Castor's great years as MV Redeemer

 

The Redeemer will come

After having served the Royal Dutch Navy for 34 years, Castor was sold during auction to the offshore company Bakker and Vaartjes in Den Oever, who used her as a stand-by vessel for offshore purposes.

After only 4 years, she was again sold, but her purpose would change completely.

A charity organisation called "SeaCare" had plans to sail the 7 seas with  their renamed Castor; "Redeemer", helping churches and people in need as they went.

And so they did!

Castor sailed the Mediterranean Sea for over 10 years from 1988 upto 1999, helping out where it was needed the most.

 

Stories untold

We have been in contact with the people of Seacare in the last couple of months, and we have asked them if the felt like writing up their memoirs of the Redeemer years for this website.

Until their input arrives to give depth to this page, you'll find fantastic pictures of Castor during the Redeemer years below.

A topic especially for SeaCare / Redeemer has been added to the Guestbook

 

Adam Charon repainting Redeemer in Malta, 1992

Greek Islands 1989

 

A bit of fun in the Aegean - 1989

 

The bridge of the Redeemer, 1990

 

Thanksgiving on Redeemer

 

Redeemer in Vittoriosa Malta - 1990

 

The Redeemer passing London's Tower Bridge, 1989

 

Redeemer under sail - Marmara Sea 1989

 

Redeemer - Alexandroupolous Greece - 1989

 

Grote averij

A disasterous storm struck Castor, anchored in Elevsis Bay, Greece in 1991.

Redeemer was at anchor and alongside some larger vessels. A huge storm pounded Redeemer into the dredger next to her, crushing her with great force.

The damage after the storm blew itself out was tremendous, as can be seen above. It streched for over 15 meters, though a surveyor deemed the Redeemer sound enough to continue sailing.

The damage was only repaired 10 years later, at the Mets Shipyard in Urk.

 

Huge wave

The Redeemer in Malta, 1992.

That very nice steering wheel is gone now, probably sold by someone trying to make a fast buck.

Let's hope we stumble unto a similar steering wheel in the near future.