“I loved every single second of it!” – that’s the verdict of a teenager who took part in the 2023 Tall Ships Races.
Seventeen-year-old Finlay Milne sailed from Den Helder in the Netherlands to Hartlepool in the north-east of England aboard the German class A ship Alexander von Humboldt II.
It was a five-day trip that more than surpassed Finlay’s expectations and has stayed with him to this day.
“I applied to be part of the crew because I liked the thought of the adventure,” he said.
“It was my mum who told me about it – both she and my grandfather had taken part in previous years. I thought I had a good work ethic and decent communication skills but this seemed like a great way to test them.”
Netherlands navigation
Having made it through the selection process, Finlay made his way from Dunbar to the Netherlands in early July 2023 to board the ship for the first leg of the race.
“I got myself to the train station but when I looked up at the board, the Den Helder train had a huge red cross next to it.
“Fortunately, there was someone around to ask for help. An elderly lady brightly said ‘follow me’ and we chatted for the whole journey until she got off at the stop before me.
“I got to the harbour and the Alexander von Humboldt with its bright green sails was easy to find.
“I’d been a bit nervous beforehand because it was a German ship and I wasn’t sure if there would be lots of German being spoken but it was fine. And I now have basic German, albeit tilted towards talking about ships.
“What did surprise me was the age range. I was 16 years old at the time and definitely the youngest by a couple of years. However since the ship was sponsored by Beck’s (a leading German brewer), the over 18s were possibly in a better position to take advantage of that.”
Meeting the crew
Finlay had sailed laser dinghies before but on seeing the ship – with sails four times the size and there being 10 of them - instantly realised that that experience might be of limited use.
However he was welcomed on board and settled in, sharing his cabin with a Polish reporter who told him tales from previous trips, and the permanent crew of 25 showed him the ropes.
The next day, Finlay was going up the masts as they prepared to leave. When he looked down, he saw in the huge crowds of people there to wave the ships off on the first leg of the race his train station helper from the day before.
“She recognised me and we were waving to each other – it was really nice to see here again,” said Finlay.
Leaving the harbour also opened Finlay’s eyes to the competition element of the Tall Ships Races.
“Because it’s a class A, quite wide and not fast, the Alexander von Humboldt left the harbour first. This meant that my family, who were monitoring our progress online, saw us first on the leaderboard and thought we were doing really well. Sadly, that lead didn’t last for long.”
Connecting with nature
There is no mobile phone coverage out on the high seas but Finlay did find a novel way to plot his progress. By taking photographs during the day, he could see on his phone’s map where they were taken.
“You could see the points dotted across the North Sea, which was really cool,” he said.
“It was the first time I’d been without a phone for quite such a long period of time and to be honest I quite liked the five days not being connected to the world.
“You got used to being at sea. On the midnight watch, one of my absolute favourite things was watching the sun rise which is magnificent out there. I have never seen anything as jaw-droppingly crazy.
“You were able to lock yourself onto a chain lashed onto the ship while it sailed through the waves and just watch the sun coming up.”
Arriving in Hartlepool
Finlay enjoyed every part of the trip, particularly honing his skills as a “master climber”, and was pleased when his talents were acknowledged and trusted by the professional crew. Even the food passed muster, with only one traditional German dish of creamy onions of which he diplomatically says “did not work for me”.
After four days at sea, they arrived in Hartlepool.
“It was amazing to come into harbour,” said Finlay.
“I was running around madly at the front of the ship, measuring buoys, looking out for smaller ships and relaying what I could see.
“Then as we came in, the crew always puts on green clothing – to match the sails. There is a cupboard full of green clothing that you just throw on willy nilly.
“This is how I found myself on deck in a green waistcoat, green swimming googles and with a green staff. All the chanting and singing, with the drums beating and the high fives, and waving at everyone, made it totally exhilarating.”
Lasting effect
Finlay still keeps in touch with one of his German shipmates, and this is not the only way the experience has affected him.
“I find myself talking about it quite a lot, and certainly more than other things I’ve done in the past.
“For me, one of the key reasons I wanted to take part was to test myself and the Tall Ships was brilliant for that.
“Now, whenever it comes to an interview either at school or when I have to do something to prove myself, the Tall Ships will always be what I talk about.
“Whether it’s communication skills, work ethic or being good working in a team – it ticks every box.”
And he has positive words for anyone wanting to take part.
“If there is a time to get stuck in and test yourself, it is now,” he said.
“The Tall Ships is one of those experiences where what you get out of it really depends on how much you put in.
“I think it really helps you in terms of self-belief. Maybe you want to prove to yourself you have certain skills, or maybe you’re not sure you have them at all - taking part will let you prove to yourself that you do.”
- Get inspired: see more about the sail trainee experience in this video
- Rebecca Owen is from Banchory and sailed in The Tall Ships Races from Harlingen, Netherlands to Lowestoft, England. Hear her talk about her experience here.
From 19–22 July 2025, The Tall Ships Races return to Aberdeen for the first time in almost 30 years. You could join the trainee crew sailing from Dunkirk, France to Aberdeen or Aberdeen to Kristiansand, Norway.
Sail trainees will experience the freedom of the high seas, visit new places, see fantastic scenery. You'll make new friends from all over the world and learn new skills from a welcoming and experienced crew who’ll keep you safe.
These sailing adventures are open to individuals aged 15 - 25 with an AB postcode. No sailing experience is required, and funding and support is available. But be quick – applications close at the end of January 2025.
