Stavros S. Niachos Lyme Bay 2001

 It is rare to be able to photograph a square rigger in seas such as this. I had the chance to photograph Stavros S. Niachos sailing across Lyme Bay when she was a new ship in 2001. I followed the training brig in my 18ft (6m) RIB from Torbay to Weymouth. While I was able to take pictures, have lunch and drink coffee as well as driving my boat the crew onboard Stavros had a much worse time. The ship was thrown about like a mad thing in the waves. Both the chef and his assistant were injured when they were hurled across the galley onboard.

The Stavros and her identical sister ship Prince William were built as hulls in Germany. They were bought by the Tall Ships Youth Trust and built into training brigs in Appledore, North Devon. I have been fortunate to see four ships being built on the River Torridge and then sail on all of them. See my pictures in this collection of The 'Golden Hinde' departing Acapulco for the Pacific 1975 and 'The Kathleen & May' built 1901 sails the Bristol Channel 2002.

The best part of the Stavros S. Niachos is the masts spars and square sails and this photograph features these. I have heard these ships described by a manger at the Tall Ships Youth Trust as “great training centres with built in climbing frame”.

The other picture of this brig looking her best is 'Stavros S. Niachos' off Jurassic Coast and makes the ideal matching pair to this one.