots and navigation, what things are called, etc. Advice can also be given on suitable literature about the archipelago before going on camp school.
For prices and further information, please contact the Albanus operations officer at: albanus@aland.net or call +358(0)1817545.
|
