The world's oldest civil training ship is set to arrive in Edinburgh in the coming days, just shy of a year after its highly anticipated visit.
The Georg Stage wowed locals when it docked in Leith in April 2022, arriving from its home country in Denmark, with the vessel likened to one seen in the popular Pirates of the Caribbean films.
Just over a year after its visit, the ship, commissioned in 1934, is once again on its way to the capital and is set to arrive on Tuesday, May 22, according to Marine Traffic.
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When it last visited the capital in 2022, we interviewed the ship's Chief Mate and members of the crew about life on board and the ship itself. The Georg Stage embarks on an annual journey with a crew of more than 70 people, most of whom are being trained onboard.
Chief Mate Hells Barner Jespersen informed us that the crew onboard the ship actually stay for 20 weeks while on their training course for the merchant marines. On board the ship, there is a whopping 217 ropes that help maintain the course of direction and are used during various training exercises.
The steering mechanism for the Georg Stage is referred to as the 'old way' using the traditional helm at the front centre of the ship with crew members being taught how to steer and use a compass to remain on course.
Another interesting section of the ship is the hospital area as it only has space for two bunks for those who become sick, although there are no trained doctors on board, just crew members with basic medical knowledge, as well as a doctor over the radio that can advise in serious situations.
Although it is unclear how long the vessel will be in Leith for this year, dozens lined the dock to snap pictures when it arrived last year. According to Marine Traffic, the Georg Stage is currently in the North Sea travelling around 5.9 knots with an estimated time of arrival in Leith at 1pm on Tuesday.
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