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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Sian Traynor

Edinburgh footage captures impressive 'Pirates of the Caribbean' style ship in Leith

An Edinburgh video has caught the impressive moment the Georg Stage glided across the Firth of Forth into Edinburgh this week.

Shared on YouTube, the aerial shots showcased the iconic ship's journey into the Scottish capital, before docking up at the Port of Leith.

First built in 1934, the Danish training ship is said to conduct around one tour per year, and was lucky enough to include Edinburgh on this year's voyage.

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According to research, the ship even still displays the original figurehead from the first 1882, that is said to depict its namesake, and is kept in good condition.

Posted on April 16, the ship can be seen with the Danish flag flying proudly and its sails up as the calm conditions allow for a smooth sail into the docks.

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Maintained to an extremely high standard, the current Georg Stage is the second to be launched under that name, and although over 80 years old, has had a few modern adaptations.

A stunning and unique ship to have docked in the city, the Georg Stage does appear to stand out from the usual more modern and industrial types that usually haunt the port.

You can watch the full video here.

Built almost 90 years ago, the ship is similar to what you would see in pirate movies, featuring three huge masts that hoist over ten flags into the air.

According to Maritime Traffic, the sea version of Flight Radar, the vessel is currently situated in the North Sea, having left Sonderborg, Denmark, six days ago and travelling at 5.6 knots.

The ship is the second type launched under the name Georg Stage, with its first tour starting on April 24, 1935 and to get some insight into how rare a sighting of this ship is, especially in Edinburgh, it only has one tour per year, starting in April and ending in September.

The ship has carried this tradition since it was commissioned, except during the Second World War.

Since 1974, the vessel serves 63 crew members, ranging from chefs, to a ten-person regular crew. The sailors and chefs training onboard must be between 17 and 22 years of age, with females also being allowed to apply for the training program since 1981.

It's also the world's oldest, civil training ship, giving people a yearly maritime experience to remember for the rest of their lives.

Although it is unclear how long the ship will be dock in Leith for, it will certainly present locals with a great opportunity to snap some photos and see the spectacle up close.

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