First a series of pictures of a classic yacht, - which even has been to war -, the "Antarna".
Many sailors must have seen her at the Pacific side of the Panama Canal, where I took the following pictures in 1978.

She was built in Germany in 1931 to American  millionaire Hutton and named "Hussar".
She became the biggest privately owned sailing  yacht ever built.
In connection with a divorce, Hutton handed over the "Hussar" to his ex. wife, who renamed her "Sea Cloud".
Through the connections of Mrs. Hutton, the "Sea Cloud" became a floating diplomatic palace in Leningrad,  serving the US Ambassador to Russia, and in that capacity "Sea Cloud" saw many prominent guests, - including crowned heads.

But war was coming, and the "Sea Cloud" was withdrawn from Europe, and as a patriotic act, the "Sea Cloud" was handed over to the US Coast Guard, who chartered the ship for the symbolic amount of 1 dollar!
The four mast barque rig was removed and she got fitted with guns and antisubmarine weapons, and began war service in the Atlantic Ocean as a floating weather station under the name "IX-99".

After it's war service the "Sea Cloud" got her barque rigging back again, and was restored as a yacht.
In 1955 she was sold to Trujillo, - the President of the Dominican Republic -, who renamed her "Angelita".
When Trujillo was assassinated in 1961 the new government of the Dominican Republic took over the ship, - renamed her "Patria" -, and put her up for sale.
She was eventually bought by an American cruise line company which renamed her "Antarna" -, but due to various disputes she ended up in Panama, where she laid inactive for the next 8 years, - up to 1978 when I photographed her.

The "Antarna" was finally saved by German sailing ship enthusiasts, who managed to take over the once great ship, and brought her back to life.
Again she was made seaworthy, - renamed "Sea Cloud" -, and in October 1978 she was ready to go to sea again, - to Germany where she was originally built almost 50 years earlier.

My pictures show her in the last period in Panama, just before she was made ready for the trip "home".

She was eventually restored and extensively repaired in Kiel, and eight months later she was ready to cruise the great oceans again, - and have done so ever since under the name "Sea Cloud".
 
 

Now a completely different yacht!
Take note of the contrast between super yacht "A" and the classic sail yacht "Antarna". Incredible!
This is the  ultra-modern yacht "A" , - the toy of Russian billionaire Andrei Melnichoff -, here photographed by my wife when we drove across the bridge over Store Bælt.
 
 

Page initiated: Jan.19.2010
Page updated:  Oct.30.2011