Dar Pomorza

Dar Pomorza was built in Hamburg in 1909 as a German training ship, passed through French and then briefly other hands, and was bought for Poland in 1929 with money raised by public subscription in Pomerania - the name means Gift of Pomerania. She served as the training ship of the Polish merchant marine school until 1981, taking cadets around the world, including a circumnavigation in 1934-1935 and a rounding of Cape Horn in 1937, and she won the Cutty Sark Trophy in the 1980 Tall Ships race. She is a full-rigged ship, square sails on all three masts, of steel construction, and since 1983 she has been a museum ship at the Gdynia quay, kept in seagoing appearance with the cadet accommodation, galley, chartroom and captain's quarters open. Her successor, the Dar Mlodziezy, still sails. The destroyer Blyskawica is berthed nearby as a second museum ship.

History

Blohm & Voss built her in Hamburg as the German training ship Prinzess Eitel Friedrich, launched on 12 October 1909 and commissioned on 6 April 1910. The Polish community of Pomerania bought her for £7,000 as the training ship of the Maritime School in Gdynia; she sailed around the world by way of the Panama Canal in 1934-1935, became the first ship under Polish colours to round Cape Horn in 1937, and won the Cutty Sark Trophy in 1980 (Wikipedia, Dar Pomorza).

The main sights

• A full-rigged ship of 1909 - square sails on all three masts, steel-built.
• Cadet quarters and chartroom - kept as when she was training officers.
• A Cape Horn ship - rounded in 1937, circumnavigated in 1934-1935.
• The 1980 Cutty Sark Trophy - won in the Tall Ships race.

When to go

April to October. Two hours.

Good to know

Below decks means steep ladders and low headroom. She is afloat and moves in weather. Opening is seasonal with reduced winter hours. The destroyer alongside is a separate ticket.

Nearby

The Blyskawica is on the same quay; Gdynia's modernist centre is behind.

Key facts