ARCTIC TALES and PROLIFIC SAILING
...Whales, Sea Lions, Polar Bears and Glaciers
OSC member Chris Rose is skipper of TS Prolific, a cutter rigged ketch of 30 metres LOA, built in Sweden in 2005 specifically for sail training, expedition and exploration. She is a copy of the Grimsby Trawling Smack "Prolific" of 1891 and sold to Sweden in 1930's.
Since joining the ship in 2007 to cross the Atlantic, Chris has skippered Prolific in 2011 & 2012 Tall Ships Races and has explored the North Atlantic, Baltic Sea, Sweden, Denmark and Norway extensively. Prolific is entered in the 2015 STI Tall Ship Races from Belfast to Alesund and Kristiansund (Norway) and Aalberg (Denmark) and other Tall Ship events in the Irish Sea.
During recent years a number of young adults who gained their sea time experience aboard Prolific have graduated from Marine Training colleges, while other past trainees work withi maritime businesses and sail training organisations. Many now regularly return from commercial work on ships or maritime work to act as valued members of our training crew. Prolific has also provided a working base for community groups and schools in Norway, Sweden, Eire and the UK.
The vessel is exceptionally strong and well equipped, working under the MCA Code of Practice for SCV's, is Category Zero rated for blue water passages and is Lloyds Registered. She was built with the purpose of providing opportunities at sea for young people aged 12-25 and of keeping alive traditional seafaring skills. Prolific is able to provide up to twenty trainee berths and carries a professional crew of six.
Last year, Prolific sailed from Stavanger to Iceland via Shetland and the Faeroes, then to Jan Mayen Island and a circumnavigation of Spitzbergen (reaching Latitude 82 degrees North) before returning to Stavanger in Norway via Bear Island and the Lofoten Islands. This round trip of 8000 miles, mainly in Arctic waters, involved scientific whale research, expedition mountaineering on the Svalbard glaciers and historical research into the work of 19th century survey pioneers.
Come along to hear Chris give a fascinating talk about his exploits and the work of Prolific.
