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River Thames: Oostershcelde & Commander

I went to the river earlier than normal today: not early enough to see Ostro 1, a tanker with snazzy RotorSails, but I caught this beautiful schooner in a fortuitous burst of sunlight...

Oosterschelde is a restored schooner, built in 1918 in the Netherlands; it carried all sorts of cargo and was once a banana boat; it can happen to the best of ships. It had various owners and roles before being bought and brought back to the Netherlands for a full restoration: it's now the largest restored Dutch ship there is.

Having "just completed the two-year Darwin200 Global Voyage" (following the route of Darwin's Beagle) it is on a 'victory lap' from Falmouth to London; as all do know, a ship wishing to visit London must first pass Gravesend.

The Pilot cutter Commander is sailing out to board a Pilot who will take the ship to London.

 

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Uploaded on July 24, 2025
Taken on July 24, 2025