SAILING TIME

- Life on an old wooden ferry

When the old ferry Ida begins to move, you know that spring has come. Ida saves both time and energy for a large number of Danish cyclists as its 12-minute crossing between the islands Bogø and Falster saves them no less than 60 kilometers on the road. Also, cars, motorcycles and busses make good use of the shortcut.

“On board, I meet tourists from all over Europe, and with this job, I don’t need to be out at sea for as long as I used to,” John Sanger-Kristensen says. John is now on his seventh season as captain of M/S IDA. The old wooden ferry from 1959 is the oldest active ferry in Denmark. The engine is also from ’59 and is best described as slow but steady. It is a double ended ferry with a propeller in both ends.

The old equipment on board still works: “The ferry has a VHF-radio, a radar and a wheel. It works out all right, and we manage to sail in almost all conditions. The worst scenario is a strong wind from the side, but we almost never experience waves of any real significance in these waters.”

Recently, Ida has had all wood below the surface replaced. Originally it was beechwood, but now it has been replaced with oak. The ferry requires a fair amount of maintenance, and like other seniors Ida must undergo surgery now and then. Every time, a ship inspector must approve the changes before the ferry can return to work.

“I know this ferry pretty well by now, and having my family here at Bogø, I prefer this lifestyle to the long voyages I used to do. I