NRP Sagres left Lisbon last Sunday, July 24th, with the aim of participating in the Commemorations of the 200 Years of Independence of Brazil and, at the same time, carrying out an instructional trip for the 2nd year cadets of the Naval School, with make your first stopover in Porto do Funchal from 29 July to 1 August 2022.
The trip planning, in addition to the Port of Funchal, also includes stays in Salvador da Baía, Rio de Janeiro and Mindelo (Cape Verde). The voyage takes place between the 24th of July and the 20th of October, with a total duration of 88 days, of which 74 will be spent at sea, thus contributing to a navigation time of approximately 1,800 hours and a total distance covered of 9,320 nautical miles.
100 liter Madeira Wine Barrel on board
The Portuguese Navy, in partnership with the Instituto do Vinho, do Bordado e do Artesanato da Madeira, IP-RAM, will embark on board the NRP Sagres, during its stay in the Port of Funchal, a of 100 liters of Madeira Wine, thus recreating the epic of “Wine on the Wheel”, a practice dating back to the 17th century, at a time when Madeira Wine was transported to the Indies in the holds of ships.
“During these voyages, it sometimes happened that the wine returning to Portugal presented an increased quality, presenting an objective benefit of its characteristics. It was then that barrels of Madeira Wine began to be sent regularly to the Indies, with the sole objective of promote their enrichment and appreciation”, explains a statement sent to the newsroom.
The same note adds that alongside the instruction of the Naval School cadets, the school ship Sagres takes a little bit of Portugal to the Portuguese in the diaspora, contributing through these navigations to strengthen the ties between the communities and their origins. In addition to the thousands of visitors it receives on board during its stay in the various ports of call, the ship fulfills a vast program of dissemination and representation, hosting a diverse set of events promoted by the Navy partners who are associated with the voyages.
The NRP Sagres is a large sailboat with 90 meters in length, four masts and a barge frame, built at the Blohm & Voss shipyards, in Germany, having been launched on October 30, 1937. She will be 85 years old this year, 60 of which at the service of Portugal.
During your stay in the Port of Funchal, the ship will be open to visitors on the 30th and 31st of July, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm and from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
The school ship Sagres is commanded by Frigate Captain Mário António Fonte Domingues and has a garrison of 157 elements, of which 46 are 2nd year Cadets at the Naval School.