Dar Młodzieży’s Transatlantic Voyage to the USA
2026
16 April
The Dar Młodzieży set sail on a transatlantic voyage on 16 April 2026. Gdynia Maritime University's sail training ship will take part in Sail 250 – maritime celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence. At approximately 14:00, Gdynia Maritime University’s sail training ship put out to sea from its home port in Gdynia, setting a heading for the Isle of Man.
The departure of the Dar Młodzieży was preceded by a press conference held on board with the participation of Gdynia Maritime University leaders and representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure. The University was represented by HM The Rector, Professor Adam Weintrit, and the Director of the Maritime Operations Department, Captain Dariusz Jellonek. Giving a speech on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure was Minister Dariusz Klimczak. The City of Gdynia was represented by Mayor Aleksandra Kosiorek.
In bidding farewell to the ship, GMU Rector Professor Adam Weintrit spoke of the GMU students and secondary school pupils on board:
I hope the voyage will prove to be a proper test for these young people. For the majority of them, it will be the first voyage of their lives. Therefore, it will be an opportunity to discover whether the choice they made a year or two years ago was the right decision.
During the 131-day expedition, the Dar Młodzieży will leave in its wake around 12,000 nautical miles. The ship is captained by Captain Michał Sadowski.
The Dar Młodzieży was waved off from the quay in Gdynia by University leaders, national and local government officials, representatives of the maritime community, the families of students and pupils taking part in the first leg of the voyage, and many Gdynia residents.
The ship is scheduled to reach the US in the second half of June and will take part in the global gathering of tall ships on 4 July in New York.
20 April
The Dar Mlodzieży rounds the ‘Horn of Europe’
First Officer Tomasz Maracewicz wrote:
Today at 13:45 UTC, the Dar Młodzieży, under the command of Captain Michał Sadowski, sailing under sails, rounded the Pentland Firth – the body of water between the Orkney Isles and the coast of Scotland.
The ship made a similar passage under the command of Captain Leszek Wiktorowicz during its historic circumnavigation of the globe from 1987 to 1988. The passage through the Pentland Firth is one of the most difficult to navigate on account of the strong tidal currents, which often exceed 10 knots.
The strait has instilled fear in sailors for centuries. Here, the waters of the Atlantic and the North Sea meet, creating chaotic currents, whirlpools and short, steep seas. In the age of sail, the passage often had to be planned down to the minute – it was essential to catch the tidal window exactly.
To this day, navigating the Pentland Firth is regarded as one of the most demanding passages in Europe. Photos: Michał Sadowski
24 April
Gdynia Maritime University's sail training ship dropped anchor in the port of Douglas on the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea – the first stop for the Dar Młodzieży on its transatlantic route. The ship has already covered 1200 nautical miles since it departed from its home port just over a week ago.
During the weekend of 25-26 April, spent in port, the Dar Młodzieży was open to the public for visits. Visits to the ship were made by the Consul of the Republic of Poland, the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, Poland's Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization - IMO, and diplomats from various countries visiting the Isle of Man. The ship was also visited by the local media and members of the Polish diaspora.
On 27 April, the white frigate weighed anchor and headed south towards its next port of call – Cadiz, Spain. The ship will navigate the Bay of Biscay under sail.
Photos 1,4: Facebook / Embassy of the Republic of Poland in London; Photos 2,3: Piotr Kwieciński; Photo 5 Karolina Marek
28 April
On 28 April at 09:47 hours, the Captain of the Dar Młodzieży, Michał Sadowski, gave an update on the ship’s progress:
The Dar Młodzieży is making her way across the Irish Sea under sail towards the Bay of Biscay. We are enjoying beautiful, sunny weather, with the wind from astern, and at times our speed reaches 11 knots.
Daily work continues on board — there’s the sound of hammers as maintenance work is underway, and preparations are being made for the weekly Captain’s inspection, which was postponed due to the ship’s stay in port.
We are scheduled to arrive in Cádiz on 8 May, and are hoping for favourable conditions and further valuable experience for our trainees.
Photo 1: Adrian Cowin; Photos 2-3: Michał Sadowski; Photos 4-5: Adrian Dopke
8 May
On 8 May, the Captain of the Dar Młodzieży, Michał Sadowski, provided the following update:
This morning, at 10:15 hours, we docked in the port of Cádiz. We have a few intensive days of preparation ahead of us. Today we will we will take on fuel and load deliveries of supplies.
Tomorrow we will welcome on board the ship port representatives, local government spokespersons, and the Polish Chargé d'affaires in Spain.
The most challenging day will be Sunday: the changeover of trainees and the start of intensive basic training necessary for the ship to continue its journey under sail.
Photos: Michał Sadowski
12 May
The Dar Młodzieży has left Cádiz and entered the Atlantic. The Commanding Officer of the sail training ship, Captain Michał Sadowski, wrote of the ocean-going nature of this stage of the voyage:
It is on a passage such as this that the essence of sail training is most clearly seen.
Conditions at sea remain very good. The ship is maintaining a speed of between 7 and 9 knots, while the increasingly high temperatures are conducive to activity on board.
The crew and trainees are carrying out their daily duties in line with the schedule. Both training and maintenance work connected with the operation of the sail training ship are on-going
Photos: Michał Sadowski
18 May
The Dar Młodzieży is crossing the waters of the Atlantic. At 08:30 local time, the sail training ship was located exactly between the Canary Islands and Cape Verde – around 360 nautical miles from both archipelagos. During the night, the vessel crossed the Tropic of Cancer.
Before reaching its destination, the vessel will cross a further five time zones. The Dar Młodzieży is expected to arrive in the port of Nassau in the Bahamas on 8 June.
Photos: 1-2 Michał Sadowski; 3-4 Adrian Dopke; 5-10; Piotr Kołakowski
24 May
For the first time in the University’s history, GMU Sports Day was also held on board the training sailing ship Dar Młodzieży, sailing in the waters of the Atlantic.
Photos: Michał Sadowski
26 May
Students of the Faculty of Navigation currently training aboard the Dar Młodzieży sent Mother’s Day wishes to their mothers directly from sea.
7- 8 June
Following a successful transatlantic crossing under sail, Gdynia Maritime University’s sail training ship Dar Młodzieży arrived in the Bahamas, anchoring off Nassau on 7 June 2026. The very next day, trainees began exploring the capital of the Bahamas, gaining first-hand experience of the culture and daily life of the island nation.
The Bahamas visit also created a rare opportunity to bring together representatives of traditional sail training and modern cruise shipping. En route to Nassau, the Dar Młodzieży crossed paths with Royal Caribbean International's Allure of the Seas, one of the world's largest cruise ships. Serving as Staff Captain aboard the vessel is Captain Jarosław Michalski, who invited the Polish frigate's trainees and crew to visit the ship.
On 8 June, Captain Jarosław Michalski, accompanied by Ship's Electrician Angelika, came aboard the Dar Młodzieży. Angelika is a graduate of Gdynia Maritime University who completed her own sea training aboard Dar Młodzieży during her studies and is today the only female electrician employed across the entire Royal Caribbean fleet.
That same day, a 15-member delegation from the Dar Młodzieży visited Allure of the Seas. Thanks to the hospitality of their hosts, the group was granted access to areas normally off limits to passengers, including the engine control room, the ship's hospital, the waste management centre, and the internal crew corridor known as the 'I-95 highway'. They also toured the ship's theatre, ice rink, and numerous recreational and dining venues.
17 JUNE
The Dar Młodzieży is currently making her way across the Atlantic.The vessel will shortly arrive at the Port of Norfolk, located on Chesapeake Bay on the east coast of the United States. By now, the students of Gdynia Maritime University have become true, seasoned seafarers!
Photo 1 Bruno Kitson; Photo 2 Kajetan Zaborowski; Photos 3-6 Maja Dziedzic; Photo 7 Maks Szulc
19 JUNE
The Dar Młodzieży took part in the spectacular Sail 250 Virginia Parade of Sail – an international flotilla of tall ships leading into the port of Norfolk. Prior to the start of the maritime procession, the ship welcomed on board a Polish delegation led by the Polish Chargé d’Affaires in Washington, Bogdan Klich. The parade itself was a demanding undertaking, spanning nearly 30 nautical miles, with participating vessels maintaining an average speed of approximately 6 knots.
Following the parade, the Dar Młodzieży berthed at Front Street, alongside the tall ships Gorch Fock from Germany and Esmeralda from Chile. On the quayside, the crew were welcomed by representatives of the Polish community and the commanding officer of the host vessel, the USS New York. Berthing operations were assisted by sailors from the American ship, which holds a unique place in US history, having been partially constructed using steel salvaged from the ruins of the World Trade Center following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001.
Throughout the stopover, the frigate opened its decks to members of the local Polish diaspora and others with ties to Poland. Among the visitors was the son of the legendary Polish explorer Tony Halik, who recalled his father’s own voyage aboard the Dar Młodzieży in 1987.
Photos 1 and 2: Adrian Dopke
20–21 JUNE
A team of first-year students from the Faculty of Navigation at Gdynia Maritime University, currently undertaking sea training aboard the Dar Młodzieży, participated in the Sail250 Virginia International Soccer Tournament, held from 20–21 June 2026 in Norfolk, USA
The matches were part of the wider Sail250 Virginia festival and brought together 40 teams from around the world, representing tall ships, naval vessels, and military units and formations
The tournament final was contested between the French team representing FS Dixmude and the US Marines
Even though the Dar Młodzieży cadets were competing against teams drawn from much larger ship crews and established military formations, they represented Gdynia Maritime University and Poland with dignity throughout the international tournament in Norfolk
