Statsraad Lehmkuhl Oceanics 1972-73

This website was created specifically for the students, teachers and crew who sailed for seven months on the Statsraad Lehmkuhl in 1972-73.

That year, the ship was chartered by the Oceanics School, an experimental school founded by Stephanie and Charles (Chick) Gallagher. They had chartered the Statsraad Lehmkuhl in 1970-71 and the following year had chartered the Antarna, formerly known as the Sea Cloud, the personal yacht of Marjorie Meriweather Post. That made this voyage the third for the Oceanics School.

The idea was to take American kids and get them the experience of sailing and working on a traditional sail training vessel while attending classes and then to go on field trips when arriving in foreign ports.

The 1972-73 Oceanics class was the most successful as the ship visited four continents over seven months sailing approximately 1,300 nautical miles.

Here is the itinerary for the voyage:

• November 2, 1972 – Most of students fly to Bergen, Norway
• November 22, 1972 – Depart Bergen, Norway
• November 23, 1972 – Arrive Odda, Norway
• December 3, 1972 – Depart Odda, Norway
• December 4, 1972 – Arrive Stavanger, Norway
• December 17, 1972 – Depart Stavanger, Norway
• December 24, 1972 – Hurricane in the Bay of Biscay
• January 1, 1073 – Arrive Santa Cruz de Tenerife
• January 5, 1973 – Depart Tenerife
• January 12, 1973 – Arrive Bathurst, The Gambia
• January, 27, 1973 – Depart Bathurst
• February 9, 1973 – Cross the equator
• February 12, 1973 – Arrive Belem, Brazil
• February 21, 1973 – Depart Belem
• February 28, 1973 – Arrive Port of Spain, Trinidad
• March 7, 1973 – Arrive Georgetown, Grenada
• March 9, 1973 – Anchor off Grenadine Islands
• March 10, 1973 – Depart Grenadines
• March 12, 1973 – Arrive Fort-de-France, Martinique
• March 13, 1973 – Depart Martinique
• March 15, 1973 – Arrive St. Maarten
• March 17, 1973 – Depart St. Maarten
• April 1, 1973 – Arrive Ponta Delgada, Azores
• April 7, 1973 – Depart Azores
• April 15, 1973 – Arrive Straits of Gibralter
• April 18, 1973 – Arrive Cadiz, Spain
• April 23, 1973 – Depart Cadiz
• April 30, 1973 – Arrive Brest, France
• May 7, 1973 – Depart Brest
• May 13, 1973 – Arrive Bergen, Norway
• May 18, 1973 – Most of students fly home

The students performed all of the duties required to sail the ship, learning the names of all of the lines, rigging and sails in Norwegian. They stood watch on a schedule that alternated sailing duties and school work.