Alexander von Humboldt II - Open Ship

The Alexander von Humboldt II is visiting Gunwharf Quays Marina this week, and on Saturday 3 October, you can actually go on board for an Open Ship event. The ship will be in the marina from 1 to 4 October, so if you can't make the open day, you'll still see her moored up at Gunwharf for a few days.

She's a Class A Tall Ship, which is one of the highest ratings for a sailing vessel, and she's run by the German Sail Training Foundation, a non-profit. On deck, young people learn traditional seamanship, teamwork and responsibility — the kind of things you only pick up by actually doing them on a working ship. She's a traditional sailing vessel with distinctive green sails, and she tends to draw a fair bit of public and media attention wherever she calls, so she's easy enough to spot from the quay.

The Open Ship event itself runs from 11am to 2pm on Saturday 3 October, and it's free of charge, though there's the opportunity to make a voluntary donation if you feel like it. If you're around Gunwharf Quays that morning, it's a good chance to step on board and see a working tall ship up close rather than just watching it from the dock.