Bon Voyage Götheborg!

She left us today.

Crew of her Starboard watch packed up and kept the gangway, Port Watch sang a heartfelt farewell song, and Pieter and Stina, now in Midship watch, unfurled the large “Thank You” banner.

Pär Ahlberger, the Swedish Ambassador to Singapore
descends the Götheberg’s gangaway for the last time.

As the last notes faded, her cannons fired an 8-shot salute and the echoes rebounded off the walls of Vivocity.

The crew were in buoyant spirits, as they can finally look forward to some sailing,! It might be a couple of days before the crew’s new sailing skills are finally exercised though, since she will probably have to rely on engines until she clears the Melaka Straits.

She had left Singapore as she came, in the rains of the north-east monsoon.

Left behind on land, the rest of us (including three of the four Singaporeans who sailed her from Hong Kong; the fourth was on duty in the navy) looked on with mixed feelings – it’s lovely to see the Götheborg finally head out to sea, but we’ll miss her very much. After she disappeared from view, we chatted and said our final farewells in the ever-present drizzle.

See the photo essay, “Farewell, Gotheborg,” by Beserk. ClubSnap, 15 Jan 2007.

Her next port of call – Chennai, on 31st January 2007. They will remain in port there until 10th February.Bon Voyage Götheborg!