Assens is just a city, - like all the other coastal cities that are visited by the fleet of traditional sailing ships during the annual "Fyn Rundt" races -, but this time it was different in Assens!
This year, - 2008 -, Assens celebrated the 200 years anniversary of the death of the most famous person that came from this city, - naval hero Peter Willemoes!
There were Willemoes plays, Willemoes exhibitions, Willemoes books and everything else Willemoes - - - -
The local people simply had fun, - and in the middle of the celebrations the fleet of traditional ships happened to visit their city, which certainly boosted the maritime atmosphere and added considerably to the fun - - -

I used the opportunity to go to Assens to see the local people celebrate, - and of course to enjoy the old ships in port - - -

Please enjoy the combination of the Willemoes festival in Assens, - and the arrival of the fleet of "Fyn Rundt 2008" - -
 
 

Here is some explanation required:
A cook house is, - as the word indicates -, a house for cooking.
In the days of sail when the ships were made from wood, it was not allowed to have open fires on the ships in port because of the fire hazard.
If one ship in port accidentally caught fire, - all ships in port might burn as well, - and maybe the city too!
Therefore cooking over open fire was restricted to special cook houses like the one still preserved in the port area of Assens.

You can see pictures of another well preserved cook house in Ærøskøbing. (Just click on "Ærøskøbing", - and you will get there!)
 
 

And naval hero Peter Willemoes????
Well, - Peter Willemoes is the only reason that Assens was ever put on the World map!
What happened was, - that when the English navy attacked Copenhagen in 1801 -, the Danish navy was not ready, and therefore a quickly improvised line of ships and special floating batteries were towed out and anchored in front of the entrance to the port.
The floating batteries were specially made for this occasion, and such a battery was no more than a square barge with about 20 naval guns, - they could not sail or navigate by their own power, but was positioned permanently with 4 anchors.
One of those floating batteries were under command of a 17 year old Lieutenant, - Peter Willemoes from Assens -, just out from the Naval Academy, and this was his first command as a naval officer - - - -
Under normal circumstances that would be it, - nothing special about that -, but in this case history's wheels engaged themselves in a special way that sent young Willemoes right into the long line of naval heroes of Denmark.

When the English fleet lined up in front of the Danish defense line, it so happened, that the ship positioned right opposite Peter Willemoes' small floating battery was the mighty H.M.S. "Elephant", - the flag ship of no less than Admiral Horatio Nelson himself.
But that was not enough.
The ship right behind Lord Nelson's ship was H.M.S. "Glutton" under command of a certain Captain William Bligh, - famous from a mutiny on a ship named "Bounty"!  (No further explanation needed!)

In other words, - a 17 year old lieutenant now had to stand up and fight directly against the maybe greatest and most famous Admiral of all times, - Lord Nelson -, as well as the just as famous Captain William Bligh!
And all that at the same time - - - - -
Surprisingly enough Peter Willemoes survived the duel with those two mighty English warships and their very skilled and highly experienced commanders!
After the battle, when it was fully understood what Willemoes actually had been up against, - and Lord Nelson specially mentioned the unusual courage of the Commander of the small floating battery -, it is quite understandable that young Peter Willemoes immediately became everybody's darling here in Denmark, - and got his ticket to join the very long line of other naval heroes of this country.
 
 

Page initiated:  Aug.18.2008