Meet Team SA members at the Boat Show 3-5 October 2008

For all of you who would like to hear all the stories of Team SA first hand - here is an excellent opportunity to do so: visit Cape Windjammers' stall at the International Boat Show from 3 to 5 October 2008 in Cape Town's International Convention Centre.

Team SA members will be at the stall on different days - if you would like to meet anyone in particular, or if you would like to meet memebrs of SASLA, the SOuth African Sail-training ofr Life-Skills Association, please write to Antje to find out who you can meet on what day: antje@capewindjammers.org At the show you can also watch slide shows, logbooks and movies from

Team SA 2008 and 2007 as well as from other local sail-trainig adventures locally. Even better you can also find out how you can enjoy sail-training on Tall Ships or Small Ships yourself! You can find Cape Windjammers at stall P 23. To find out what else you can expect from the Boat Show this year click here to have a look at the Show's website.

Opening hours
Friday 3rd October: 10h00 to 20h00
Saturday 4th October: 10h00-18h00
Sunday 5th October: 10h00 to 16h00

Cape Windjammers stall is sponsored by the organizers of the show Impact Plus Trading CC. Many many thanks to Johnny Malherbe and Dana Whiting for this excellent opportunity!

Meet the winners of the Tall Ships’ Race 2008!

You probably gathered that Christian Radich has been the winner of the Leg 2 of the race from Bergen to Den Helder! Congratulations once again to captain and crew!

Even better news that Christian Radich also is the winner of the overall race, including Leg 1 from Liverpool to Maloy! This ship is really fast and also has an excellent crew knowing how to make maximum use of its many sails so to make the ship fly over the ocean!

The beauty of the Tall Ship's Race is that it has many different categories to win, which are not only based on the speed of the ship. For an overview of all winners in all categories click here.

The biggest trophy to win as part of the Tall Ship's Race is the Sail Training International Friendship Trophy. This trophy is awarded to the ship which, in the opinion of the captains and crews of all the ships taking part in the Tall Ship's Races 2008 series, has done most to promote international friendship and understanding. This year it was won by the only Arabian Tall Ship to participate in the Tall Ships' Race SHABAB OMAN! Congratulations! (see also log entry of 21.08.08)

Christian Radich - in a similar category - has won the Vicki Scott Memorial Award, which is awarded to the captain of the ship with the greatest number of nationalities on board - there have been 13 on the Christian Radich.

The experience of working together across national, cultural and language boundaries is indeed a unique one - even though South Africans are quite used to the many cultures and languages in their own country. On the last day of the race, after having said good bye to all Christian Radich crew members and already on the way home Sakhekile reflected on this topic. Read his log book entry...

23.08.2008: This is an entry to the journal made at Schipol International Airport, Amsterdam @ approximately 23.22 late night Friday.
Where should I start? I mean the day has been very though and stressful. Before the whole race started we were all anxious about being in a different environment. And for me and Valley it was our first time ever. So it was more than exiting and from the way we were acting everyone could see this - we were at every single preparation meeting and were very keen to go through each and every step of the project. Fortunately we achieved our first goal, which was to get to the Tall Ships Race, that means to qualify and fulfill all the requirements. And there were a lot of hurdles to take.
And the other goals were to get on a Tall Ship and sail away across the wild, wide European Seas, create relationships and discover many realities when it comes to us mankind. Before it slips my mind, let me mention this: yesterday afternoon we (the Christian Radich crew) won one another of the most important awards of the Tall Ships' Race competitions. This award is given to the ship with the most nationalities on one vessel working together, learning and having fun. At the beginning I said the day was though and stressing and I bet I didn't say anything about that, I just went on to tell you what we have gotten up to. After all that being at the same spot (on the ship), and sharing with one another, sharing our backgrounds, or experiences and bits and pieces of our personalities, we made a lot discoveries. One discovery that stood out for me was the fact that we as humans we are more similar than different. What usally creates the distance and differences are the tangible things, which were all made by mankind - they were not created by nature and the gods above!! Now after having all that fun, learning and teaching, we have to say good bye. We cannot tell the future, we can only predict. Who knows if we will able to shake each other hands again.

Sakhe the Profakt - signing out
" we can never go nowhere, unless we share with each other" - 2PAC, Thug-Life

TEAM SA back in the Mother City ...

Its been a long journey … Saturday, 23.08.08, at 21:27 pm Team SA landed in their home town … - and how was it?? What happened? That’s what we all want to know! All we do know at this stage is that their eyes were sparkling with pride, excitement and joy when greeting their families at the airport last night. …

… the return of Team SA to Cape Town is not the end of the project – but rather the beginning of the next step: On Sunday the follow up program starts, as part of which Team SA will reflect upon the Tall Ships’ Race and upon ways to use this experience for life. Team members will also support Cape Windjammers in editing photos, videos, and log entries which we will use to report back to all supporters. So, everyone, who is waiting on photos from Team SA, please be a little patient - we will start working on this on Sunday.

Team members will also pull their share to give back to SASLA, and to make this experience possible for other South African youths in the future. A number of activities are planned for this – so watch this space to be updated … from now on we will update this log once a week.

Speak to you soon with more stories from Team SA!

Antje

PS: Congratulations to Sakhe and his family: after more than two years of temporary housing they finally got the keys to their new house in Delft! - What a great suprise for Sakhe - his return to Cape Town could not have started better!

A million stories later ....

Date 22:08:08 Time 1o:17 GMT
The race comes to an end … and Team SA is about to head home – this time with millions of stories in their luggage … we cannot wait to hear it all …
Tonight the team will have the chance to sleep on Canadian Tall Ship Picton Castle, which many of you might remember from its previous visits to Cape Town.
Tomorrow night, at 21:35 pm Team SA will land in the Mother City! You want to welcome them back home? Join us at the International Arrivals Terminal!
See you there
Antje

Shabab Oman wins prestigious Friendship Trophy

Date 21/08/08Time 16:17 GMT
The Omani ship Shabab Oman won the prestigious Sail Training International Friendship Trophy today at the final prize giving for The Tall Ships' Races.
The Queen’s Commissioner...
to read full story click here

Royal presence at the Opening Ceremony and Captains Dinner

Date: 21:08:08 Time: 08:16 GMT
His Highness Prins Maurits of Oranje-Nassau van Vollenhoven together with the Princess Marilene of Oranje-Nassau brought some glamour to The Tall Ships' Races in Den Helder yesterday when they attended both the Opening Ceremony and the Captains' Dinner.
The Opening Ceremony drew a large crowd in front of the stage where the Prince and Princess joined Mayor Hulman of Den Helder and other local dignitories to watch a singer and orchestra. Mayor Hulman then welcomed the Captains and their ships to Den Helder and thanked them for bringing their vessels to the port for the biggest event that the city has ever seen.
to read the full story click here

Majority of vessels now in Den Helder with remainder due tomorrow

Date 20/08/08 Time 15:54 GMT
The majority of the 65 vessels that will be in Den Helder for the final four days of The Tall Ships' Races have now arrived.
To read full story click here