Baptism of fire for ”S/Y Underveis”

RØST: On Mid-summers Eve, no less, S/Y Underveis received her baptism of fire at Kårøya. Almost 50 spectators had shown up for the occasion. Spewing flames and airborne Azeri champagne were parts of the show as godmother Solveig Seines baptized former S/Y Splitter Pine to her new and committing name S/Y Underveis.

- I hereby name you S/Y Underveis. May good luck and fortune accompany you on your voyage across the seven seas, and may the sun shine upon your decks proclaimed godmother Solveig Seines before she unleashed the champagne bottle onto the bough, where it disintegrated at great applause from the audience.

Finn Olav had invited John-Tonny Johnsen and Martin Jensen, two boys from his local childrens circus, “Circus Ut-Røst” to show off their flame throwing act on the occasion. Despite rainy weather and dark grey skies, the show went on as planned, and the flames rose several meters into the sky.

-Now our ship has been formally named “Underveis”, Finn Olav said happily, after the flames were put out and the champagne bottle broken into smithereens.

- The departure date for “Underveis” is planned for Sunday 20th of August, if the weather gods allow us. There is still some work left to be done onboard the ship, in addition to some paperwork, and we are working everyday to finish on time. But we are in control, and feel that we are on top of things, Finni says.

After the baptism, a traditional Mid-Summer Eves fire was lit, and whale meat was put on the barbeque, with coffee and cakes for dessert.