By Martha Aitkin, Bruce Peninsula Press
The TS Playfair, with a sparred length of 22m and a mainmast height of 17.3, makes a cozy home for youthful and hardworking crew between the ages of 13 and 18 while they learn the old school skills of sailing and navigation under the leadership of 2 adults. The Playfair made its annual stop in Tobermory on July 14-17.
First Mate, Emma Boldon, was kind enough to show me around including a tour “below deck” while Captain Christine Chesterton was overseeing the departure of some of the crew. With a permanent crew of 12, and up to 18 trainees on board at any given time, the below deck sleeping quarters and galley are certainly crowded!
Tobermory is a favourite stopping place for the crew of the Playfair – primarily because of the ice cream! The young people on board at this time are mostly from Canadian homes but some American youth and one young person from Switzerland are among the crew.
When I asked a few of the departing crew what they were most looking forward to when they get to their homes in the Toronto area they were quick to shout out “Sleep! And a hot shower!” After weeks of bathing in the fresh water and washing their clothes in buckets, they are both very sorry to be leaving and also happy to be going home, or on to their next adventure. Three of the departing crew members will join the crew of the St. Lawrence in Newfoundland on Thursday. New crew members joined the team on July 16th for some onboard orientation before setting sail for the North Channel.
The TS Playfair was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth II. She berths in Hamilton and each year the crew take her apart for a thorough cleaning and then reassemble her. There have been upgrades over the years in order to comply with changing safety regulations, but the original hull has been sailing mostly in the Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, and the North Channel waters since she was built in 1973.
Here in Tobermory, we are used to seeing two of the Tall Ships berthed near the Chi-Cheemaun dock over the summer. Caedon Kingdom, a member of the senior crew, informed me that due to an inability to meet fundraising expectations there is only one ship sailing this year.
Brigs Youth Sail Training aims to offer as many youth as possible the opportunity to learn to sail on the brigantines. Financial aid is available for eligible youth who wish to apply for this incredible adventure. For more information, or to provide a charitable donation to this worthy youth development training organization, check visit www.brigs.ca or contact Sage Beatson at office@brigs.ca or at 416 596-7117.
