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Join a sailing adventure on a Tall Ship and set course for new horizons!

Dunkirk (FR) - Aberdeen (GB)

12 July - 21 July 2025

9 days, Gulden Leeuw

From € 1090,-

Book this journey

International Exchange Tall Ships Races Sail Training

18-25: € 1090,-
26-28: € 1290,-

Book this journey

Gulden Leeuw:
Dunkirk (FR) - Aberdeen (GB)

12 July - 21 July 2025

International Exchange at The Tall Ships Races 2025: Race 2. From France to Scotland: join Gulden Leeuw for an exhilarating race! Find your Tall Ship among many others gathered in Dunkirk for maritime festival, and meet your fellow trainee-crew. Leave the harbour in a Parade of Sail, and join the race to Aberdeen. Sail day and night, in watches, steering, navigating, climbing the masts, and working with sails. Learn about wind directions, make useful knots, and sing old shanties. Cross the finish line, and make your way to Aberdeen, where a vibrant festival will await you. Spend the last two days on board enjoying the well-deserved celebrations, joining the Crew Parade, Crew Party, and of course – the award ceremony! Join Race 2 on Gulden Leeuw for an unforgettable experience.
This voyage is for Windseekers aged 18-25, ages 26-28 at request. If you’re between 15 and 18 years old, you can choose another Tall Ships Races journey.

The Tall Ships Races 2025

Every year, a diverse array of Tall Ships, small Ships, and Yachts gather to promote Sail Training and foster international frienship among young people. With a stipulation that mandates at least half of the participants fall within the age bracket of 15-25, these vessels engage in Races and Cruise in Company legs, navigating between various host ports and engaging in vibrant harbour festivals.

Each journey includes a cheerful sail-out of the harbour in a spectacular Parade of Sail, followed by several days at sea, and ends with the last two days spent in the destination port. Here, trainees paricipate in a series of events including the Crew Parade, award ceremonies, Crew Party, as well as games and competitions. Are you ready to embark on this exhilarating journey?

Ports

Dunkirk is the northernmost city in France and one if its biggest harbours. It lies very close to the Belgian border and dates back to middle ages when it was a fishing village. Dunkirk's maritime heritage is clearly visible, and celebrated. You can visit the Port Museum (Musée Portuaire), climb to the top of Le Beffroi de Saint-Eloi for unforgettable views or relax in one of the multiple seafront cafes and bars.

Aberdeen, the silver city with the golden sands, lies on the Scottish east coast. The city has been settled for over 8000 years, so you’ll find plenty of historic landmarks as you amble across town. Aberdeen is also famous for its many parks and gardens. The city hosts several festivals year round, so check out the cultural agenda while you’re there. And take some time to spend in one of the many wonderful pubs, where you can strike up a conversation with the locals. But don’t peek under kilts!

  • Aberdeen (GB)

Key points

  • Dates: 12 July 2025 - 21 July 2025
  • Embarkation: 17:00 / Disembarkation: 10:00
  • For Windseekers 18-25 years, age 26-28 at request
  • Windseekers joining: maximum 55
  • No sailing experience required!
  • Official language on board: English and Dutch
  • Price includes: accommodation and meals, excludes drinks at the bar
  • Price excludes transportation costs to-and from the ports. Our travel counsellor can advise you and book your transfers
  • Windseekers need to have a health insurance and a travel insurance
  • Need to take with you on board: sleeping bags and towels

  • "This adventure brings a lot of feelings with it, it's a wake-up call for life."

    Ian (20), Belgium

You sail on the Gulden Leeuw

Shipping type: Topsail Schooner
Homeport: Kampen (NL)
Date built: 1937
Trainees: 60
Length: 70,1 m
Height of mast: 40 m
Sail: 1500 m2

The Gulden Leeuw is a three-masted topsail schooner, which means that you can climb the 40-metre mast to unpack the square sails. That’s approximately 12 stories high! But do not worry, you can start with the lowest yard. With 1500 …

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Windseeker logs

  • We sail together. We sweat together. We smile together.

    Vega Gamleby

    Gothenburg - Blyth - Gothenburg

    – by the Trainees

    Logbook trainees Vega Gamleby 2016 Gothenburg-Blyth-Gothenburg Part 1: 23-24 August We sail together. We sweat together. We smile together. We are friends. We are family. We are the champion.   23-August-2016: Linda Today it was a wonderful day. We started with a climb lesson for the …

    Read log
  • Ship

    Absolutely Awesome Day

    Europa

    Southern Atlantic Ocean

    – by Annie van Haaren

    Today was absolutely awesome. Waking from a good 7 hour sleep to breakfast, first time in 5 days as I had been sleeping right through it when on the dog watch. We had watch from 8 am till 12 midday. …

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Photos

  • Trainee
  • Sørlandet
  • Sørlandet

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STO Garant

This Journey is covered by the STO Garant guarantee. You can find the conditions for this guarantee scheme on STO Garant’s website (www.sto-garant.nl/en/downloads).

This process is automatic and you do not need to do anything else. After receiving your booking, Windseeker will send you detailed information on how and when to pay for your journey – together with all the other important details.

 

What does it mean?

In short: you do not pay the booking amount to Windseeker but instead into an escrow account. This trust account holds your payment in reserve until your journey’s end. The booking amount is then released to Windseeker on the day after your trip ends. If Windseeker or the Ship should become financially insolvent before the end of your trip, STO Garant will implement the guarantee. The Guarantee Scheme details how you can make a claim under the guarantee in such cases. You can read more about this here.