NEWS

This year the event took place from 22 up to 31 July 2013 in Germany / Plön (Schleswig -Holstein).

Under the auspices of the International Maritime Confederation (IMC ) the German Navy League (Deutscher Marinebund) organized the international sailing camp for young people between 15 and 18 years .

In addition to numerous water sports activities, cultural events and meetings are on the program . The sailing camp is subsidized by the IMC, so that only small participation fees have to be paid.

IMC Youth Sailing Camp 2013
22. - 31. July 2013


 

DIARY YOUTH SAILING CAMP 2013 / PLÖN

22/07/2013

The most exciting day came to a successful end. All guests have found their way into the Naval Non-commissioned Officers School (MUS) Plön, the quarters are occupied and our first evening at the lake side draws to a close. A brief welcome by the Org.Team and a first mutual understanding were as much of the program as the disclosure of general information on the conduct of our Sailing Camp. For some of our guests, the reunion was especially great, since they already knew each other from past Sailing Camps.

23/07/2013

The weather promises to be literally summery again. We have breakfast and then were made ​​familiar by Lieutenant Ahrend with the School by a guided tour. Then welcomes us the commander, Captain Schütze, in person at the Naval NCO School Plön (MUS Plön) and wishes us a successful sailing camp on Lake Plön.

Today we started the morning off sailing or knot tying in our groups, the knots tying was very informative and useful and the sailing was great fun !

We enjoyed getting to know everyone in our teams.
After lunch we took the bus to an outward bound centre, where we took 4 canoe’s. Our boat was filled with Italian, British and Belgian people, who all spoke English. We had a tour guide in our boat, who told us the history of Plön, which was interesting. We then were told how to speak italian by other crew members. This was hilarious.

We were taken around all of the lakes and rivers surrounding Plön along with running the canoe onto rocks with luke climbing out to free us, he then lost a flip flop in the process. We were then taken into Plön in groups to look around the local shops. We visited an ice cream parlour, where had the best ice cream on this planet ! We took a taxi back to the naval training school to eat pizza next the harbor. We spent the night being educated by the Italians on food and sharing stories and laughing a lot.

Great day !
Luke Cornwell

25/07/2013
 
Today we were supposed to be sailing the whole day but unfortunately the weather god’s weren´t on our side, there was no wind. Against better knowing we prepared our boats to go out. While we were hoping to get some wind a small water fight started off. Before we realized it was already lunchtime.  

After lunch nothing changed, still no wind. With a lot of sun and a great lake at your disposal what else can you do than go out for a swim.  We went out with the boats, had a good time jumping off the boats and swimming in the water. 

In the evening we went out to see the show about Winnetou, a story about Native Americans and cowboys. The show was spoken in German but it was understandable for everyone because of the acting, sound and light effects.
So we had a nice day of swimming, enjoying the weather and watching a real spectacle.

Greetings,
Charlotte Desmedt

Report Sailing Camp - 26/07/2013

As usual the day started with a big breakfast. Later, since there wasn’t wind, some of us went on canoes or kayaks, while the others practiced in making knots.

For Eduardo it was the first time on a kayak, infact, while he was getting into the kayak he fell into the water !
After the lunch we took the bus to go to Kiel, where we visit GEOMAR. It was really interesting, because it is one of the most important ocean researching centre in the world. It was very amazing, that we could see all equipments used by the researchers.

Then we got into a special mean of transport to have a sightseeing in Kiel : it was a small ferry provided by the German Navy.

Kiel’s harbor is one of the major in Germany and we had the opportunity to see also the Naval Base and the Arsenal, where there were two submarines just built.

After that we had a walk around the Channel which links the Baltic Sea and the Northern Sea; at a last, but not least we had an great dinner with many variety of meat and vegetables dishes.
In the evening we came back to the camp.
It was an exciting day.

Eduardo Calo and the Italian Crew

A day in Laboe – 27/07/2013

At 09.00 o‘clock punctual departure from Plön to Laboe. The guidance through the Naval Memorial was in German and in English, the construction of the ship model of the „Bismarck", submarines and cargo ships impressed all very much. The visit to the Hall of Honor with the wreaths of so many Naval Comradeships and secondments was poignant. The climb to the tower and the view was a great joy - despite hazy air – to all. Four of our Austrian group walked up the stair!

The visit of the submarine (awe-inspiring space for 50 persons as well as torpedoes and equipment) was unbelievable for Florian.

Lunch at the restaurant " home port " everybody liked. The good „schnitzels“ have increased the good humor.
A quarter of an hour's walk to the port and we had fun in the group. The subsequent Neptune Baptism, per nation one representative, was marked with so much enthusiasm that voluntarily two more youngsters joined this ceremony.

We went back to the beach for swimming near the submarine. Water and beach sand were very warm, Florian stepped often on mussels.

The Naval Comradeship (MK) Laboe offered a splendid barbecue on the beach, which has been interrupted shortly after the beginning by a violent thunderstorm. Many fled to the shelter of the surfing paradise, which even lifted the good mood. After a short time the grill was fired up again even in wet conditions and the comrades of the MK Laboe offered unimpressed again sausages and grilled meat. All groups thanked for this excellent performance.
With dry feet we could get finally on the bus and terminated on the return trip to Plön this beautiful day.

29/07/2013

The view of the weak wind on this day led to the decision, to use the time for shopping in Plön first in the morning. Who did not want to go there, met on the football field.

After lunch we made then the boats ready and tried our luck for sailing on the Plön Lake. We sailed with good humor some "100 meters", then it was over. The graded turning tonne was no longer achieved. So rowing back, unrigging and get clear for swimming.

In the meantime it was still tried to improve the techniques at the node path and then the day was almost over. After dinner, most of us met again at the lake side, where already the first guests of our Admiral’s Day arrived.
The pleasure to see each other again and a nice conversation ended this beautiful summer day.

30/07/2013

Today is Admiral’s Day
We have breakfast together and can hardly believe it - we have good sailing wind. After breakfast, the cutters were made ready for sea and the node path prepared.

An up and down course on the Lake Plön - Then our node competition and our little sailing regatta starts . A total of 4 races will be sailed, with the crews changing the boats after each race to have equal assumptions.

In the morning our guests take the opportunity to visit the Naval NCO School Plön . The commander, Captain Thomas Schütze, answered many questions of our guests from the International Maritime Confederation (IMC) and accompanied us to the boat harbor, where our competitions could be watched.

In the evening is the great reception of the International Maritime Confederation on the occasion of our Youth Sailing Camp in the mess of the School. After being greeted by the commander of the School and our acting IMC President Karl Heid our young people presented themselves together with the shanty choir „Windjammer Association Plön“. It is followed by the awards ceremony and one or the other thanks to the participating supporters and organizers were expressed before the buffet opens. Then we can hear the shanty choir Windjammer Association Plön again and enjoy the cultural program of our young people. The evening ends with music and dance.

31/07/2013

Today is the day of departure
We have breakfast together for the last time and then the rooms will be cleared and handed over.
Saying goodbye does not fall easily, but the next IMC Camp 2014 is already casting its shadow and at the latest there may be a reunion ...

Final Report
My name is Janik-Lasse Dunker. I am 17 years old and will make a little report on the sailing camp of the International Maritime Confederation in Plön this year. I've been already in the last year in the camp of the IMC in Ostend and had there a lot of fun.

This year the sailing camp was held at the Naval NCO School of Plön and thus the journey to get there was rather short for me. When I arrived at the gate, they let me know where my accommodation is located. Once there, it was a great reunion from last year. It was good to see the others. After we have moved into our quarters and we have all come together at the lake, there was a little speech. The course of the sailing camp was explained to us.

Sailing began the very next day after the international crews have been briefed. After the briefings in safety all were very excited about the sailing. Right from the beginning sailing worked in our crew smoothly. Commands and descriptions were given in English and everyone was very motivated to help. The weather on Lake Plön was excellent. The thunderstorms rained off only in the nights. However, the weather was on some days "too good" to sail. This circumstance made ​​nothing to the crew because our program was very well filled even without sailing. If there was not sufficient wind, then we went even swimming in Lake Plön or rented the canoes. A node path was built where the crews were able to learn and apply the basic sailor’s nodes. It did not take long, and every one had found his incentive. In the evening we went to the Shanty Choir near to the NCO School. There we learned sea shanties, which we were allowed to perform later on Admiral‘s Day.

In the next few days we made a large guided canoe tour on the Lake Plön through „Holstein Switzerland.“ We learned a lot about the history of the city and the region. Following the canoe trip we were able to visit the town of Plön. We drove to the Karl May Festival in Bad Segeberg. Announced was Winetou I and the show was in German. All crew members had fun, even international guests could pursue excited by the comedic drama and well-staged  effects of the show.

In Kiel, we visited the Helmholtz institution "GEOMAR," which deals with the development and importance of the sea for us humans. We were given a short presentation and a tour of the building complex. I believe that each of us has got an idea about the importance of the sea for the people. Then we were picked up by a boat to look at the city of Kiel from its water front. Finally we visited the Kiel Canal.

In the following days we were able to take trips to Laboe, Travemünde with the museum ship „Passat“ and the city of Lübeck. In Lübeck, we were able to visit the city mainly independently. Particularly interesting was the museum-ship „Passat“ and we heard there of its history. At Laboe we visited the Naval Memorial and U-995 with a comprehensive guided tour  in English and German. Everyone was very impressed and the day was rounded off with a beautiful barbecue. In addition, some of us were personally baptized by Neptune "The Ruler of all Seas".

With the Admiral’s Day and the Regatta the Sailing Camp was given a ceremonial closing. And I hope that next year again a sailing camp will take place, because for me personally, the camp was a lot of fun and I can take a lot of impressions home. I hope next year a nice reunion will become true.
German text:  Janik-Lasse Dunker