There is nothing more magnificent than seeing a rigged sailing ship, sails fully deployed, making its way at full speed over the sea. I have always dreamt of sailing on board one of these … since being drawn to the white silhouette of a clipper that stood against red container of my father’s Old Spice hair cream which sat on the dresser when I maybe five or six. I have always made it a point to visit one whenever the opportunity arose … the Cutty Sark, a well preserved retired clipper involved in the tea trade, being one that I had visited at its resting place in Greenwich.
The Pallada at its berth next to Vivo City.
It was a pleasant surprise when I learnt that Tall Ship Pallada was in town and made it a point to get acquainted with at the berth alongside Vivo City. The steel hulled three masted Fully Rigged Ship is operated by the Navigation Institute of Dalrybvtuz (the Russian Far Eastern State Fisheries University). Used as a seamanship training ship to train cadets for the Russian merchant fleet, the Pallada carries over 100 cadets, including some from the Singapore Maritime Academy.
A Ship's Officer on the Pallada.
Cadets on the quarterdeck.
The Pallada which currently holds the record as the fastest Tall Ship with a maximum speed of 18.7 knots under sails, was in port for stay of 4 days from 11 to 14 March. Built in Poland in the year, 1989, when the fall of communism in Europe commenced with the events there, by the Gdansk Shipyard (Stocznia Gdańska), the 106 metre (sparred length) ship boasts a main mast of 49.5 metres, has a draught of 6 metres and a beam of 14 metres. Gdansk Shipyard is of course the yard where the Solidarity movement, which was instrumental in the fall of communism in Poland, began in 1980. The Pallada is named after the Greek goddess Pallas Athena, is based at Vladivostok in the Russian Far East and can hoist 26 sails with a total area of 2771 square metres.
The foremast sail.
The foremast sail and jib being hoisted.
Up the foremast.
On the yards of the foremast ...
Ship's name on the bow.
Engine Room skylight.
Liferafts
The main mast.
Block and tackle.
Anchor chain on the gypsy.
A sailor on the forecastle.
Sailors on deck.
Ship's bell.
Builder's plate.
Stay of the main mast.
Mooring rope on quarterdeck.
Up the main mast.
The bowsprit.
The Long and Winding Road 
Amazing.
I liked all of Your photos here. It was very interesting that You could take photos from seamen in the ship. This reminds me heavily from my photos from CEDOV.
Here are my photos from “Tall Ship Race” in Turku, Finland:
http://sartenada.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/tall-ships-races-regata-de-grandes-veleros-mastiles-altos-course-de-grands-voiliers/
Maybe You’l find some similarities. Regards.
Thanks for your kind comments and the link to your beautiful photos of the tall ships – magnificent tall ships indeed! It is nice to see so many of them together. Are you based in Turku? The Pallada I think is a sister ship of the Dar Mlodziezy, built in Gdansk. The Pallada is the only one with her hull painted black. The seamen look smart in their uniforms don’t they? There were many on deck to receive the visitors, so it wasn’t too difficult to.
[…] and so, the next best thing for me was to attempt to visit one whenever I could. I managed a visit to one earlier this year, when the fastest tall ship, the STS Pallada, a Russian merchantmen training ship […]
[…] and so, the next best thing for me was to attempt to visit one whenever I could. I managed a visit to one earlier this year, when the fastest tall ship, the STS Pallada, a Russian merchantmen training ship […]
The Tall Ship pulled into Victoria, British Columbia, harbor yesterday. Beautiful sight, with cades on all the masts and cross pieces as it came in.
Don’t know how long it will be here.