To live a dream: I'm sailing on the
School ship Amerigo Vespucci!

The beautiful ship is trembling under my feet…
finally the Sea can caress the hull.
After more months of  work,
when it was obligatorily locked up
it in one of the dry dock of the Arsenal in La Spezia,
today can slip majestic, as it knows to make,
to go away slowly from the Gulf,
even if for an only day!

And I see to realize my dream!

From the diary on board …

13 Tuesdays june 2006 - memorable day.

Coordinated: latitude 44° 05 " North - longitude 9° 49 " East…

I’m in La Spezia, and just to the pier Varicella 2. I’m on board of the beautiful ship in the world. They are 9,30 a.m. and the engine running … between half hour we go! With me there is the friends Spazzola (Brush) Europeo (European), Cristina and Raffaele. On board there are also a hundred of other hosts (the relatives of the crew) and, naturally, the crew. The students will salt from Livorno the 9th July, because we are not sailing for the Training Campaign; this is a special boarding: in navigation for a only day, hosts on the beautiful vessel of the Italian Navy.
The course is simple: to leave the Gulf of La Spezia, to double the Palmaria island, in direction of Carrara and to return. All this… to search the wind, so as to be able to admire this vessel in its maximum beauty: the crew when open the sails and the life on board, in particular the maneuvers necessary to border the sails.

But we make a step behind, because, my seafarer of the web, I imagine that you will be asking what I make on board, and as I’m arrived on board, a simple girl, than she has not attend the Naval Academy, that she has not relatives among the crew, but she has ONLY an infinite passion for the School Ship Amerigo Vespucci.
If you have arrived in this page following the seagull (that seagull in bottom in every page of this web site that it drive you to the successive page, or previous one) then, you know all. If instead you are landed directly, and/or accidentally, to this page then I advise you  to go to see the index of this web site (enough to click on the home at the bottom of this page), a lot for to get an idea in what you are crossed yourself.

I make this specification to make you understand what it want to say “to be on board of the School Ship Amerigo Vespucci”, and above, what this is for me. And finally I arrive at the magnificent, exceptional, unforgettable, experience: a day on board of  the Vespucci during the navigation.

This Mrs. of the Seas has bewitched me, since I was child, for its beauty and the likeness with the vessels, and the galleons, that they furrowed the Seas at the Great Navigators time. For some year, approximately for ten years, I’m fixed with the idea to see the magnificent Vespucci from the true. The photos and the rare documentary were not more enough to me. Thus it was succeeded in the year 2000, and if you want to know more than that experience you can go to read the story that I have written. Now I don’t want to go into details about these precedence occasions; pack-saddles to know to you that in both this occasions the ship was moored simply in the port and it was possible to visit only the upper deck. This passion has lead me to create a first web site, as if a pastime, and then … now I’m here, in this www.ammiraglia88.it. It is partially thank to this web site that I have had the opportunity to go on board of the fascinating Amerigo Vespucci during the navigation.

The vessel with… the flat calm!

After the first contacts with the Kon-Tiki Course, thank this my web site, it is begun to born the idea, than it has been realized: to make the page dedicated to their Training Campaign. It is the page of the Vespucci’s cruise 1965.
After that, always from the Kon-Tiki is appeared this opportunity, it was a mirage for me the probable possibility to go on board.

At the beginning I have taken all with much distance … You image yourself if a normal person could approach to a similar experience! Between mine some curiosity (the several articles of the Vespucci that I have collected in the numerous years) do not turn out analogous case, therefore… useless to hope! I was convinced that the dream would be remained such. But “my” Kon-Tiki, in particular Spazzola e Europeo (their nicknames), than I thank here newly, have made us. As a result of my demand (relatively to this ship), than was not among other things before that I introduced the Italian Navy, and above all thanks to their participation, we arrive here today, we are at the Mrs. of the Seas presence.

We are waiting to embark us. The ship is always showed … like… wonderful!
Indeed today it is still more, it has a new foremast, and it does not see the hour to sail. They are months that are locked up in one of the colds and dry docks in the Arsenal of La Spezia, separated from its sea, and finally, today, it can made to push out the wind and to caress from the waves. The only negative thing is that today, meteorologically speaking, unfortunately it is a wonderful day.
I have not mistaken to write those “unfortunately”… because this means that there is flat calm, that little wind and no wave, therefore it will have to be pleased of the simple lapping had to the normal advance.

If around me it is, like I have said, flat calm, I leave you to imagine as instead it can be within of me! In the wait to go up they are bewitched from its beauty and majesty, practically I’m hypnotized! It is not possible, I’m here! The ship is in front of me, than it is waiting for me and it receives me, naturally, together to the other hosts to sail … probably I am dreaming with the eyes open! But the friends whom accompany me, the two Kon-Tiki, are real here, with me; but, then, it is all true!
We approach ourselves at the gangplank, and until here, in order to tranquilize me a little I thought to myself … “nothing to report, I have already made it others two times… I still see again those moments”. But, once I am on main deck, I feel the vessel that it lives under my feet, it trembles, it seems anxious to sail.
The engines are started, but then… it is all true… we are in order to leave!

I observe every carefully mast and yard. It is always wonderful, always majestic. I still not creed, it is too much beautiful to be true. Then I try see what the young students have told to me, than they have contacted me in these months of navigation of my web site, relatively to their experience. I notice then what everyone of they has reported to me: perhaps the place “end of fore topgallant yard left”, “the topgallant bulwarkses, where the hammocks are put” … this whirling of thoughts, or it is better to say that is a hurricane, because they are united to the such emotion, they come interrupted from the speech of the Second in command. He welcome on board to us and he explain us some “logistic” things. At the end he invites all the hosts to move from the quarter deck. He reports that this zone often will remain free, when they will come carried out the several maneuvers (in this case at the departure, and when it is necessary during the navigation). And thus it begins our navigation.

Its yards

Incredibly it is allowed to be in upper deck and we can turn free. Therefore we can slowly admire the beauty of the Gulf of the Poets that goes away slowly from us. Therefore we catch up the Palmaria’s island and here … something fire a salvo to us. I think … they do not want leave to exit and to escape this beautiful ship! They will have fear that once caught up the open sea, the vessel escapes, finally free?

La Spezia goes away

We steer to South. The original course previewed to go near “Cinque Terre” (Five Lands), but the day did not promise wind to us in that zone, therefore we sail to South, where “Eolo” (the king of the wind) would, perhaps, have had a little of breath for us. And here in fact the helmsmen begin to execute the fantastic maneuver to open the sails of the foremast: “destined to the foresail course ready to mount aloft”, “aloft”. All around there is a magnificent concert with the whistle boatswain; and ahead thus till the disentangle of flying parakeet device (the third device of the foremast).

The maneuvers

They come also executed other maneuvers, those to the halliards, those to open the stays and those of the jibs. In full navigation we succeed to catch up the 2,4 nodes, only we are proceeding to sail, and these thanks at the opening of three foremast's sails (foresail course, fixed parakeet and flying parakeet), five jibs and the four stays. At the end of the day naturally the crew is executed also the operations of serration the sails, with a new whistle boatswain’s concert. All around, the  “little ants” race up and down from the ratlines and in the balance on the foot-rope (not is no doubt, thanks to the height it makes seem them so little) and thanks to a fast and continuous job they remember the ants. An only, fantastic show; I imagine the crew is not of my same idea, it must be truly a hard task, those sails are enormous and heaviest… but of it is worth the pain!

The “ants” or, as they say, the “monkeys”, to the job

During the day, besides this, the fundamental and characteristic things of this fascinating vessel, there was other events that are essential that I bringing back.
One of these is very important, and it cannot be made less: the lunch! And, yes, also on board of the Vespucci it is not lived only with the air!

Thus the crew predisposes a long table in order to lean itself in the distribution of … the mess. And, like in self-service on the “land”, everyone can choose what more it appreciate. I have not made myself to lack the most famous pizza; even if, I think that its reputation drifts mainly because it comes served at the square who make the turn of night. However I say that also at 01,00 p.m. it is not bad! In the afternoon also an enormous cake appears, it is a fruit tart. The fruit is beautiful to look and … not only that one! The fruit tart is announced from the Commander. In fact the Commander, Captain Andrea Liorsi, introduces to the hosts and its speech, that he ends with the cut of the cake.

The Commander’s speech

I have know this Commander personally previously. In fact one of the several things, that have contributed to render an unforgettable day, beyond that extremely touching, has been that I have had this honor. Since, in order to go on board, it is indispensable the Commander’s ok. So one of the Kon-Tiki, that he lives in La Spezia, had oed to speak personally with the C.V. Andrea Liorsi. He have read my demand, and he have seen my passion for this ship (through my web site), that I do not hide you, with my great pleasure, the Commander already knew, there was not particular problems. For this reason, once on board, an obliged stage was make him acquaintance, above all, to be able to thank for the special day that he was making live to me.

The audience room

In this way I have had also the pleasure to entrust a “small picture” in memory and to thank.
Draft of a species “Crest”, that I creed (and I hope) it is hanging in between decks of the Mrs. of the Seas. Here make beautiful extension all the homages gives in all these years, from the several hosts of this ship who have preceded to me.

Therefore now, as it was not enough, I have an ulterior tie with this ship that always it has been the ship of my dreams; a little part of me is there, always in navigation.
In these days she is heading towards Lisbona with the Academy’s students. I hope that is a good-luck charm.
It is a “metal’s postcard”, applied on a base in dark wood (it must be adapted to inner the dark ones of the Vespucci). They are pictured “Maria Dolens”, a big bell that sounds to remember the fallen in the wars, and the Castle, situated in Rovereto. And, since Rovereto is the city of the Peace, and “Maria Dolens” is a symbol of Peace, when the implicit augury for this vessel is that one.

	But the emotion of this moment does not end. Even the Commander has an incredible homage for me! It is a magnificent “Crest” of the School Ship Amerigo Vespucci, and also is personalized with his name! Do you images the scene? I do not know as I have not made to faint in that moment! Naturally this precious homage is, and it will be always, in beautiful exposure in my bedroom.
Here we are with the Commander

The C.V. Andrea Liorsi is unique! I tell the truth, you can believe me, my seafarer of the web. And the confirmation is also the fact that now, I would not have some advantage to speak like this: I’m already climb on the ship and the homage is already mine, therefore … you must think I say the truth. He appear such as good person, available and sociable. I see a good Commander, than above all he knows to appreciate that beautiful ship totally, and it not recognizes only like School Ship of the Italian Navy; also there is no one better ship than her. The Commander thinks to make known, and to give the possibility, at the ordinary mortals to visit it (and in fact I am on board!), and this also when it is moored in port to La Spezia. He has said that the absurdity is that the Vespucci has its “home” in La Spezia, but the citizen cannot go to see, because it is in the Arsenal and this is military zone. At the end of this extraordinary encounter we made the group’s souvenir photo with the Commander. And then, happiest of all this, even if always a little under “spell”, we return in the upper deck to admire the enourmous sails and infinity ropes intersected without never entangled.

The Ropes intersected

Also this is an impressive thing: on board is a perfect order. All the ropes, that in that moment is on the ground, on the upper deck, have their way. They are put in a sure way, always and however with a determined order, always put to place (in luminosity). Sometimes the crew created a design with the ropes. And thus, admiring “the my” ship, I find myself to prow near beautiful jibs; I raise one’s eyes and I see the large foresail course above me. The wind does not have much force, but it equally fills few the sails and … it leave me without the words. However, also to see only three sails disentangled of the foremast, you have an imposing idea like those immense sails are; it is a wonderful sight!

The ropes all in order

In this day we succeed also to see something of the deck inside of the Vespucci. A boy boarded, one  crew’s boy, makes from guide to us. Thus I have seen, besides the wonderful Council Room, also the Officer Mess Hall and the polyvalence room where live the students. This is that place where the students succeed, indeed must, to eat, to study and to sleep (in fact all is carried out in the same room) and here there are also the supports to which the hammocks, the beds of the students, come fixed every night.

The inner ones

A curious thing happened during our navigation, it is the crossing with a sailing boat of medium dimensions. The beautiful is that it appears suddenly and places side by side.
It seems the scene of the film that you can see (thank to Nico) in the page of the Training Campaign 1965. It is the scene in which the Gorch Fock crosses the Vespucci in the North Sea.

Beautiful day! Unforgettable! In a only day I have see great part of what till now I have brought back in my web site, and that I had only read, or some person had told to me. I have been able therefore to verify in person many things, beyond naturally more important and exceptional thing: to have seen … to realize a dream!

Now my seafarer of the web, I leave you to go to see the photo gallery that I have been made in this magnificent day, but you allow me, before, to make a consideration. It is a thing that comes to me now, in the mind, while I write and I rethink at those moments: the motto of this vessel is

“not who begin but those that keep on making”

I should said that ... this is for me!
A dream, legacy to a passion cultivated from many years, that it seemed unattainable, but that, a long time afterwards and the with the perseverance it has been come true on 13th June 2006.

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