1. A NEW LIFE IN LOVIISA
The customs officer’s first steps in the port town
In the spring of 1773, a young customs officer, Petter, settles down in Loviisa and experiences the bustle of the port town for the first time in his life. In his letter to his beloved Hedvig he describes life at the customs and the port in the 18 th century.
What does he dream about in his new hometown?
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2. The Age of Sail
The boy and the sea
In April 1780, the shipowner’s son Johan writes to his father in Stockholm. In his letter Johan describes the preparations made for the shipping season, how the ships are being loaded, and he talks about his own dreams as a maritime scholar.
With spring, the ice in Lovisa Bay melts – what else will the open sea bring him?
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3. MARITIME AND NAVIGATION
A young captain’s thank-you letter
In 1928, a young sailor, Axel Leonard Idström, writes to his former principal, grateful for his education. He is a Captain now, but the lessons from the maritime school are still in his mind.
What lessons does he carry with him on his voyages?
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4. SILLPACKER ON THE ICELANDIC WATERS
A voyage to the Arctic Ocean
In the summer of 1933, a young woman takes a job on a fishing boat and sails to the Icelandic waters. She writes to her family about the hard work, the cold winds and the community on board. The sea is rough, but the experience is unforgettable.
How will she cope so far from home in this harsh environment?
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5. SINKING OF S/S MARTTI RAGNAR
The last voyage
On September 23, 1939, a German submarine stopped s/s Martti Ragnar off the Norwegian coast. Captain Johan Söderblom gives a report on the events in his letter to the shipowner Ragnar Nordström and regrets the loss of the ship.
What does ”we were treated firmly, but politely” mean?
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6. CAPTAIN’S SALON
Greetings from the Museum
The tour ends in the original captain’s salon of s/s Virgos– please, step inside! The captain is happy to entertain his guests.
We thank you for joining us on this tour.