JONATHAN MACLEOD takes to the high seas on a voyage with fellow artists from Finland

With that goal in mind and with what I thought was enough experience of weather and the sea, I and my island companion Sandra Kennedy set off for Cherbourg.

A hearty-looking crew set sail early in the morning to the sound of songbirds and an air of adventure which was soon to be tested by heavy swell, a north easterly gale and four-hour watches.

Jon Macleod at the helm

Climbing out onto a pitching deck, clipping on your safety harness and steering the 130 foot schooner into the dawn light, with the occasional appearance from the first mate or captain popping cuckoo clock-like from the doghouse shouting a new bearing in Finnish before the hatch doors snapped shut and we returned to our numbing cold, watchful world dodging container ships passing England to our port and France far off to starboard.

After a brief stopover in the Dutch port of Den Helgen, on the fourth day the much talked of Helgoland appeared on the horizon, a duty free haven and former Nazi holiday resort.

As we went ashore we soon realised that whilst it looked much like a small Scottish Island it had a large 1950’s housing estate and imposing church spire on its summit, while on the basic road system we dodged electric perfume wagons and island inhabitants of all ages zooming around on foot scooters (There is a special section in the German traffic laws prohibiting the use of automobiles and bicycles on the island).

The stay ashore gave us time to rest, explore Helgoland and its neighbouring island Dune and to get to know each other better. We took it in turns to give a brief talk about our own work and to explain a little about where we lived. We explored the differences and similarities between Finnish and Scottish culture, shared a joint passion for porridge and marvelled at the strange landscape around us over a few pints and some bilingual jokes.

My watch (Vahti 3) consisted of Pirkko, a marine biologist and artist; Mari, one of the few female Finnish traditional boat builders; and Minna, a feisty Aland islander who was exploring the idea of what makes people happy.

Helgoland

We shared a cabin at the prow of the boat for the voyage, negotiating-sleep walking incidents and marvelling at the sublimely beautiful sensation of being at the helm of Helena at night, navigating by the stars, the billowing sails above us and a phosphorescent sea cut by our hull.

The voyage continued, racing tankers along the Elba and finally passing into the Kiel Canal, linking the North sea and the Baltic sea. At a leisurely pace we passed along the tree clad green corridor clothing the canals banks, alive with spring birdsong until finally we emerged into the gently lapping waters of the Baltic.

A final Captains talk and tot of rum sealed the end to our journey.

We passed the night with a fine meal in the galley and a drink fuelled ‘rathad dannsa’ on the quay, strip the willow and Finnish courtly dance to the masterly accompaniment of Kirsty on the accordion with an especially composed tune.

The next morning we went our separate ways. Helena back to her home port of Uusikaupunki and the crew scattered in all directions in an attempt to circumnavigate the disruption caused by the Icelandic volcano.

Myself and Sandra soon realised that we weren’t going to get home fast and after several hairbrained ideas decided to head up to the Danish border to the beautiful town of Flensbourg for the Baltic folk festival and then on to the North Freisian islands to visit the painter Emil Noldes museum and house.

It was fascinating to see the range of styles and influences in my crewmates work, and to be a creative force travelling and exchanging tales, experiences and ideas.

The log book

The residency was unlike others in as much as we had a joint task (sailing the boat) which engendered a sense of collaboration and teamwork which hopefully will translate into a similarly shared set of pieces in the show in Turku in the autumn.

It was interesting to hear about the art library in Helsinki where the public can for a fee have an artwork in their homes for a period of time with the option to buy, or of the projects led by one of the Finnish crew, Mari, who has pioneered tall ship journeys involving art and young people from the high Arctic to Cape Horn.

This trip is part of a set of projects initiated by my stay in the Aland archipelago of Finland in the Winter of 2005. Finland and the Finnish culture continues to fascinate me, and I hope the projects and collaborations will continue. It is our turn now to come up with a Scottish Island-based experience to challenge our new found Finnish friends.

© Jon Macleod, 2010