# Eighty years on one ship

The Mircea, Romania's sail training ship: launched at Hamburg in 1938,
in service since May 1939. The Biscay storm, the four mapped voyages and
the verified numbers. Checked 20 September 2026.

## The night the towline parted

Bay of Biscay, 25–28 November 1965. On the morning of 25 November the
ship heels 35 degrees to both sides, towed by Viteazul and Voinicul on a
force-8 ocean. On 26 November the towline parts and the Mircea is left
without propulsion. The waves push her toward the 16-metre buoy marking
the Chaussée de Sein rock limit; both anchors are let go, and the buoy's
spurs tear nine holes in the plating. The SOS is picked up at Brest,
which sends two rescue vessels. Only on 28 November, at about 8 o'clock,
does the tug Rinogerus pass the towline, and the ship is taken into
Brest. The storm sank 40 ships; the Mircea was not among them. A single
sailor was lightly injured.

## 87 years of service

From the entry into Constanța harbour, 17 May 1939, to September 2026.
Time for three generations of sailors to learn their knots on the same
deck.

## Fourth of a series of five

Hamburg, 1938–1939. The Blohm & Voss contract is signed on 26 January
1938; the launch follows on 22 September 1938. The name comes from Mircea
the Elder (1386–1418); his carved likeness stands at the bow. In the
spring of 1939 the flag is raised, and on 17 May the ship enters
Constanța, where the old brig hands over the relay. The first voyage
(3 July–3 September 1939): Palermo, Toulon, Palma, Gibraltar, Algiers,
Alexandria — with 11 officers, 16 warrant officers, 37 cadets, 83 students
and 67 sailors. The sisters: Eagle (USA), Gorch Fock I and II (Germany),
Sagres (Portugal).

## Seized, returned, forgotten, saved

19 February 1941: the Brăila refuge, until the summer of 1944. Over
25 years with no voyage outside the Black Sea. September 1944: taken by
the Soviets, as Rion. 27 May 1946: the restitution ceremony, with King
Michael I. September 1948: a force-8 storm, three days and three nights
hove to. 1951–1953: more furious storms. 1959: the proposal to strike her
off, salvation through the move to Mangalia. 1963: President Kennedy's
invitation, not honoured. August 1964: the decision to repair.
12 October 1965: departure for Hamburg. 19 January–24 August 1966: the
major refit at Hamburg.

## 29,305 nautical miles over four routes

Haversine sums over the documented calls, measured along the drawn lines:
1939 delivery 3,921; 1939 first voyage 5,382; 1965 tow 3,843; 1976
Atlantic 16,159. Almost seven times the direct Constanța–New York run
(4,228 nm). The real sea miles are longer.

## Under full sail across the Atlantic

1975: Amsterdam 700 and “Ispas' salute”. 1976: the first Atlantic
crossing, Las Palmas–Caribbean under sail alone; La Guaira, Cartagena,
Veracruz, Havana, Hamilton, Newport, New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia;
the 4 July parade at New York. 1994–2002: modernisation at Brăila. Tall
Ships regattas since 2004. 2026: for America again, for the 250th
anniversary of the United States.

## 1,750 square metres of canvas

23 sails on three masts — almost seven tennis courts. The 44-metre
mainmast matches a block of flats of about 14 storeys. Length 81.18 m,
beam 12.04 m, draught 5.40 m. Complement 200 people, of which 120
students. MaK engine of 1,100 hp, 4,000 nm range.

## What we could not verify

The career total of miles — Undocumented; the career total of cadets;
the exact day of the flag-raising (March or April 1939); the exact dates
of the 1976 crossing.

## Sources

“Mircea cel Bătrân” Naval Academy (ship, history, characteristics,
voyages, transatlantics, sisters, training):
https://www.anmb.ro/eng/files/bric/bric.html — Wikipedia, working lead:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mircea_(ship) — US Embassy, the Sail250
voyage: https://ro.usembassy.gov/romanian-tall-ship-mircea-sets-sail-to-new-york-to-mark-freedom250-americas-250th-anniversary/